Issue - meetings

(a)       That one additional lay member be recruited to the Audit Committee in place of an elected member with effect from May 2022; and

(b)       That the recruitment panel consisting of the Chair of the Council, Chair of the Audit Committee, and the Cabinet Member for Finance, makes a recommendation to Council for appointment. 

The Chief Officer (Governance) introduced a report to approve the recruitment process of a Lay Member to the Audit Committee as required by the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act.  He provided background information and advised that having considered the size of its membership the Audit Committee had recommended that  the current membership of 9 should continue (7 elected Councillors and 2 lay members).  If the Council wished to remain at 9 it would need to replace one elected Councillor on the Committee with a co-opted (lay) member.  Alternatively, the Council could decide to reduce the size of the Committee to 6 members (4 elected Councillors plus the existing 2 lay members). 

The Chief Officer gave advice and reminded Council that the Committee would have an expanded role from 1 April 2021.  He advised that the requirement to change the membership was within the provisions that are to be brought into effect at a time chosen by Ministers.  It was expected that this would be in April 2021 but was now understood to be May 2022.  He explained that Council could, therefore, maintain the current membership for the remainder of this term and begin the recruitment late Autumn ready for the lay person to be appointed in February or March 2022.

The Chief Officer referred to the recommendation in the report that the size of the membership of the Audit Committee remained at 9 and with effect from May 2022 would consist of 6 elected Councillors and 3 lay members and that the recruitment panel (as suggested in the second recommendation in the report) makes a recommendation to Council for the appointment of an additional lay member. 

In moving the recommendations Councillor Chris Dolphin commented on the valuable expertise lay members brought to the Audit Committee and the excellent contribution made by the current lay members.  Councillor Neville Phillips seconded the recommendations.

When put to the vote the recommendations were carried.

RESOLVED:

 (a)      That one additional lay member be recruited to the Audit Committee in place of an elected member with effect from May 2022; and

(b)       That the recruitment panel consisting of the Chair of the Council, Chair of the Audit Committee, and the Cabinet Member for Finance, makes a recommendation to Council for appointment.