That brings us to the next item, which is a motion under Standing Order 10.5 to extend the appointment of the chair of the Wales Audit Office board. I call on the Chair of the Finance Committee to move the motion—Simon Thomas.

Motion NDM6369 Simon Thomas

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales, in accordance with Paragraphs 5(1) and 5(3) to Schedule 1 of the Public Audit (Wales) Act 2013, and under Standing Order 10.5, extends the appointment of Isobel Garner as Chair of the Wales Audit Office Board for a further three years.

Motion moved.

Thank you, Presiding Officer. From one Wales Audit Office issue to another, but I am pleased to move this motion today on behalf of the Finance Committee, and I ask the Assembly to agree to extend the contract of Isobel Garner as chair of the Wales Audit Office board in accordance with the Public Audit (Wales) Act 2013. Isobel Garner has been chair of the board since her appointment in October 2013 and has made a valuable contribution during her time in post. That appointment was made for four years in the first place, with the Act including a provision for extending the appointment. The committee believes that there is merit in extending Isobel Garner’s contract, particularly as the organisation of the governance arrangements of the Wales Audit Office under the Act is still relatively new. The committee proposes that her contract is extended for a period of three years.

I’d also wish to draw Members’ attention to the committee’s report on the appointment of the non-executive members and chair of the Wales Audit Office board, which provides further details on the recruitment process, including the appointment of Bill Richardson, Alison Gerrard and Steven Burnett as non-executive members. I ask the Assembly to agree the motion.

It’s a pleasure to respond to the penultimate motion of the term. Given the importance of the Wales Audit Office and its board and robust governance, I think it’s important we give this consideration. I am pleased that the Finance Committee hasn’t just nodded through the reappointment of three members and a chair. The legal provision for the members is that they’re allowed two appointments only, and it specifies a fair and open recruitment process, and it’s welcome that the Finance Committee did take note of that and put that process into action. I understand it’s now completed and only one member has been reappointed and then only for a two-year term. But I think we would want to put on record our thanks to those members who are retiring.

The Deputy Presiding Officer took the Chair.

Unlike the other members of the board, there is express provision allowing the chair’s term to be extended, and, given the turnover of members, I do agree it is appropriate for that chair’s term to be extended, and also note that it’s only been extended for three years, rather than four. So, nothing is taken for granted, and that also ensures an appropriate rotation of members of the board, which I think will assist its governance going forward. I’d like to congratulate Isobel Garner on her contract extension, subject to only a pending vote. Given the relatively small population of Wales and the importance of having qualified and capable people taking these public service roles, there will at times be conflicts of interest, but what is important is that those conflicts are disclosed and that they are properly managed, and I think we look to the Wales Audit Office board and to its chair to lead by example in that, and the Conservative group will be supporting this motion.

May I respond briefly to Mark Reckless’s comments, and firstly say that I would agree? Of course we would want the Wales Audit Office and the board to be the gold standard in public accountability and in public governance in Wales, and as a Finance Committee, I can confirm what Mark Reckless said. We appointed three members—non-executive members—of the board through an open recruitment process, and in doing so, in fact one member was reappointed but two new members joined the board, and I’d like to put on record my own thanks to those members who have served the board for four years and have now not been reappointed but have served well. It’s no reflection on them, it’s simply that we have an open process and that we have new ideas and new people able to take up that role, and that means that the board itself is refreshed and reinvigorated. I think it’s particularly important, as we are appointing a new Auditor General for Wales sometime in the next 12 to 14 months, that there is consistency and some continuity with the chair and the leadership of that board, which has been successful to date, which is why the Finance Committee is very content to recommend to the Assembly today that Isobel Garner is reappointed for the three-year period.

Thank you very much. The proposal is to agree the motion. Does any Member object? No. Therefore, in accordance with Standing Order 12.36, the motion is agreed.

Motion agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.