12 Meetings and decisions of Council (1) The Council shall hold its first meeting on such date and at such place as the Minister may specify and thereafter the Council shall meet together for the dispatch of business and adjourn, close and otherwise regulate its meetings and proceedings as it thinks fit: Provided that the Council shall meet not less than once in each calendar year. (2) The chairman may himself at any time and shall, at the request in writing of not less than two members, convene a special meeting of the Council, which meeting shall be convened for a date not sooner than seven days nor later than thirty days after receipt of such request. (3) A notice convening a special meeting of the Council shall state the purpose for which the meeting is to be convened. (4) The chairman or, in his absence, the vice-chairman shall preside at any meeting of the Council: Provided that, if both the chairman and the vice-chairman are absent from a meeting of the Council, the members present shall elect from their number an acting chairman who shall preside at that meeting. (5) Four members shall form a quorum at any meeting of the Council. (6) All acts, matters or things authorized or required to be done by the Council may be decided by a majority vote at a meeting of the Council at which a quorum is present. (7) At all meetings of the Council each member present shall have one vote on a question before the Council and, in the event of an equality of votes, the person presiding at the meeting shall have a casting vote in addition to a deliberative vote. (8) Any proposal circulated among members and agreed to in writing by a majority of all members shall be of the same effect as a resolution passed at a duly constituted meeting of the Council and shall be incorporated in the minutes of the next succeeding meeting of the Council. Provided that, if a member requires that such proposal be placed before a meeting of the Council, this subsection shall not apply to such proposal. 13 Validity of decisions and acts of Council No decision or act of the Council or act done under the authority of the Council shall be invalid only because— (a) the Council did not consist of the full number of members for which provision is made in section five; or (b) a disqualified person acted as a member of the Council at the time the decision was taken or the act was done or authorized. 14 Funds of Council The funds of the Council shall consist of— (a) fees and other moneys payable to the Council in terms of this Act; and (b) such moneys as may be payable to the Council from moneys appropriated for that purpose by Parliament; and (c) any moneys to which the Council may become entitled, whether by way of grants, loans or otherwise; and -7-