Issue - meetings

To receive a report from the Deputy Chief Executive (S151) providing some context around the Independent Members for Audit Committee and a proposition through Devon Assurance Partnership, who provide Internal Audit for a number of Councils in Devon, to recruit and provide suitable qualified Independent Members for a number of Devon Authorities.

The Committee had before it a report * from the Deputy Chief Executive (S151) providing some context around Independent Members for Audit Committees and a proposition through the Devon Assurance Partnership to recruit and provide suitable qualified Independent Members for a number of Devon authorities.

The following was highlighted within the report:

·       The Devon Assurance Partnership (DAP) had recently run a recruitment process to appoint suitably qualified individuals to act as fully Independent Non-Voting Co-Opted Members of local authority Audit Committees.

·       DAP would provide a person to each meeting and usually this person would attend all future Audit Committees for that particular local authority.

·       The Independent Person would be contactable, through the Head of Finance, Property & Climate Resilience, by any member of the Audit Committee for advice.

RECOMMENDED to Full Council:

1.     The appointment of a Co-Opted Independent Member to sit on Audit Committee (through Devon Audit Partnership) until April 2027;

2.     That delegated powers be given to the Director of Legal, People & Governance (Monitoring Officer) to make the necessary amendments to the constitution, including the amendment to the scheme of Members Allowances to include a special responsibility allowance for this position.

(Proposed by Cllr G Czapiewski and seconded by Cllr R Roberts)

Note: * Report previously circulated.