3 February 2010
The head of the Welsh public spending watchdog has stepped down as auditor general.
Jeremy Colman, who has held the post since 2005, handed his resignation to the National Assembly for Wales’ Public Accounts Committee on February 3. This will take immediate effect once it has been accepted by the Queen.
The reason for the departure is unclear, but was described as a 'private matter' by one source at the Wales Audit Office.
Colman’s five-year appointment was extended last year for a further three years and the sudden resignation comes as a surprise.
A ground-breaking peer review into the WAO, carried out last year, raised concerns about how the organisation was managed.
In an interview last year, Colman told Public Finance that turbulence from the creation of the WAO had not settled down as quickly as it should have. The peer review found a high number of disciplinary and grievance cases. However, the review chair said the panel did feel the WAO had 'turned the corner'.
Plaid Cymru AM Leanne Wood said Colman’s resignation was a 'complete shock'.
She said: 'I have previously called for an independent investigation into the running of the Wales Audit Office and I still believe that is necessary after Jeremy Colman’s departure.'
Freedom of Information requests made by Wood showed the extent of employee discontent, with five managers subject to investigations or disciplinary proceedings following staff complaints since 2005.
An interim replacement is likely to be appointed while a successor is found, with the newly created executive committee at the WAO currently responsible for day-to-day operations.
