One Voice Wales commends good practice lessons for councils
One Voice Wales, the representative body for community and town councils, commends the report issued by the Auditor General for Wales to councillors.
The report identified several areas of potential weakness in a council’s governance arrangements and proposed four good practice lessons for councils to follow. The Wales Audit Office (WAO) is also launching an on-line resource for councils to access.
Simon White, One Voice Wales Chief Executive, commented:
“Reported frauds have affected only a handful out of the 735 councils in the last few years but it is important to learn any lessons to help prevent re-occurrences elsewhere. One Voice Wales has already been working closely with the WAO to raise councillors’ awareness of their responsibilities and has launched, with the support of the Assembly Government, the first ever comprehensive training programme for councillors in Wales. We also make available a wealth of information on our website - www.onevoicewales.org.uk.”
“At the same time, and as the report points out, we must remember that community and town councillors give of their time on an entirely voluntary basis in the interests of the communities they serve. Clerks are similarly motivated by a strong public service ethos but, as in any walk of life, you will always find one or two individuals that take advantage of the trust placed in them.”
One Voice Wales represents councils’ interest on the Local Councils Audit Liaison Group, chaired by the WAO, and is also able to advise individual councils on any concerns they might have arising from the report.
Press Release
Good Governance - Good Practice
