Boris Johnson appoints Forensic Audit Panel
The panel has been tasked with recommending procedures to guarantee probity and transparency, as well as identifying areas where efficiencies can be made and resources redirected to the new Mayor's priorities.
Heading up the Forensic Audit Panel will be Patience Wheatcroft, former editor of The Sunday Telegraph, and currently non-executive director of Barclays and Shaftesbury.
Other members include:
* Stephen Greenhalgh, leader of Hammersmith and Fulham Council;
* Patrick Frederick, chief executive of Aimex International and former head of Global Custody Operations for JPMorgan;
* Edward Lister, leader of Wandsworth Council, and
* Andrew Gordon, head of Investigations within the Forensic Services group of PricewaterhouseCoopers, who will act as Independent Expert Advisor to the Panel.
The review of the LDA will focus on:
* Allegations of mismanagement and corruption in the awarding of grants;
* How conflicts of interest are detected and recorded;
* The monitoring of grant recipients' performance in delivering what they promised.
The review of the GLA will focus on:
* Publicity and advertising expenditure;
* The use of external consultants and agency staff;
* All areas where expenditure has grown since 2004.
The panel will present initial findings and a progress report to the mayor within 30 days and a final report within 60 days.
Boris Johnson said:
"I was elected on a promise to provide Londoners with better value for money from their taxes. I am delighted to have recruited some of the most capable and experienced people in the capital to scrutinise recent performance at the LDA and GLA and suggest ways to prevent mismanagement and waste in future.
"Patience Wheatcroft will be fearless and dogged in pursuit of the truth about recent practices at the LDA. My administration has much to learn from Eddie Lister and Stephen Greenhalgh's experience of delivering value for money to London taxpayers and will benefit greatly from the financial acumen of Patrick Frederick."
