Commentary on Sections Part 6: Performance and Governance Of Principal Councils Chapter 2: Governance and Audit Committees: Membership and Proceedings Section 118 - Proceedings etc.
519.This section amends section 83 of the 2011 Measure changing arrangements for chairing of meetings. Before amendment section 83 required that an audit committee must appoint one of its number as chair. This person may be a member of the principal council or a lay member but must not be a member of an executive group. If there are no opposition groups, the person who is to chair the audit committee may be a member of an executive group but must not be a member of the council’s executive.
520.After amendment, a meeting of a governance and audit committee is to be chaired by the committee chair (which will now be appointed under section 82) or, in the chair’s absence, by the deputy chair. If both are absent, the committee may appoint another member of the committee (who may not be a member of the council’s executive or an assistant to the executive) to chair the meeting.