Responsible to: Independent Chair
Functional Area: Finance
Key relationships: LLP Members, the Managing Director, the Commercial and Financial Director and the other members of Audit and Risk Committee (Committee)
The role of the Independent Member
The role of the Independent Member, by virtue of their independence from the management of the LLP and any interested parties, is to make a contribution to the LLP by providing a degree of objectivity to the Audit and Risk Committee in its deliberations and decision making. The Independent Member will bring valued insight to the Committee through their specialist knowledge.
Therefore, the role of the Independent Member has two principal components:
- monitoring executive activity and
- contributing to the development and delivery of strategy
It is important for the Independent Member to establish a spirit of partnership and mutual respect on the Committee and thereby build a working environment of openness and trust with the executive team. The key to being effective in this role rests in the behaviours demonstrated when constructively challenging decision making.
The Independent Member must ensure and secure good governance and be alert to their obligations to the LLP Members.
Other key duties are
- To ensure that the LLP complies with its Partnership agreement, and the relevant legislation and regulations.
- To ensure that the LLP applies its resources solely in the pursuit of the defined objectives.
- To constructively challenge the Committee in developing proposals on strategy.
- To provide scrutiny of management’s performance in meeting the LLP’s Business Plan and monitoring of performance reports.
- Satisfying themselves on the integrity of financial information and that controls and risk management systems are robust and defensible.
- To abide by LLP policies, declare conflicts of interest, scrutinise required papers and to attend Audit and Risk Committees meetings.
- To ensure the financial stability of the LLP.
- To use any specific knowledge to assist the Committee and senior managers to reach sound decisions.
- To lead discussions on key issues and provide advice and guidance where required.
- To participate in training and development.
The Committee
As it rests with the Chair to promote a culture of openness and encourage debate, so it rests with the Independent Member to ensure that the Chair receives the required support. Independent Members must ensure that there is no conflict of interest with the Managing and Commercial and Financial Directors in the performance of their duties to the LLP. Independent Members must support the Chair in ensuring that the Committee maintains an efficient and professional culture.
Independent Members are required to actively challenge strategy and performance in a robust professional manner to ensure the LLP meets performance targets in line with the Business Plan.
The Committee must be completely aligned to the LLP’s developing objectives which could be summarised as follows:
1.Provide strategic capability and capacity to deliver on the Treveth Business Plan
2.Provide ownership, oversight and accountability for the LLP;
3.Support the Managing Director in developing an efficient, coherent and sustainable service delivery model to support the LLP.
Limited Liability Partnership
The Limited Liability Partnership is a Teckal compliant vehicle for Cornwall Council and is designed to deliver housing, commercial investment and regeneration to meet local need.
The purpose of the LLP is to achieve economic growth through delivery of the Business Plan and also to provide commercial return to its owner members. The LLP will invest in and build homes, commercial and workspace assets. The LLP is also currently acting as development manager for two significant new schemes within Cornwall. The LLP will be committed to delivering cost effective and innovative solutions which add value to our communities, partners and our people.
Budget Responsibility
The Committee monitor the LLP’s financial performance and will be required to ensure that LLP’s Business Plan targets are achieved.
Relevant Information
It is estimated that the time required to fulfil this role would be 4 meetings a year.
Pay
£6000 plus reasonable expenses
Person Specification
| Essential | Desirable |
| Knowledge | |
| · A financial or audit type background· Practical knowledge of audit, risk management, financial reporting, internal control and external audit· An understanding and commitment to the aims of the LLP and its Members | · Knowledge of either a Housing / Commercial delivery development company, public / private joint ventures, regeneration and investment vehicles |
| Skills | |
| · Ability to contribute to Committee meetings effectively through constructive challenge.· Significant attention and understanding of factors relating to reputational risk.· Ability to analyse complex information, question, probe and seek clarification so to come to an independent and unbiased view.· Personal integrity, with commitment to maintaining high standards in public life in line with the ‘Nolan principles’.· Experience of working effectively within multi-disciplinary teams· Ability to represent the interest of the LLP in external relationships· Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, with a broad range of customers, colleagues, employees and Members· Ability to establish and monitor performance targets, for organisations and management staff | · Ability to work in and to lead a team· The ability to think creatively |
| Experience and Qualifications | |
| · Experience of working in partnership with other organisations, both within and across sectors.· Extensive background in senior level finance · Knowledge/experience of a related industry | · Professional finance qualification· Committee or Board experience in the private and/or public sector. |
