(1) The minutes of the last meeting of an abolished council or a relevant committee shall, if practicable, be signed at that meeting.
(2) If the minutes are not so signed—
(a) the abolished council in question shall, within twenty one days of the meeting, send, or secure that there is sent, to every member of the council or of the relevant committee a statement of the purport of this paragraph and paragraphs (4) and (5) together with, in the case of a council meeting, a copy of the minutes or, in the case of a relevant committee meeting, a copy of the minutes or information as to the time and place at which a copy may be inspected; and
(b) the person who presided at the meeting shall, not earlier than the seventh nor later than the twenty-first day following the sending of documents or information in accordance with sub-paragraph (a), or such later date as the Secretary of State may determine, sign those minutes after taking into consideration any representations made by any such member.
(3) Where paragraph 2(a) is not complied with before the abolition date, that sub-paragraph shall have effect with the substitution of the words “appropriate residuary body” for the words “the abolished council in question” and of the words “as soon as practicable” for the words “within twenty one days of the meeting” .
(4) Where minutes are not duly signed in accordance with paragraph 2(b), the Secretary of State may direct that a person nominated by him shall, after taking into consideration any representations made by any member, sign the minutes within such period as may be specified in the direction.
(5) Any minute purporting to be signed in accordance with paragraphs (2) or (4) shall be received in evidence without further proof and, until the contrary is proved—
(i) the meeting a minute of whose proceedings has been made and so signed shall be deemed to have been duly convened and held;
(ii) all the members present shall be deemed to have been duly qualified; and
(iii) where the meeting is a meeting of a relevant committee, the committee shall be deemed to have been duly constituted and to have had power to deal with the matters referred to in the minutes.