Comptroller and Auditor General - appointment

STATES OF JERSEY

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COMPTROLLER AND AUDITOR GENERAL: APPOINTMENT

Lodged au Greffe on 12th July 2005 by Deputy S.C. Ferguson of St. Brelade

STATES GREFFE

PROPOSITION

THE STATES are asked to decide whether they are of opinion

in a c cordance with Article 41 of the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2005, to appoint Mr. Christopher

Swinson as Comptroller and Auditor General for a period of 3 years with effect from 1st October 2005.

DEPUTY S.C. FERGUSON OF ST. BRELADE

Note:  The Policy and Resources Committee supports this proposition.

REPORT

1. A c ting inmy capacity as theShadow Chairman of the Shadow Public AccountsCommittee(Shadow P.A.C.), I am pleased to propose the appointment of Mr. Christopher Swinson to the position of Comptroller and Auditor General. This proposal has the full support of the Policy and Resources Committee.
2. M e mbers will recall that the States have already approved the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2005, and this is due to come into force atthe end of this year.ThePolicy and ResourcesCommitteeand I consider that it wouldbehelpfulif the appointment of the Comptrollerand Auditor Generalcouldbemade in advance of the ministerial system, as this will enable the postholder to familiarise himself with the duties of the post beforethenew system comes into effect.
3. I t h asaccordingly been agreed with the Finance and Economics Committee that the States shouldbeasked to approve draft Regulations (the Draft Public Finances (Comptroller and Auditor General) (Jersey) Regulations 200-)whichwill bring into force the relevant parts ofthePublic Finances Law toenable the appointment ofthe Comptroller and Auditor General.Thedraft Regulations are being lodged separately on 12th July 2005 by the Finance and EconomicsCommittee.
4. T h e process forthe recruitment of the ComptrollerandAuditorGeneral has been managedby the States HumanResourcesDepartment with the full involvement of the AppointmentsCommission.The post was advertised on a part time basisof 100 days perannum,andadvertisementswere placed inthelocaland national press, together with a professional publication, Public Finance'. 21 completedapplications were received, and 5 applicants were shortlisted for interview. The Selection Board comprised John Boothman – Appointments Commission, Bill Ogley – Chief Executive of Policy andResources,Tony Grimes – a memberoftheShadow Public AccountsCommittee and a fully qualified accountant,and myself in mycapacityasShadowChairman of the ShadowPublicAccountsCommittee.
5. T h e unanimous decision of the Selection Board was to recommend the appointment of Christopher Swinsonas the Comptroller and AuditorGeneral.Mr. Swinsongraduatedin Philosophy, Politics and Economics from Wadham College, Oxford University and is a fully qualified accountant (Fellow of the Institute ofCharteredAccountants) and a Fellow of the Institute of Internal Auditors.Hehas had a career in Chartered Accountancy in the United Kingdomand has recently retired asSeniorPartner with BDO Stoy Hayward, a leading firm of Chartered Accountants. He holds public appointments with H.M. Treasury, the Commission for Local Administration in England, andThe Pensions Regulator, and previously with the Audit Commission.He is also a memberof the Finance Committee of the Royal College ofNursing.His current commitments include acting asanexpert witness and mediator and lecturing on auditing at Exeter University. He is the author of many professional publications and textbooks.
6. F u n ding hasbeen identified for the appointment oftheComptrollerand Auditor General and supporting team of 2 ValueforMoney Auditors and administrative support with effect from 1st October 2005.There are no further manpoweror financial implicationsfor the States arising from this appointment.