Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Act 2024

67 Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru: governance and audit committee

(1) The 2013 Act is amended as follows.

(2) In the cross-heading before section 15 (funding), after “matters” insert “and governance”.

(3) In section 17 (audit committee)—

(a) for the section heading, substitute “Governance and audit committee”;

(b) in subsection (1)—

(i) for “(an ”audit committee”)” substitute “(a “governance and audit committee”)”;

(ii) after paragraph (b) insert—

“(ba) review, assess and manage the Commission’s internal and external audit arrangements,

(bb) review and assess the Commission’s handling of complaints,

(bc) review—

(i) statements of accounts and reports prepared by the Commission under sections 19(1) and 20,

(ii) reports prepared by the Auditor General for Wales under section 19(4),”;

(iii) in paragraph (d), after “(b)” insert “, (ba), (bb), (bc)”;

(c) in subsection (2), for “audit” substitute “governance and audit”;

(d) in subsection (3), for “audit” substitute “governance and audit”;

(e) after subsection (2) insert—

“(2A) The Commission may confer on the governance and audit committee the functions the Commission considers suitable to be exercised by the committee.”

(4) In section 18 (audit committee: membership)—

(a) for the section heading, substitute “Governance and audit committee: membership and quorum”;

(b) for subsections (1) and (2) of the 2013 Act substitute—

“(1) The governance and audit committee is to consist of—

(a) at least two members of the Commission;

(b) at least two lay members;

(c) no more than five members.

(2) A lay member of the governance and audit committee must be appointed—

(a) to chair the committee (the “chair”);

(b) as deputy to the chair.

(2A) A person may not be a member of the governance and audit committee if the person is a member of the Commission and is either the Commission’s chairing member or is acting as deputy to the Commission’s chairing member.

(2B) The quorum for meetings of the governance and audit committee is three members, which must consist of at least one lay member.”