Agenda item - Chair's Communications

18.1      The Chair provided the following communications:

“I wish to begin by paying tribute to the late Cllr Garry Peltzer Dunn who sat on this committee. Since becoming a councillor in 2019 I quickly came to realise what a true gentleman Garry was and a shining example of how to conduct oneself as a public servant. He treated councillors of all parties and none, officers and residents alike with respect and courtesy, and he worked tirelessly for his local residents and in service of the city for half a century. This committee and the council will certainly miss him.

Garry regularly showed how to debate agreeably with colleagues both inside this chamber and on that point I would like to remind members that the role of the Audit & Standards Committee is different from that of a policy Committee. Our focus is on proper governance, transparency and financial accountability. We should therefore focus on the facts as presented before us and avoid unnecessary, highly political or over- personalised rhetoric.

In hoping everybody will agree that this is the proper way to proceed, I wish to acknowledge the contribution made by all members of this committee in carrying out its key governance role at this time of continued pressures and challenges, and the demands that that places on us all”.