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Accounts Commission
31/01/2012
The Minister for Local Government and Planning has reappointed two members to the Accounts Commission.
The re-appointed members are:
Bill McQueen who has experience in senior roles in the Scottish Government with responsibility for policy options analysis, business planning, strategic review and service delivery. He served on the Boards of Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd and Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd. and undertook reviews of management structures in the Scottish Government and at the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. Bill led work on the establishment and review of Executive Agencies and currently sits on the Board of Disclosure Scotland and chairs its Audit Committee.
Michael Ash who served as a non-executive director within the NHS. Michael was a former head-teacher and chief officer in a local authority education department in England. He has considerable local government experience and spent ten years as a county councillor including four years as deputy leader of Cumbria County Council. He has worked for Bradford Metropolitan Borough Council and Cumbria Police Authority and was Executive Director of Bradford and District Training and Enterprise Council. Michael also ran his own event management business for ten years.
These re-appointments will be for 3 years and run from 1 October 2011 to 30 September 2014.
These posts are part-time and attract remuneration of £259 per day for a time commitment of 2 days per month.
Bill McQueen is a member of the Scottish Legal Aid Board (£9,400 pa), a member of Disclosures Scotland (£215 per day), and a lay member of the Employment Tribunal (£175 per day). Michael Ash is not a member of any other public bodies.
The Accounts Commission helps to ensure that public money is spent properly, efficiently and effectively. It is responsible for the audit of all local authorities, police and fire and rescue joint boards and other similar public bodies. The Commission operates independently of local authorities and of the Scottish Government, and it reports in public.
All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity within the last 5 years (if there is any to be declared) to be made public. Neither Mr McQueen or Mr Ash have undertaken any political activity within the last 5 years.