Declared bankrupt three times in two years… £200million lent to a housing company that never repaid a penny of the loans or interest… Arts centre refurb that cost £67million amid suspicions of major fraud… Serious on-going questions about the integrity of the council’s planning department… Golden handshake pay-off to senior council staffer that was approved at a meeting that may have been “unlawful”…
Room for improvement: the council is looking for a member of its audit committee. Just not looking too hard…
If you think you might be capable of spotting a wrong ‘un better than any of the borough’s 70 elected councillors have managed over the past few years, then maybe you’re just the person to join the council’s audit and governance committee.
But hurry, there’s just seven days left to apply for the position, which has – as you might expect from our dysfunctional council – been barely publicised by its propaganda department.
The notice of the vacancy is hidden away in one of the darker, little-seen corners of the council’s website. It’s almost deliberate, as if someone at the council would prefer the public never to see the notice. Even respected senior councillors approached by Inside Croydon were entirely unaware of the existence of this, apparently important, recruitment process.
Nine months into the new council administration under part-time Mayor Jason Perry, and the council is only now just getting round to the appointment of the co-opted member of the committee, alongside the independent chair, Dr Olu Olasode, and six councillors (three Tories, two Labour and the Town Hall’s sole LibDem).
What used to be known as GPAC – the General Purposes and Audit Committee – was reformed in the aftermath of the council’s financial collapse in November 2020, with the outside chair brought in to help clean things up.
Independent: Dr Olu Olasode
According to the council website, “There is currently a vacancy for a co-opted member to join the committee and become part of Croydon’s improvement and strengthening of good governance.” So it’s not as if there’s not plenty of scope to achieve such improvements.
“The London Borough of Croydon is delivering a wide-ranging programme of corporate governance and financial controls improvement. As part of that commitment, in 2022 Croydon Council established an audit and governance committee. Chaired by an independent member, the committee provides an independent and high-level focus on the audit, assurance and reporting arrangements that underpin good governance and financial standards within the council.”
They say, “Ideally the independent member would bring to the committee a wide range of skills and experience – possessing knowledge of financial controls and management, risk, and possibly have an audit background.”
Basically, they are seeking someone better-qualified than most of the elected councillors – and certainly more capable than the likes of Sean Fitzsimons, the former scrutiny chair who somehow still pops up on the audit committee as a substitute when one of his Labour colleagues can’t manage to turn up.
Current and past councillors (anyone who has been a councillor in the last five years) are de-barred, as are council staff (or anyone employed by the council in the past five years) and consultants. You’re not even allowed to be “related to, or are a close friend of, any councillor or senior officer of the council”.
The appointment is for four years and the successful applicant will “ideally live or work in the borough”.
The council says, “An independent member is a member of the general public, aged 18 or over, who works alongside the six councillors and an independent chair on the audit and governance committee. They contribute to the work of the committee by bringing specialist knowledge and skills to the process and providing an element of external challenge and support.
“The ideal candidate will have knowledge of local government finance, experience of financial control and management, possibly with an audit background. They must also demonstrate an ability to establish good working relationships with councillors and officers. An independent member is objective and politically independent with an ability to analyse information.”
Attendance at about seven evening meetings at the Town Hall per year is expected. “Please note, there’s no annual allowance associated with the position.”
Applicants need to submit a CV and supporting statement “outlining how your skills and experience relate to the role” to democratic.services@croydon.gov.uk. But hurry…
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I heard Nadhim Zahawi is looking for a new job.
He wouldn’t apply–nor would anyone other than a public spirited person with a private income and time on their hands. Or a rather naive soul.
talk about designing a JD to put the right people off. Genius !
Come on – seriously who drafted that person spec?
1. “The ideal candidate will have knowledge of local government finance, experience of financial control and management, possibly with an audit background.
2. They must also demonstrate an ability to establish good working relationships with councillors and officers.
3. An independent member is objective and politically independent with an ability to analyse information.”
4. The appointment is for four years and the successful applicant will “ideally live or work in the borough”.
Talk about narrowing the pool of talent to a close minus of candidates. A non paid role to boot.
Interesting to see who takes that up and how they meet that person specification along with the proven record in skill knowledge and experience.
I will wish them all the best in advance.
But if any Councillor requires some generic or specific guidance on risk, forensic auditing and fraud detection – along with some bespoke process templates to identify system flaws and areas open to risk I am happy to assist them and will complete a standard NDA signed and sealed – for free.
They need to look in to the money spent on New Addington Leisure Centre Two years late and £17million overbudget.
Similar tale at Waddon Leisure Centre, which cost twice as much as it should.
If I was to go bankrupt 3 times I’d be in prison by now but they are not wonder how that one works now acting like a third world country I keep getting away with it and putting up the council tax this is all very very dodgy
Anyone who has a family to care for could do this, especially anyone who has had to jump through council hoops in order to secure what rightfully should be theirs anyway, housing support, new rubbish bins, blue disability badges etc.
Diplomacy and tact are needed in vast quantities, for he (or she) who would dare to so much as comment on the need for improvements to such services would, immediately go to the bottom of the pile, possibly to never be seen again.
Any person who has had to steer their way through the minefield of questions set to make you feel like a fraudster, even though you aren’t, when applying for any sort of benefit, possibly on the recommendation of a specific and reputable support group.
Anyone trying to balance the household bills with feeding a family whilst keeping them clothed would be able to do this job. They also know that unless their recommendations suited those in higher positions, those recommendations wouldn’t see the light of day let alone be worthy of consideration. Hence the reason for the lack of salary.