Job Description
London Borough Of Newham
Audit And Governance Committee
Appointment Of Independent Members
Newham Council is recruiting for two independent members of its Audit and Governance Committee, one of whom will be the Chair. The Committee has responsibility for oversight of the Council’s risk management and audit functions, annual accounts and treasury management as well as a key focus on organisational culture and improvement.
The terms of reference for the committee are here and the job description and person specification are LBN Independent Chair and LBN Independent Member
Independent Members are appointed for a term of two years which may be extended by up to a further two years. An annual allowance of £1,390 is payable to the Chair and £579 to the other independent members. They sit alongside the elected councillors who comprise the majority of the committee, providing independent advice and challenge.
Members are expected to attend approximately six evening meetings each year, preferably in person although online attendance can be facilitated by exception. The Committee has a financial emphasis, but its work covers a much wider range of activities, including risk management and organisational culture. It is helpful for independent members to bring professional expertise (not necessarily financial) to the Committee, but just as important is the ability to challenge information in an appropriate manner and bring a broader perspective to its work.
Knowledge of local authorities is not required, but an interest in public services and the local area is and applicants should be able to demonstrate a connection (personal or professional) to East London and ideally to Newham.
Applications can be for the role of Chair or the role of independent member, or both and should be by way of a CV (two pages maximum) and a covering letter explaining your motivation for applying and the approach you would bring.
Completed applications should be sent to
[email protected]If you would like to discuss the role further before applying please contact
[email protected] who will arrange an appointment accordingly.
Closing date is 3rd October 2025
Additional Information
We are committed to creating an inclusive, anti-racist environment for all. When you apply for a job at Newham, your application is considered on its merits regardless of your age, disability, ethnicity, faith, gender identity or sexual orientation. If you share our vision and values, and you bring the experience and skills we need, that’s all that matters to us.
The London Borough of Newham has important responsibilities for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. If you are appointed to a job that involves working with these groups, you may be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.
We practice anonymised recruitment. Please ensure that you remove all personal information from any documents that you upload.
The personal information we have collected from you will be shared with Cifas who will use it to prevent fraud, other unlawful or dishonest conduct, malpractice, and other seriously improper conduct. If any of these are detected you could be refused certain services or employment. Your personal information will also be used to verify your identity. Further details of how your information will be used by us and Cifas, and your data protection rights, can be found by https://www.cifas.org.uk/fpn.
About Us
The London Borough of Newham is located only 5 miles east of London. It is well positioned with access to all major networks in London and the south east. It is well connected by public transport with, bus, tube and DLR. When the Crossrail service opens it will call at Custom House close to our council offices and also Stratford station and from there to central London. The London City Airport which serves major European cities is located at Royal Albert Dock. Newham has the youngest overall population in the country. It was one of the six host boroughs for the 2012 Summer Olympics and contains most of the Olympic Park including the London Stadium. It has a thriving arts quarter with the Theatre Royal Stratford East offering excellent entertainment for all the family. There is the University of East London which has two campuses in Newham, one in Stratford and another next to the regenerated Royal Albert Dock. It also has a large Westfield shopping Centre in Stratford which has all the major retailers there. 
