The Principal Objects for which the Committee is established are:

to provide a forum for the discussion of all matters concerning the development or operation of Manston Airport which have or may have an impact on the users of Manston Airport and on the people living and working in the surrounding area

to promote the efficient operation of Manston Airport while monitoring its impact on local communities

to keep all interested parties reasonably informed of matters that affect or may affect them

to provide an opportunity to reconcile any differences of opinion that may arise and for resolving difficulties that may have arisen through agreed voluntary action

The Committee shall not be entitled to enter into any legally binding agreements.

It is intended that throughout the existence of this Committee the Airport Operator shall provide the Committee with suitable administrative and office facilities

2.1 The Committee shall consist of:

2.1.1 the Chairman

2.1.2. representatives of bodies from the following four groups, in balanced proportion:

- owners and operators of the Airport
- users of the Airport
- regional planning authorities
- the local communities adjacent to the Airport.

2.1.3 The Committee will be increased in number to include some of those groups which are not yet fully represented, including possibly a representative of the South East of England Development Agency. However there shall not be more than 25 bodies represented on the Committee at any one time.

Room could not be found within this number for special interest groups (except for the Manston Airport Group, whose special interest was the airport) or for residents’ associations (since the local community was fully represented by parish councils etc.)

2.2 The Committee may decide that a body shall no longer be represented on the Committee if, in the opinion of the Committee, the interest in the development and operation of the Airport which that body represents can be better represented by another body or in another manner.

3.1 The Airport Operator may nominate the Officers from time to time provided that appointment of the Officers shall only be effective if first approved by the Committee.

3.2 The Committee shall at all times act only through the Officers

3.3 The Officers shall not enter into any legally binding agreements on behalf of the Committee

3.4 The Secretary shall:

3.4.1. keep and maintain minutes of the meetings of the Committee
3.4.2 distribute to the Members the minutes of meetings
3.4.3 keep Members informed of proposed meetings and proposed resolutions
3.4.4 not be a Member of the Committee and shall have no voting right

4. Meetings of the Committee

4.2 A Special Meeting of the Committee may be called if not less than 75% of the Members make a written request for the same to be held

4.3 The quorum for a Meeting shall consist of not less than 50% of Members being present at any time

4.4 Each Member:

4.4.1 shall have one vote and the Committee shall at all times act by a simple majority of the Members present and voting. The Chairman shall not normally vote, but shall in cases of equality exercise a casting vote
4.4.2 shall be entitled to nominate in writing to the Chairman one alternate to attend and vote in their stead at a Meeting but so that an alternate may not attend nor vote if the Member so attends

4.5 The Committee may:

4.5.1 adopt such rules as it thinks fit to regulate its own proceedings; and
4.5.2 alter vary or revoke such rules

4.6 The Committee may form such working groups (which shall be deemed to form part of the Committee) as it thinks fit to advise it as it may consider necessary and which may meet so often as they think fit subject to agreed terms of reference. Members of working groups need not necessarily all be drawn from membership of the main Committee.

4.7 Subject to clause 4.8 the Committee may by a special resolution passed by at least 75% of the Members present and voting in support of the resolution:

1. alter vary or revoke this Constitution; or
2. resolve to wind-up the Committee

4.8 A resolution under clause 4.7 shall only be considered and deemed to have been passed if and only if the then nominees of the Airport Operator are present and vote in support of such the resolution

5.1 Any notice served by or on the Committee or any Member may be served either personally or by sending it by pre-paid letter addressed to him at his last known address or by facsimile or by electronic mail.

5.2 Any notice if served by post shall be deemed to have been served at the time when the letter containing the notice would be delivered in the ordinary course of post.