CO-OPTED INDEPENDENT MEMBER OF AUDIT GOVERNANCE AND STANDARDS COMMITTEE

MAIDSTONE BOROUGH COUNCIL

Background

Maidstone Borough Council is the largest borough council district in Kent, with a population of 180,000.  The Council’s gross revenue expenditure is nearly £100 million and it has an ambitious capital programme, worth around £200 million over the next five years.  The Council has a strong financial track record and it holds a healthy but not excessive level of reserves.

The Council recognises the value of independent scrutiny and is now seeking to co-opt an independent member to its Audit Governance and Standards Committee.

Audit Governance and Standards Committee

The Committee meets five times a year.  Its purpose is to ensure the promotion and maintenance of high standards of Councillor and Officer conduct within the Council, to provide independent assurance of the adequacy of the financial and risk management framework and the associated control environment, to review performance in relation to risk and the control environment, and to oversee the financial reporting process.

Specific responsibilities include:

-          To consider reports from the Internal Audit service and the Head of Internal Audit’s annual opinion

-          To consider the External Auditor’s Annual Audit Letter, relevant reports, and any other report or recommendation to those charged with governance

-          To review and approve the annual statement of accounts

-          To consider and review the effectiveness of the Treasury Management Strategy, Investment Strategy, Capital Strategy and Medium Term Financial Strategy

-          To monitor the effectiveness of the Council's Counter-Fraud and Corruption Strategy.

Your role

The Independent Member will:

-          Ensure that he/she is fully briefed on issues being considered by the Committee, attending additional meetings and training events as necessary.

-          Participate fully in helping the Committee to carry out its responsibilities

-          Be an independent source of support for the Committee, providing independent and informed challenge and scrutiny in response to reports presented to it.

-          Reflect the standards and values of the Council in his/her conduct in Committee meetings and outside.

Knowledge and Skills

The candidate for the position of Independent Member of the Committee will have:

Essential

-          A background and appropriate experience of financial / audit management and / or experience of governance issues.

-          A good understanding of governance, risk management and control.

-          Integrity, objectivity and discretion.

-          An ability and willingness to analyse complex information, question, probe and seek clarification so to come to an independent and unbiased view.

Desirable

-          Experience of working with or being a member of an Audit Committee or similar, such as Scrutiny or Governance.

-          Experience of working in or with large, complex organisations with an understanding of the political environment that local authorities operate within.

-          Good interpersonal and communication skills.

You should not:

-          Have been a member or employee of the Council at any time during the last 5 years.

-          Be a relative or close friend of a member or officer of the Council.

-          Be engaged in any party political activity.

-          Have any criminal convictions or be an un-discharged bankrupt.

-          Have any significant business dealings with the Council.