Agenda item

Proposal to Appoint Independent (Co-opted) Chair of Audit Committee

Further to the announcement by the Leader of the County Council at the meeting of full Council on 26 May 2021 that the Authority would move to establish an independent (co-opted) Chair of Audit Committee as soon as possible, this report proposes the relevant changes required to the Constitution to enable an independent (co-opted) Chair of Audit Committee to be so appointed; together with information on steps taken to expedite the appointment (see pages 47-54).

Proposal to Appoint Independent (Co-opted) Chair of Audit Committee

Further to the announcement by the Leader of the County Council at the meeting of full Council on 26 May 2021 that the Authority would move to establish an independent (co-opted) Chair of Audit Committee as soon as possible, the report proposed the relevant changes required to the Constitution to enable an independent (co-opted) Chair of Audit Committee to be so appointed; together with information on steps taken to expedite the appointment. A supplementary report had been circulated to members which proposed that, following advertisement of the proposed role of Independent (Co-opted) Audit Committee Chair, and competitive interviews undertaken by the Panel, Mr Stephen Watson be appointed by County Council as the Independent (Co-opted) Chair of Audit Committee.

Councillor Dickinson referred to a letter sent to Group Leaders about the process which would be followed and sought assurances that this process had been. The Leader confirmed that it had.

RESOLVED that:-

(a)      Council agree that an independent (co-opted) Chair of Audit Committee should be established, in addition to the 8 elected members and 2 co-opted members currently appointed to the Audit Committee;

(b)      Council agree that the Constitution be amended to reflect the County Council’s agreement to this proposal;

(c)      Council agree the role definition and person specification for the independent (co-opted) Chair of Audit Committee, which had been prepared based on national good practice for such co-opted roles and Nolan principles, attached as Appendix A to the report;

(d)      Council note that the proposed role of Independent (co-opted) Chair of Audit Committee had been advertised openly in local media, and that applicants would be subject to a competitive recruitment process which would evaluate their ability to fulfil the competencies set out in the proposed role definition and person specification attached to the report as Appendix A;

(e )     Council agree that applicants meeting the essential criteria for the role would be invited to interview by a panel comprising Cllr Barry Flux (Business Chair), Mrs Jan Willis (Executive Director for Finance) and Mrs Allison Mitchell (Director of Corporate Assurance), with the individual recommended to be appointed to the role of Independent (Co-opted) Chair of Audit Committee following that competitive process to be reported to County Council for approval;

(f)       Council agree that the proposed term of office for the Independent (co-opted) Chair of Audit Committee will be two years, after which time the role will again be subject to re-advertisement and a competitive selection process, with future appointments to the role to be agreed by County Council;

(g)      Council agree that Independent (co-opted) Chair of Audit Committee will be paid an allowance at the same rate as has been paid to the elected member who has discharged this role over the last administrative term; and that the value of this allowance will be included in any review of Members’ Allowances which may take place in future, and will be subject to any recommendations made about payment of such an allowance which may follow from any such review; and

(h)      Council agree the appointment of Mr Stephen Watson as Independent (Co-opted) Chair of Audit Committee for a period of two years from the date of the Council decision on this matter.

In accordance with Minute No.20, Councillor Grimshaw left the room whilst the following matter was discussed.