7.—(1) During the shadow period, West Suffolk Council is a shadow authority for the purposes of the following provisions of this Part.
(2) Subject to paragraph (5), the members of the shadow authority are the persons who, on the coming into force of this Order, are councillors of the Relevant Councils.
(3) Those persons are to be members of the shadow authority throughout the shadow period notwithstanding the dissolution of the Relevant Councils on 1st April 2019.
(4) The proper officer of the Relevant Councils must convene, and make all necessary arrangements for, the first meeting of the shadow authority, which is to be held not later than 14 days after the coming into force of this Order.
(5) Where, after the coming into force of this Order and before 1st October 2018, a by-election is held to fill a casual vacancy arising in any ward of the Relevant Councils, the person elected at the election is to be a member of the shadow authority.