The section applies where a principal council have determined to have a presiding member.
The principal council must appoint a member of the council to act as deputy to the presiding member ("the deputy presiding member").
A member of the executive of a principal council , or an assistant to the executive, may not be appointed as the deputy presiding member.
A deputy presiding member is to continue in office until the occurrence of—
(a) the deputy presiding member's resignation or disqualification,
(b) a successor becoming entitled to act as deputy presiding member,
(c) the council determining not to have an office of presiding member, or
(d) an ordinary council election under section 26.
A deputy presiding member may do anything authorised or required to be done by the presiding member.