ABSTRACT
Committees are an indispensable part of the democratic way of life. Their use can, however, be abused, for example, to give the illusion of general agreement to a decision already taken by an individual, or as a means of shelving decision on an awkward problem. And they can be miserably inefficient. For a committee to do its job well and serve a useful purpose, the circumstances of its constitution must be appropriate and the committee must be technically competent. The committee is clear as to its purpose and powers, and consists of people who are suitable to its terms of reference. The committee is serviced by an efficient Secretary. The Chairman is willing to take advice but at the same time able to summarize the group views as they develop and to guide the committee towards reaching group decisions.
