Section 4: Operation

The departmental council meets at the initiative of its chairman, at least once every three months, at a location in the department chosen by the standing committee. In years when the general renewal of the departmental councils takes place, the first meeting is held as of right on the second Thursday following the first round of voting. At the first meeting of the departmental council, immediately after the election of…

The chairman may decide that the meeting of the departmental council is to be held in several places by videoconference. When the meeting of the departmental council is held by videoconference, the quorum is assessed on the basis of the presence of the departmental councillors in the various places by videoconference. Votes may only be taken by public ballot. If a request for a secret ballot is adopted, the Chairman…

The departmental council is also convened at the request of: – the standing committee; – or one-third of the members of the departmental council on a specific agenda, for a period that may not exceed two days. The same departmental councillor may not submit more than one request for a meeting per six-month period. In exceptional circumstances, departmental councils may be convened by decree.

Sessions of the departmental council are public. However, at the request of five members or the chairman, the departmental council may decide, without debate, by an absolute majority of the members present or represented, that it shall meet in camera. Without prejudice to the powers that the president of the departmental council holds under article L. 3121-12, these meetings may be broadcast by audiovisual communication.

The president alone has the police of the assembly. He may have any individual who disturbs order expelled from the audience or arrested. In the event of a crime or misdemeanour, he draws up a report, which is immediately referred to the public prosecutor.

The minutes of each meeting, drawn up by one of the secretaries, are approved at the beginning of the following meeting and signed by the chairman and secretary. The minutes shall contain the date and time of the meeting, the names of the Chairman, the members of the County Council present or represented and the secretary or secretaries of the meeting, the quorum, the agenda for the meeting, the resolutions…