Comptroller and Auditor General: appointment
This content has been automatically generated from the original PDF and some formatting may have been lost, therefore it should not be relied upon to extract citations or propose amendments. Please see the PDF for the official version of the document.
STATES OF JERSEY
COMPTROLLER AND AUDITOR GENERAL: APPOINTMENT
Lodged au Greffe on 2nd February 2026 by the Chief Minister
Earliest date for debate: 10th March 2026
STATES GREFFE
2026 P.20
PROPOSITION
THE STATES are asked to decide whether they are of opinion
to appoint, in accordance with Article 3(1) of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Jersey) Law 2014, Paul Dossett as Comptroller and Auditor General, for 7 years, with effect from 1st January 2027.
CHIEF MINISTER
Note: In accordance with the requirements of the Comptroller and Auditor General
(Jersey) Law 2014, this proposition is brought by the Chief Minister, with the approval of the Chair of the Public Accounts Committee, having taken into account the view and recommendations of the Jersey Appointments Commission.
"3 Appointment of the Comptroller and Auditor General
(1) The office of Comptroller and Auditor General shall be held by a person appointed by the States on a proposition signed by the Chief Minister and the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee."
REPORT
The Chief Minister and Chair of the Public Accounts Committee propose to the States Assembly the appointment of Paul Dossett as Comptroller and Auditor General, for a period of 7 years, from 1st January 2027.
Background
Paul Dossett is a Partner and Head of Public Sector Assurance for Grant Thornton in London and the South East. With almost four decades of continuous experience in public sector audit, Paul has built a career supporting some of the UK's largest London Boroughs, County Councils and NHS trusts.
He began his career with the Audit Commission in 1986, progressing from trainee to manager, and later held senior roles at KPMG before joining Grant Thornton in 2002; he progressed to Audit Partner in 2007. Paul has served as an Engagement Lead for more than 25 years, providing rigorous professional challenge and strategic assurance across local government, the NHS, and a wide range of notforprofit organisations.
He has contributed to numerous public interest reports and statutory recommendations, maintaining a consistent focus on transparency, governance and value for money. His current portfolio includes King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Lewis ham and Greenwich NHS Trust, and major local authorities such as Barnet, Croydon, Kent County Council, and Barking and Dagenham.
He also plays a leading role in shaping national audit and accounting practice. He is responsible for Grant Thornton's technical responses to the Local Government Accounting Code, the NHS Accounting Manual and new standards such as IFRS 16. He has served on several influential sector bodies, including Fighting Fraud Locally, the Federation of Firms Public Sector Advisory Committee, CIPFA's Public Financial Management Board and the ICAEW Public Sector Advisory Group, contributing to developments in audit quality, accounting standards and counterfraud strategy.
Within Grant Thornton, Paul leads a 50strong Public Sector Assurance team delivering more than 50 audit opinions and value for money assessments across London and the South East.
He is a Chartered Public Finance Accountant (CPFA). Process
The current Comptroller and Auditor's General's term in office comes to an end on 31st December 2026. The process to appoint a new Comptroller and Auditor General has commenced in good time to ensure compliance with statutory obligations regarding the length of service for the current Comptroller and Auditor General's 7-year tenure, and to ensure continuity of service around forthcoming Elections, with limitations on presenting a Proposition to the Assembly during 2026.
As a senior appointment, the recruitment required the involvement of the Jersey Appointments Commission, with Christopher Stephenson , Chair of the Commission, overseeing the full end to end process.
Page - 3
P.20/2026
Following a competitive tendering process, the Executive Search Agency, Gatenby Sanderson, were appointed to manage the search process, with a strong field of professionals identified as potential targets. The search was supported by promotion, both locally and in the UK, with the position advertised on the Jersey Audit Office and Jersey Public Service Careers websites, together with the targeting of professionals within specific sectors across various social media forums. The search generated a shortlist of nine candidates, of which three were taken through to interview.
Candidates were taken through psychometric testing, followed by independent technical assessments, conducted by the Auditor General for Scotland. At interview, candidates were asked to make a presentation to the panel, alongside formal questions from the Interview Panel.
The panel comprised Christopher Stephenson , Chair of the Jersey Appointments Commission (non-voting), Deputy Malcolm Ferey , Assistant Chief Minister, Deputy Inna Gardiner , Chair of the Public Accounts Committee, Michael Whitehouse OBE, Chair of the Governance Board of the Comptroller and Auditor General, and Brian Curtis MBE, finance professional (Independent Panel Member).
Financial and staffing implications
There are no additional financial or staffing implications for Government as a result of this proposition.
Under Article 9(1) of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Jersey) Law 2014, the States Assembly must ensure that the Comptroller and Auditor General is provided with sufficient resources to carry out his or her functions.
The Budget for the Comptroller and Auditor General for 2026, as approved by the States Assembly in the Budget 2026 to 2029, is £1,187,000.
Children's Rights Impact Assessment
A Children's Rights Impact Assessment (CRIA) screener has been prepared in relation to this proposition and is available to read on the States Assembly website.