Non-councillors to play greater role in scrutinising council accounts

Non-councillors are to be given a greater role in scrutinising the accounts and many workings of their local authorities as part of new Welsh legislation.

Among the features of the recently adopted Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021 is a requirement for lay members – who are not elected councillors –  to make up at least a third of the membership of all council audit committees.

Affecting all 22 Welsh authorities, the act also calls for the chairs of such audit committees to also be non-councillors.

Audit committees are designed to scrutinise and offer assurances on the organisation’s arrangements for managing risk and reporting on financial and other performance.

Typically, they will review both internal and external audits while also overseeing council accounts.

A recent meeting of Anglesey Council’s Audit and Governance Committee heard that a recruitment drive will now take place before the new regulations come into force after the next local elections in May 2022.

Previously authorities were compelled to include a minimum of one lay member on such committees.

The drive will include adverts being issued as well as application forms, co-ordinated by the Welsh Local Government Association, as it seeks individuals.

Members of Anglesey’s Audit Committee were also told, however, that with the pool of experienced candidates likely to be “small,” it was possible that such individuals would sit on more than one local authority’s committee as part of the scrutiny process.
Independent members wishing to join audit committees are expected to demonstrate:

• Interest and knowledge/experience of financial, risk and performance management, audit, accounting concepts and standards and the regulatory regime within Wales;
• Objective and independent of mind with an unbiased attitude and ability to apply discretion;
• Supportive of good governance principles and their practical application towards the achievement of organisational objectives;
• Strategic thinker with excellent communication skills;
• Ability to understand and weigh up evidence and challenge respectfully.

For more information visit: https://www.wlga.wales/lay-person-recruitment

By Gareth Williams – Local Democracy Reporter