New independent members appointed to Audit Committee

New independent members appointed to Audit Committee

Liverpool City Council has recently welcomed two new independent members to its Audit Committee, enhancing the team responsible for overseeing the council’s governance, risk management, and internal controls. This committee is pivotal in ensuring robust challenge and assurance processes within the council’s operations.

Currently, the Audit Committee includes three independent members who bring valuable expertise from their professional backgrounds in audit and risk management. Among them, Lynda Elezi offers over two decades of experience in internal audit, particularly within the public sector. She specializes in governance, assurance, and risk management, and has worked extensively with government bodies auditing programs funded by the European Social Fund and the European Regional Development Fund. Lynda holds credentials as a Chartered Internal Auditor and possesses a Master’s degree in Internal Audit Management and Consultancy.

Jon Daley, another key member, brings 17 years of experience across regulated and complex environments. His knowledge covers a broad spectrum, including corporate governance, enterprise risk management, strategic asset management, organisational transformation, regulatory compliance, investment planning, and performance enhancement. Jon’s approach emphasizes balancing business stewardship with positive social impact.

The third independent member, Paul McLoughlin, joined the committee at the start of the 2025/26 period. His career spans roles in both external and internal audit, risk management, and assurance, across public and third sector organisations such as local authorities, social housing providers, the Church of England, and the British Transport Police. Over the past year, Liverpool City Council has bolstered its audit and assurance functions with senior appointments in related teams and successfully completed its 2025/26 accounts ahead of many other councils.

Councillor Richard Clein, Chair of the Audit Committee, highlighted the importance of these appointments, stating: “The appointment of more independent members was one of my priorities on becoming Chair in 2023. Each of them brings valuable skills and experience that not only strengthen the committee’s ability to provide effective assurance but also reinforce its political neutrality and independence.” He added that these independent members have been instrumental in the committee’s transformation by offering constructive challenge and supporting a culture of transparency, openness, and accountability.

Councillor Ruth Bennett, Deputy Council Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance, Resources and Transformation, also welcomed the new members, emphasizing the role of challenge and scrutiny in continuous improvement. She remarked, “As an administration, we have made tremendous strides over the last three years in strengthening our internal audit, risk management and governance procedures but we are not complacent and from our perspective the improvement journey never ends.”

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