Agenda item

To consider Co-opted Independent Member representation on the Governance and Audit Committee (report of the Assistant Director – Governance (Monitoring Officer) enclosed).

Consideration was given to the report of the Assistant Director – Governance which asked members to consider Co-opted Independent Member representation on the Governance and Audit Committee.

The Assistant Director – Governance introduced the report and outlined the following main points:

• The background to the report which included that CIPFA best practice recommended that Local Authority Audit Committees contain at least two Co-opted Independent members; and
• That the report sought support of the Committee to recommend to Full Council that membership be amended to include up to two Non-Voting Co-opted Independent Members.

Members considered the report and made the following comments:

• Members stated that for optimum performance of the Committee, an assimilation of knowledge and skills was required by members and queried whether the appointment period for a Co-opted Independent Member of ‘up to four years’ was considered a sufficient duration.
  • The Assistant Director – Governance responded that the proposed (up to) four-year period of appointment coincided with the local government term of office and Co-opted Independent Members could reapply/be reappointed for a further term.

• Members welcomed the proposal and asked whether independent representation was in place for any other committee(s).
  • The Assistant Director – Governance responded that counterpart committees at BBC and ELDC included independent representation within their memberships, and that such committees had benefitted from this approach.

• Members asked whether Co-opted Independent Members would receive travel expenses and subsistence allowance.
  • The Assistant Director – Governance responded that:
    • Any Co-opted Independent Member allowance needed to be approved by an Independent Renumeration Panel and approved at Full Council; and
    • Different approaches existed within the partnership in respect of such allowances.

• Members asked whether the role(s) would be advertised publicly and whether applicants would be required to hold relevant qualifications.
  • The Assistant Director- Governance responded that:
    • Subsequent to approval of the proposed amendment at Full Council, a recruitment pack, which included a specification for the role, would be brought forward to the next scheduled Governance and Audit Committee meeting for consideration;
    • Whilst qualifications were not essential, the specification for the role would include skills and experience in key areas covered by the Committee’s remit: such as Finance, Risk Management, and Internal Audit; and
    • Following approval of the recruitment pack by the Governance and Audit Committee, the role would be advertised publicly.

• Members asked whether appointed Co-opted Independent Members could be subject to a probationary period.
  • The Assistant Director – Governance stated that the terms proposed to Full Council could include an element of appointment flexibility relating to performance in areas such as attendance and engagement.

AGREED:

After consideration of the report by the Governance and Audit Committee:

a)    That amendment to the membership of the Governance and Audit Committee to include up to two Non-Voting Co-opted Independent Members; and that appointment to these positions be delegated to the Governance and Audit Committee, with each appointment (which included any re-appointments) to be for a term of up to four years, be recommended to Full Council; and

b)    That, at the request of the Governance and Audit Committee, the Independent Renumeration Panel be approached in respect of their views regarding Co-opted Independent Member allowances.