2021-01-18 General Committee Meeting Agenda

GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                               18 JANUARY 2021


10   APPOINTMENT OF EXTERNAL MEMBER TO COUNCILS AUDIT AND RISK
     COMMITTEE

Author            Chief Executive Officer, Brett de Chastel
                  CEO’s Office

Index             ECM/ Subject/ Audit & Risk Committee

Attachments       Nil


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Not applicable.

RECOMMENDATION
That Council note the report by the Chief Executive Officer to the General Committee Meeting
dated 18 January 2021 in relation to the vacancy for an external member on Council’s Audit and
Risk Committee and:
A.   Thank Scott Williams for his outstanding contribution to the Audit and Risk Committee in his
     capacity as the Chairperson of that committee for the past 6 ½ years;
B.   Appoint Tim Cronin as the external Chairperson of the Audit and Risk Committee for a term
     of 3 years; and
C.   Appoint Kerry Phillips as an external member of the Audit and Risk Committee for a term of
     2 years.


REPORT
In 2014, the Council established an Audit and Risk Committee and appointed two external
Committee members to that Committee. Since that time, the terms of our original two external
members have expired. The term of external member Mr Cameron Jaggers expired in 2019 and
following an expression of interest process, he was replace by Mr Tim Cronin as one of two external
members.
The Audit and Risk Committee Charter adopted by Council, includes a requirement for two external
members with one of those being the Chairperson. There are also two Councillors as members of
that committee (currently Mayor Clare Stewart and Cr Amelia Lorentson).
The term of Chairperson Mr Scott Williams as an external member and Chairperson of the Audit
and Risk Committee expired in December 2020 after 6 ½ years of outstanding service to Council
in this role. He has provided great leadership to our Committee and added significant value with
his risk management knowledge and business acumen. Council has previously passed a resolution
thanking Mr Williams for his outstanding contribution to the Audit and Risk Committee for the past
6 ½ years.
Following an expression of interest process in late 2020 for the vacant external position on our
committee, 37 applications were received. The expression of interest process was advertised
widely through newspapers, Council’s website, professional networks and appropriate social
media networks.
The quality of applications was very strong. Applicants were assessed against a number of criteria
including qualifications, financial literacy, risk and audit experience, local government knowledge
etc. That assessment was undertaken by the Director Executive Services (initial assessment and
shortlisting) and the CEO (review of shortlisting and detailed assessment of key candidates).


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