Comptroller and Auditor General Board of Governance: appointment of member (P.115/2018)

STATES OF JERSEY

COMPTROLLER AND AUDITOR GENERAL BOARD OF GOVERNANCE: APPOINTMENT OF MEMBER

Lodged au Greffe on 12th October 2018 by the Chief Minister

STATES GREFFE

2018  P.115

PROPOSITION

THE STATES are asked to decide whether they are of opinion

in accordance with Article 3 of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Board of Governance) (Jersey) Order 2015, to appoint Mrs. Grace Nesbit as a member of the Board of Governance of the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General for a period of 4 years with immediate effect.

CHIEF MINISTER

Note:  In accordance with Article 2(3) of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Board

of Governance) (Jersey) Order 2015, this proposition also has the support of the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee.

REPORT

Background

The  Comptroller  and  Auditor  General  (Jersey)  Law  2014 establishes  the  role  of Comptroller and Auditor General ("C&AG") to provide independent assurance that the public finances of Jersey are regulated, controlled, supervised and accounted for in accordance with the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2005 and other relevant legislation.

Following recommendations from the C&AG in her 2013 Report Public Audit in Jersey' (R.77/2013), the States adopted the Comptroller and Auditor General (Jersey) Law 2014, Article 15 of which provided for the establishment by Order of a Board to perform functions in connection with the Office of the C&AG. The Comptroller and Auditor General (Board of Governance) (Jersey) Order 2015 ("the 2015 Order") was made under this Article, and established the Board of Governance for the Office of the C&AG  to  scrutinise  the  use  of  resources  by  the  C&AG  and  the  governance arrangements of the Office.

The Order provides for the membership of the Board to comprise 2 or 3 independent members appointed by the States, plus the C&AG, with a quorum of the C&AG and at least 2 independent members. In 2016, the States appointed a Chairman and one other independent member to the Board. The Board, after a period of initial operation, formed the view that it would be beneficial if a third independent member was appointed to –

• reduce the risk of the Board being unable to operate as a result of inquoracy; and
• increase the breadth of skills and experience on the Board.

The previous Chief Minister and Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee agreed with the Board's recommendation.

The recruitment process

The recruitment process was undertaken in accordance with Article 24 (Guidelines for recruitment of States' appointees) of the Employment of States of Jersey Employees (Jersey)  Law  2005,  following  the  guidance  issued  by  the  Jersey  Appointments Commission.

An advertisement was placed on the States of Jersey website and in the Jersey Evening Post. Following a failure to attract applicants through this process, the Board formed the view that experience in one of the UK's devolved administrations would be valuable. The Board was also aware that the existing independent members had experience in Scotland and Wales and it would be preferable not to duplicate that experience. The opportunity was therefore circulated within the Northern Ireland Civil Service.

As a result of the process, an application was received and the candidate was interviewed by a Panel comprising the Chairman of the Board of Governance, the Greffier of the States, and a Human Resource Business Partner from the Chief Minister's Department.

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P.115/2018

Recommendation

Following the interview, the Panel unanimously recommended the appointment of Mrs. Grace Nesbit as an independent member of the Board of Governance. Mrs. Nesbit is not disqualified from serving as an independent member by virtue of Article 2(7) of the 2015 Order.1 A short biographical note for Mrs. Nesbit is set out below.

Mrs. Grace Nesbit, O.B.E.

Mrs. Nesbit holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English and History and a Master of Business Administration. She is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

Mrs. Nesbit joined the Northern Ireland Civil Service through a graduate entry scheme, and has held a number of senior positions including HR Director in the Department for Social Development. In the Department of Finance she has been responsible for a range of Human Resource areas including: Policy, Pay, Pensions, Occupational Health and Welfare. From the autumn 2018, Mrs. Nesbitt's remit will be Public Service and Civil Service Pensions with 100 staff and a budget responsibility of £250 million.

Mrs. Nesbit is an independent member of the Audit Committee for the Northern Ireland Department for Economy, and an independent member of the Oversight Board in the Department for the Economy for the Northern Ireland Renewable Heating Incentive Scheme. She is also an independent member of the Audit and Risk Committee of Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council. She has served as a Director of a number of regional and national charities dealing with learning disability and mental health. She is currently a Director of a Social Enterprise Company in Northern Ireland which provides training and work opportunities for disadvantaged adults.

Financial and manpower implications

The  post  is  unpaid.  Where  necessary,  reasonable  expenses  for  travel  and accommodation will be paid for attendance at meetings in London and Jersey. These are estimated not to exceed £1,000 per annum and will be met within existing budgets.

1 An individual cannot be appointed under paragraph (2)(a) if –

1. he or she is or, during the period of 5 years preceding the date of the proposition recommending his or her appointment, has been, a States' employee;
2. he or she is a member of the States; or
3. he or she is an officer of, employed by, or engaged under a contract for services by, any States funded body (including any non-Ministerial States funded body) or independently audited States body.