URBAN COUNCILS ACT Chapter 29:15 (3) A standing order may be suspended if the proposal to suspend the standing order is agreed to by a majority of the total membership of the council. (4) Standing orders shall not be published in the Gazette. PART VII DEPUTY MAYOR, CHAIRMAN, DEPUTY CHAIRMAN, ALDERMEN AND COUNCILLORS 103 Election of deputy mayor, chairman and deputy chairman (1) At the first meeting of a council after it has been established and thereafter at the first meeting held— (a) after the general election of councillors; or (b) after an initial election of councillors referred to in paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of section seventeen; or (c) in August in any year in which the general election of councillors is not held; the councillors present at that meeting shall elect— (i) in the case of a municipal council, one councillor to be deputy mayor; (ii) in the case of a town council, one councillor to be chairman and thereafter another councillor to be deputy chairman. (2) A person elected in terms of subsection (1) shall forthwith enter upon his office and, subject to subsection (3), shall hold office until the election of his successor in office. (3) A person elected in terms of subsection (1) shall cease to hold office as such when his successor is elected in terms of that subsection: Provided that— (i) if a deputy mayor is elected in terms of section forty-nine to be mayor, he shall cease to hold office as deputy mayor with effect from that election; (ii) if a deputy chairman is elected in terms of subsection (4) to be chairman, he shall cease to hold office as deputy chairman with effect from that election; (iii) if a chairman, deputy mayor or deputy chairman resigns, by notice in writing addressed to the town clerk, he shall cease to hold office as such with effect from the date the notice is received by the town clerk; (iv) if the seat of the councillor who is chairman, deputy mayor or deputy chairman becomes vacant by virtue of paragraph (b), (c), (d), (e), (f) or (g) of subsection (2) of section seventyeight, he shall cease to hold office as such with effect from the date that seat becomes vacant. (4) Where the office of chairman, deputy mayor or deputy chairman becomes vacant before a meeting referred to in paragraph (a), (b) or (c) of subsection (1), the councillors present at a meeting of the council held not later than thirty days after such vacancy shall elect a successor who shall serve for the unexpired term of office of his predecessor. (5) If, at any meeting at which a chairman, deputy mayor or deputy chairman is to be elected, more than one candidate is nominated for that office, the election shall be by secret ballot and, if there is an equality of votes between two or more candidates and the addition of one vote would entitle any of the candidates to be declared elected to the office, there shall be a second election by secret ballot and, if at that second election there is again an equality of votes such as is referred to above, the candidate to whom the additional vote shall be deemed to have been given shall be determined by the drawing of lots at that meeting. (6) At a meeting of the council at which a deputy mayor is to be elected the proceedings during that election shall be presided over by a mayor: Provided that if there is no mayor or if the mayor is absent or incapacitated or refuses or fails to act, the councillors present may elect one of their number to preside at that meeting. (7) At a meeting of the council at which a chairman or deputy chairman is to be elected, the proceedings during that election shall be presided over— (a) in the case of the first meeting of the council after it has been established, by a person appointed by the Minister for the purposes; 37