Deferring Signing Declarations of Office

[albion]

I have a question regarding new council members signing there declarations as Councillors at the AGM. I know the signing of a declaration may be deferred if a member is away but if they attend the meeting do they not have to sign the declaration. Although I suppose tecnically all members are counted as new following an election.

I always understood that they would not be counted as Councillors until they signed the declaration, and that the declaration should be signed either before the meeting or at the start of the meeting in the presence of the Clerk or Chairman.