21.—(1) A F33[housing authority] (in this section and in section 22 referred to as an “appointing authority”) shall appoint a committee which shall be known as the local traveller accommodation consultative committee (in this Act referred to as a “local consultative committee”) to advise on the provision and management of accommodation for travellers.

(2) Without prejudice to subsection (1), a local consultative committee—

(a) may advise the appointing authority F33[concerned, and]

(b) may, when requested by a F33[housing authority] other than the appointing authority concerned, advise that F33[housing authority] where the functional area of that F33[housing authority] adjoins the functional area of the appointing F33[authority.]

(c) F34[…]

(3) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1) or any other provision of this Act, a local consultative committee may—

(a) advise in relation to the preparation and implementation of any accommodation programme for the functional area of the appointing authority concerned,

(b) advise on the management of accommodation for travellers, and

(c) provide a liaison between travellers and members and officials of the appointing authority concerned.

(4) The appointing authority may provide such secretarial and administrative support including expenses and other costs to the local consultative committee as such appointing authority, having regard to any directions issued by the Minister, consider necessary or appropriate.

(5) The Minister may issue directions to an appointing authority in relation to—

(a) the number and composition, including an appropriate gender balance, of the membership,

(b) the period of appointment of the members,

(c) the terms of reference of the local consultative committee, and

(d) services and support,

and the appointing authority concerned shall comply with any such directions.

(6) The proceedings of a local consultative committee shall not be invalidated by any vacancies among the membership.

(7) F35[…]