Audit Scotland Associate Director Elaine Boyd has been named as one of Britain’s most influential disabled people in the 2022 Shaw Trust Disability Power 100 list.
Elaine, who is responsible for Audit Quality and Appointments at Audit Scotland and has cerebral palsy, was nominated to the list for her work in finance.
Helena Gray has been appointed the new Controller of Audit, leading on the reporting of issues from the audits of local government in Scotland to the Accounts Commission.
Helena joins from the Scottish Government, where she has been the Interim Director of Fair Work, Employability and Skills since April 2021. Previously Helena held several senior leadership roles in both the UK and Scottish Government.
Helena said:
Leugh an duilleag seo sa Ghàidhlig
Councillors at Comhairle nan Eilean Siar must provide leadership and clear priorities if the organisation is to improve public services and address significant financial and workforce challenges.
Longer-term joint planning is needed to address child poverty in Scotland, which has increased since targets were set in 2017.
The Scottish Government's policies and spending remain more focused on helping children out of poverty rather than long-term measures to prevent it. Over a quarter of children in Scotland - 260,000 - were living in poverty before the Covid-19 pandemic. And the current cost-of-living crisis risks making the situation worse.
We extend our sincere condolences to the Royal Family on the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
The Queen’s 70-year reign was defined by her dedication to public service and sense of public duty, values that resonate with many in the public sector across Scotland.
- Read more about Scotland's councils must put tackling climate change at the heart of decision-making
Councils have a critical role in helping Scotland achieve its national climate change goals, in particular reducing CO2 emissions and adapting and transforming services. Climate change must be central and integral to all council activity.
The Accounts Commission, the independent body that holds councils to account, has published a briefing highlighting the vital role of councils in addressing climate change and identifying areas where further action is needed to address the climate change emergency.
Shetland Islands' leaders need to increase their pace and focus to deliver urgent change. The Accounts Commission is not confident the council is able to show it is financially sustainable.
The Accounts Commission, the independent body that holds councils to account, raises serious concerns about whether the council is delivering on its duty to provide best value for local people. Best value is about ensuring good governance and effective management of resources, with a focus on improvement.
There are concerns too around:
Audit Scotland's new chief operating officer Vicki Bibby starts at the organisation today.
Vicki is an experienced leader in Scotland's public sector and joined Audit Scotland from Public Health Scotland, where she was Director of Strategic Planning and Performance . She has also previously worked at the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) as Head of Resources and Chief Finance Officer, and has previously worked as an auditor.
The overall level of identified public sector fraud and error in Scotland has fallen slightly, according to the results of a national counter-fraud exercise.
Every two years the National Fraud Initiative (NFI) identifies outcomes worth millions in estimated savings to the public sector purse. The 2020/21 NFI exercise in Scotland identified outcomes valued at £14.9 million compared to £15.3 million in 2018/19. This included:
