URBAN COUNCILS ACT Chapter 29:15 powers or carry out the duties in accordance with such directions as the town clerk may give him. 137 Functions of chamber secretary (1) The chamber secretary shall be responsible for— (a) preparing and distributing minutes of the proceedings of a council and its committees; and (b) preparing and distributing agendas and notices of any mayoral, council or committee meetings; and (c) any other duties which may be assigned to him from time to time by the town clerk. (2) Whenever the office of town clerk is vacant or the town clerk is absent or incapacitated or fails to act, the chamber secretary shall perform the functions conferred or imposed upon the town clerk by this Act or any other law or by any resolution of the council. 138 Approval of conditions of service of employees of councils Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any other law, no council shall fix or alter the conditions of service of its employees except with the approval of the Minister responsible for the administration of the Labour Relations Act [Chapter 28:01] 139 Conditions of service of town clerk (1) Subject to subsection (2) and to the conditions of service of a town clerk, a council may at any time discharge a town clerk— (a) upon notice of not less than three months; or (b) summarily on the ground of misconduct, dishonesty, negligence or any other ground that would in law justify discharge without notice. (2) A council shall not discharge a town clerk unless the discharge has been approved by the Local Government Board. (3) If it appears to the mayor or chairman, as the case may be, that the town clerk of the council has been guilty of such conduct that it is desirable that the town clerk should not be permitted to carry on his work, he— (a) may suspend the town clerk from office and require him forthwith to leave his place of work; and (b) shall forthwith notify the council or, in the case of a municipality, executive committee, in writing, of such suspension and cause the suspension to be reported to the council at the first opportunity. (4) Where a council has received a report of a suspension in terms of subsection (3), the council shall without delay— (a) conduct an inquiry or cause an inquiry to be conducted into the circumstances of the suspension; and (b) after considering the results of the inquiry, decide whether or not— (i) to lift the suspension; or (ii) to do any one or more of the following— A. reprimand the town clerk; B. reduce the salary or any allowance payable to the town clerk; C. impose a fine not exceeding three thousand dollars or three months’ salary, which fine may be recovered by deductions from the salary of the town clerk; D. subject to subsection (2), discharge the town clerk; and shall inform the town clerk accordingly. (5) Where a town clerk has been suspended in terms of subsection (3)— (a) his suspension, unless earlier lifted, shall terminate when the council has decided not to discharge him or after six months has elapsed, whichever occurs the sooner; (b) during the period of his suspension he shall not be entitled to his salary or wages in respect of that period, but he may be paid such allowance, not exceeding the amount of his salary or wages, as the council may fix; 47