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Accounts Commission for Scotland
01/10/2008
Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth John Swinney today announced the appointments of two new members to the Accounts Commission for Scotland.
The new members are:
William McQueen, CBE - a retired senior civil servant, Mr McQueen has extensive experience of central government and its sponsored bodies, having worked in the Scottish Office and Scottish Executive (as was) in a number of policy areas including Transport, Management and Organisation, and delivery of Corporate Services. Most recently Mr McQueen was Deputy Chief Executive of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. He holds no other Ministerial appointments.
Michael Ash - currently Vice-Chair of Cumbria Partnership NHS Trust, and former Joint Leader of Cumbria County Council, Mr Ash has considerable local government experience as both an officer and an elected member. He has worked in the Education Department of Bradford Metropolitan Borough Council, Cumbria Police Authority and as Executive Director of Bradford and District Training and Enterprise Council. He holds no other Ministerial appointments.
These appointments will be for 3 years and will run from October 1, 2008 to September 30, 2011. The posts are part-time and attract a remuneration of £4,500 for a time commitment of 1 to 1.5 days per month.
The main function of the Accounts Commission is to secure the audit of local authorities in Scotland and to help those bodies to achieve Best Value in their activities, although its remit is expected to develop as the policy landscape moves towards an outcome based approach. The Commission also has powers to hold public hearings into the conduct of local authorities, councillors and officers.
These Ministerial public appointments were made in accordance with the Commissioner for Public Appointments in Scotland's Code of Practice.
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 (if there is any to be declared) to be made public. Mr Ash has declared political activities for the Liberal Democrats as a County Councillor, Cumbria County Council (1997-2007) and as Chair, Penrith and The Borders constituency (2005-2007).