Clause 6

The Council must hold such meetings as are necessary for performing its functions.(2) The Chairperson must appoint the times and places of the meetings of the Council, and cause notice of those meetings to be given to each member of the Council not present when the appointment is made.(3) The meetings of the Council must be held in accordance with the provisions of this Act and Part 4 of the Public Sector (Governance) Act 2018.Quorum7.—

The quorum for a meeting of the Council is the higher of the following:

one-third of the number of members;

7 members.(2) No business may be transacted at a meeting of the Council if a quorum is not present.Presiding at meetings8.—

At a meeting of the Council, the following person presides:

the Chairperson;

in the absence of the Chairperson, or if the Chairperson is interested in the matter (within the meaning given by Part 4 of the Public Sector (Governance) Act 2018), and there is a Deputy Chairperson who is present and is not interested in the matter (within the meaning given by Part 4 of that Act) — the Deputy Chairperson;

in any other case — a member of the Council elected from among the members present at the meeting to preside.(2) The person specified in subsection (1)(b) or (c) may perform the functions and exercise the powers of the Chairperson for the purposes of the meeting.Voting at meetings9.—

Each member of the Council has one vote.(2) In addition to his or her general vote, the member presiding at a meeting has, in the case of an equality of votes, a casting vote.(3) A resolution of the Council is passed if it is agreed to by all members present without dissent, or if a majority of the votes cast on it by members present and voting are in favour of it.(4) A member present at a meeting of the Council is presumed to have agreed to, and to have cast a vote in favour of, a decision of the Council unless the member expressly dissents from or votes against the decision at the meeting or is prevented from voting by section 26 of the Public Sector (Governance) Act 2018.Directions of Minister, etc.10.—

The Minister may give to the Council any direction under section 5 of the Public Sector (Governance) Act 2018.(2) Without limiting subsection (1), the Minister may give such directions to the Council as are necessary in the circumstances if it appears to the Minister to be requisite or expedient to do so —

in the interests of relations with the government of a territory outside Singapore; or

in order to —

discharge or facilitate the discharge of an obligation binding on the Government by virtue of it being a member of an international organisation or a party to an international agreement;

attain or facilitate the attainment of any other object the attainment of which is in the Minister’s opinion requisite or expedient in view of the Government being a member of such an organisation or a party to such an agreement; or

enable the Government to become a member of such an organisation or a party to such an agreement.(3) To avoid doubt, the Minister is entitled —

to information in the possession of the Council; and

where the information is in or on a document, to have, and make and retain copies of, that document.(4) For the purposes of this section, the Minister may request the Council to —

provide information to the Minister; or

give the Minister access to information.(5) The Council must give effect to any direction given to it under subsection (1) or (2) and must comply with a request under subsection (4).(6) The Council must not disclose any direction given to it under this section if the Minister notifies the Council that, in the Minister’s opinion, disclosure of the direction is against the public interest.(7) In this section, “information” means information specified, or of a description specified, by the Minister that relates to the functions of the Council.PART 3OBJECTIVES, FUNCTIONS AND POWERS OF COUNCILObjectives and functions of Council11.—

The objectives of the Council are —

to build an effective, efficient and sustainable social service sector; and

to support the development of such a sector by —

strengthening social service delivery;

strengthening capability building in the social service sector; and

building a robust social service ecosystem which includes community support, philanthropy and volunteerism.(2) The Council has the following functions:

to assist the Government in relation to social services and the social service sector by providing advice, assisting in strategic planning and representing Singapore and advancing its interests internationally in matters relating to social service;

to act as a coordinating agency for the provision of social services and to direct the provision, development, implementation or operation of social services;

to facilitate support for and provision, development, implementation or operation of social services, including by —

providing consultancy or other services;

promoting and developing competencies and professional and governance standards in relation to social service for both individuals and organisations;

promoting or coordinating research and development into matters relating to social service; and

promoting and facilitating the participation of the community, individuals and organisations;

to directly provide, develop, implement or operate social services, and undertake research into, and development of matters relating to, social service;

to establish and maintain standards and guidelines for the management and administration of, and the provision of social services by, sector members;

to raise and allocate funds to further the objectives and carry out the functions of the Council;

in the performance of its functions, to implement Government policy in relation to social service and the social service sector and to collaborate with any person or organisation and with other public sector bodies;

to perform any other functions that may be conferred on the Council by any other Act.(3) In addition to the functions conferred by this section, the Council may also undertake any other functions that the Minister may, by notification in the Gazette, assign to the Council, and in so undertaking —

the Council is deemed to be fulfilling the purposes of this Act; and

the provisions of this Act apply to the Council in respect of those other functions.(4) Nothing in this section imposes on the Council, directly or indirectly, any form of duty or liability enforceable by proceedings before any court to which the Council would not otherwise be subject.Powers of Council12.—

Subject to this Act, the Council has power to do all things necessary or expedient to be done for, or in connection with, the performance of its functions.(2) Without limiting subsection (1), the powers of the Council mentioned in that subsection include power —

to acquire and dispose of any property, both movable and immovable, and to use any such property, including mortgaging it;

to apply for, obtain and hold any intellectual property rights, and enter into agreements or arrangements for the commercial exploitation of those intellectual property rights;

to accept grants, gifts, donations or contributions from any source, whether subject to any trust or not, or raise funds by all lawful means;

to form or participate in the formation of a trust;

to act as trustee of property vested in the Council on trust;

to provide financial support, grant, aid or assistance to any person in connection with any function of the Council;

to provide scholarships, training grants and financial awards in the field of social service;

to charge for the provision of goods or services, or the performance of work, by or on behalf of the Council;

to waive or refund the whole or part of any fee or charges payable or paid to the Council under this Act or any other Act administered by the Council;

to establish and administer any scheme or programme relating to its functions;

to publish or provide any information, or publish or sponsor the publication of works;

to collect, compile, analyse and disseminate information of a statistical nature or otherwise concerning matters relating to its functions;

to enter into contracts, agreements and arrangements, including memoranda of understanding;

with the approval of the Minister, to form or participate in the formation of a body corporate, unincorporated association or organisation, or enter into a joint venture with any person or organisation; and

to do any other thing that is incidental to the performance of its functions.(3) To avoid doubt, subsection (1) does not limit any other power given to the Council by any other provision in this Act or any other Act.”.