HC Deb 01 July 1981 vol 7 cc431-2W
Mr. Latham

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the duties of the advisory committee on local government audit; how often it has met since 1 July 1980; what action has ensued as a result of its meetings; and what is its present membership.

Mr. King

The Committee's terms of reference are:

  1. (i) to consider the annual report of the Chief Inspector of Audit and any questions arising from it which are of general public interest or concern, whether in the field of value for money or otherwise; and to make general recommendations to local authorities and to central government as it thinks fit; and
  2. (ii) to invite information and submissions on comparative and other value for money studies from local authorities and their associations and from other agencies concerned: and in the light of this and other information to advise on the need for such studies and arrangements for carrying them out.

Since 1 July 1980 the committee has met five times; its report on the results of this work is in preparation. The Committee's membership is as follows:

Mr. Brian A. Maynard (Chairman)

  • President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales 1977–78. Senior partner in Coopers & Lybrand, Chartered Acountants.

Mr. Joseph Besserman

  • President of NALGO 1972–73. Member of the West Midlands County Council. Former Secretary of Coventry City Council.

Mr. David Cobbold

  • Leader of Westminster City Council. Chairman of the London Boroughs' Association General Purposes Committee.

Mr. Dudley H. Fisher

  • Chairman, Wales Region. British Gas Corporation.

Sir Duncan Lock

  • Chairman of the Association of District Councils 1974–79.
  • Member of South Buckinghamshire District Council.

Lord Marshall of Leeds

  • Leader and Chairman of the Finance Committee of Leeds City Council 1967–72.

Mr. Humphrey Norrington

  • Regional General Manager, Barclays Bank Ltd.

Mr. Roy E. Shaw

  • Leader of Camden Borough Council. Vice Chairman of the 432 Association of Metropolitan Authorities. Member of the Consultative Council on Local Government Finance.

Sir Maurice Sutherland

  • Leader of Cleveland County Council.

The Comptroller and Auditor General, Sir Douglas Henley, also participates fully in meetings of the Committee.

Mr. Latham

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, pursuant to the correspondence between the hon. Members for Shipley (Mr. Fox) and for Melton and the replies to questions by the hon. Member for Melton on 30 July 1980, Official Report, c. 745–7, and 18 December 1980, Official Report, c. 438, he will now state (a) on what date the chief inspector of audit submitted his report regarding charges for the collection of trade refuse, (b) when the report was referred to the advisory committee of local government audit, (c) on how many occasions the committee has considered the report and (d) when its conclusions are expected.

Mr. Giles Shaw

The information is as follows:

(a and b) 29 September 1980;
(c) five;
(d) by the autumn.