By Paul Dicken
10 February 2010
A senior member of the Wales Audit Office executive team has been named as interim auditor general for Wales after the sudden resignation of Jeremy Colman last week.
Assembly members endorsed Gillian Body’s nomination by the Welsh Public Accounts Committee on February 10.
Body, who was previously managing partner for performance audit at the WAO, could remain auditor general until the end of the year or until a permanent replacement is selected.
WPAC chair Jonathan Morgan told Assembly members he had taken soundings from committee members, senior managers at the WAO, the chair of the WAO’s audit and risk management committee and the Welsh Local Government Association. He said there had been unanimous support for Body to become interim auditor general.
Morgan offered his ‘personal gratitude’ to Body for ‘her willingness in the public interest to take on this role’.
He added: ‘The Public Accounts Committee has acted swiftly to ensure that this very important role is filled as quickly as possible by a high-calibre candidate. That’s why we recommended Gillian Body should take on the role while the committee begins the search for a permanent replacement through an open and transparent appointments process.’
Body said: ‘While we have gone through a difficult period recently, I am confident that we have a sound platform in which to move the organisation forward. And I will build on the positive steps that are already under way to improve the running of the WAO.’
Body began her career at the National Audit Office in 1981 as a trainee and qualified as a CIPFA accountant in 1986. She became assistant auditor general at the NAO Wales in 2004, and became engagement partner at the WAO when it was formed in 2005.
Former auditor general for Wales Jeremy Colman resigned from his post on February 3, following an internal review into his personal conduct. These matters were referred to South Wales Police and Colman was arrested on suspicion of possessing indecent images.
South Wales Police confirmed that Colman, from the Vale of Glamorgan, had been bailed until March 3 pending further enquiries.
10 February 2010
A senior member of the Wales Audit Office executive team has been named as interim auditor general for Wales after the sudden resignation of Jeremy Colman last week.
Assembly members endorsed Gillian Body’s nomination by the Welsh Public Accounts Committee on February 10.
Body, who was previously managing partner for performance audit at the WAO, could remain auditor general until the end of the year or until a permanent replacement is selected.
WPAC chair Jonathan Morgan told Assembly members he had taken soundings from committee members, senior managers at the WAO, the chair of the WAO’s audit and risk management committee and the Welsh Local Government Association. He said there had been unanimous support for Body to become interim auditor general.
Morgan offered his ‘personal gratitude’ to Body for ‘her willingness in the public interest to take on this role’.
He added: ‘The Public Accounts Committee has acted swiftly to ensure that this very important role is filled as quickly as possible by a high-calibre candidate. That’s why we recommended Gillian Body should take on the role while the committee begins the search for a permanent replacement through an open and transparent appointments process.’
Body said: ‘While we have gone through a difficult period recently, I am confident that we have a sound platform in which to move the organisation forward. And I will build on the positive steps that are already under way to improve the running of the WAO.’
Body began her career at the National Audit Office in 1981 as a trainee and qualified as a CIPFA accountant in 1986. She became assistant auditor general at the NAO Wales in 2004, and became engagement partner at the WAO when it was formed in 2005.
Former auditor general for Wales Jeremy Colman resigned from his post on February 3, following an internal review into his personal conduct. These matters were referred to South Wales Police and Colman was arrested on suspicion of possessing indecent images.
South Wales Police confirmed that Colman, from the Vale of Glamorgan, had been bailed until March 3 pending further enquiries.
