News and Views

Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership (CLEP) is looking to recruit a qualified accountant to Chair its internal Finance, Audit and Resources Committee (FARC) to replace the current Chair Nigel Wilkinson.

Mr Wilkinson, Managing Director of Windermere Lake Cruises, is stepping down after successfully establishing the Committee, following CLEP’s founding as a company. He will continue in his role as a CLEP Board member and Chair of the Visitor Economy Sector Panel.

The Finance, Audit and Resources Committee is responsible for ensuring the effective management of CLEP’s budgets and ensuring that effective systems and processes are in place to achieve this and ensuring that CLEP meets its compliance responsibilities to Companies House and HMRC.

It also appoints the independent auditors, oversees the development of CLEP’s risk register, acts as CLEP’s remuneration body and oversees the development of organisational policies.

CLEP Chair Lord Inglewood said: “I am extremely grateful to Nigel for the hard work and dedication he has shown to CLEP and delighted that he will remain a Board member and continue in his role as Chair of our Visitor Economy Sector Panel.

“He has established FARC as an effective part of our internal governance arrangements and is now ready to hand over the reins to his successor. He will be a hard act to follow as Chair of the Finance, Audit and Resources Committee but I know there’s a deep pool of talent in the Cumbrian accountancy profession and I am confident that a suitable replacement will step forward.”

The CLEP Board has agreed that candidates should be sought from those currently working within the LEP structure and the wider business community in order to secure a suitably qualified certified accountant.

The successful candidate will be:

• Able to provide strategic overview of the finance, audit and resource activity of the Cumbria LEP;
• Collaborative in approach;
• Confident in presenting at Board and AGM meetings;
• Used to working with external accountants and auditors; and
• Experienced in operating in similar Governance bodies.

The post is unremunerated with the successful candidate expected to commit half a day per month to the role.

Interested applicants are invited to apply with a written expression of interest detailing suitability for the role, and a CV of no more than 2 pages.

Applications should be emailed to Jo Lappin, Chief Executive: jo.lappin@thecumbrialep.co.uk, by 5pm on November 9. Potential applicants are invited to contact Mrs Lappin should they wish to discuss the role.