Appointment of up to three Members to the Accounts Commission for Scotland

Role Summary

The Accounts Commission is the independent public body which oversees the performance and spending within Scotland’s 32 councils, 11 local government pension funds, 30 health and social care integration joint boards (IJBs) and other joint boards. We play a significant role in Scottish public life helping to ensure that public money is spent properly, efficiently and effectively. We are responsible for the audit of all local government bodies in Scotland.

The Accounts Commission is the independent public body which oversees the performance and spending within Scotland’s 32 councils, 11 local government pension funds, 30 health and social care integration joint boards (IJBs) and other joint boards. We play a significant role in Scottish public life helping to ensure that public money is spent properly, efficiently and effectively. We are responsible for the audit of all local government bodies in Scotland.

As the Commission holds councils to account on behalf of citizens right across Scotland, the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government recognises the importance of the Commission representing all communities and encourages applicants from a diverse range of relevant backgrounds and from both urban and rural locations across Scotland.

Applicants will wish to be aware that for these roles on the Accounts Commission for Scotland we are operating a guaranteed interview scheme for disabled applicants.

For further information, please see the Applicant Information Pack.

Public Appointees are responsible for:

• ensuring that the public body delivers its functions in accordance with Scottish Ministers’ policies and priorities
• providing strategic leadership
• ensuring financial stewardship
• holding the Chief Executive and senior management team to account

Further information about the role and the board can be found in the Applicant Information Pack.

Successful applicants must be able to demonstrate by the end of the appointment process:

• Experience of finance, accountancy, audit and risk
• Experience of local government
• Experience of overseeing successful strategic change management programmes.

Applicants must also provide evidence of the following essential criteria; the initial application only requires written evidence of the first:

• Commitment to improvement in public services
• Constructive & supportive challenge
• Sound judgement based on good analytical skills and ability to assimilate a large amount of information
• Strong and effective communicator

For further information, please see the Applicant Information Pack.

Public appointments are made by Scottish Ministers. The appointments process is regulated by the Ethical Standards Commissioner you can find out more about the Commissioner here:
Public appointments | Ethical Standards Commissioner

The role of member attracts a remuneration rate of £326.96 per day during 2026/27 (non-pensionable) plus reasonable expenses (travel and subsistence).

Members to devote 2.5 days per month, up to a maximum of 30 days in any financial year. This does not include travel time to meetings.

Commission meetings are held at the Audit Scotland office at 102 West Port, Edinburgh, EH3 9DN
(and occasionally in Audit Scotland’s Glasgow office in Nelson Mandela Place).

29 September, 1 and 2 October 2026. In person at the Audit Scotland office, 4th Floor, 102 West Port, Edinburgh EH3 9DN
.

We will be holding two information sessions, both hybrid, on:

• Wednesday 29 July 6pm, West Port, Edinburgh
• Thursday 13 August 6pm, Nelson Mandela Place, Glasgow

Please contact Sarah Watters, Director for the Commission at acsupportt, to register for the events.

Prospective candidates can also attend the public session of the Commission meeting on 13 August between 10am and 11:30am, in the Glasgow office. This meeting can also be watched online. You can register to watch this meeting online from Friday 7 August at the below link. You can also find information about our meetings including…