Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021

CHAPTER 2 GOVERNANCE AND AUDIT COMMITTEES: MEMBERSHIP AND PROCEEDINGS

116 Membership of governance and audit committee

(1) Section 82 of the 2011 Measure (membership) is amended as follows.

(2) In subsection (2)—

(a) in paragraph (a) omit the words “at least”;

(b) for paragraph (b) substitute—

“(b) one-third of the members of that committee are lay persons;”.

(3) After subsection (5) insert—

“(5A) A governance and audit committee is to appoint—

(a) a member of the committee as its chair (“the committee chair”), and

(b) a member of the committee as the deputy to the committee chair (“the deputy chair”).

(5B) The member appointed as the committee chair must be a lay person.

(5C) The member appointed as the deputy chair must not be a member of the local authority’s executive or an assistant to its executive.”

(4) Omit subsection (6).

(5) In Schedule 10 to this Act (consequential amendments relating to governance and audit committees), omit paragraph 4(b)(ii)and (f).

117 Meaning of lay person

In section 87 of the 2011 Measure (interpretation), in subsection (2) omit the definition of “lay member” and insert—

• ““lay person” (“lleygwr”) means a person who—

  (a)

  is not a member or an officer of any local authority,

  (b)

  has not at any time in the period of twelve months ending with the date of that person’s appointment been a member or an officer of any local authority, and

  (c)

  is not the spouse or civil partner of a member or an officer of any local authority;”.

118 Proceedings etc.

(1) Section 83 of the 2011 Measure (proceedings) is amended as follows.

(2) For subsections (1) and (2) substitute—

“(1) A meeting of a governance and audit committee is to be chaired—

(a) by the committee chair, or

(b) if the committee chair is absent, by the deputy chair.

(2) If both the committee chair and the deputy chair are absent the committee may appoint a member of the committee who is not a member of the local authority’s executive, or an assistant to its executive, to chair the meeting.”

(3) Omit subsection (8).

(4) In Schedule 6 to this Act (assistants to executives), omit paragraph 6(5).

(5) In Schedule 10 to this Act (consequential amendments relating to governance and audit committees), omit paragraph 5(a) and (b).