The accountable body, Leicester City Council, oversees and supports our use of public funds to ensure they are used appropriately in accordance with the law, good financial management and any applicable grant conditions.
The LLEP Board, and its supporting governance structure, (where there are appropriate schemes of delegation), is the strategic body responsible for taking decisions on LLEP business and LLEP programme activity.
The Section 151 Officer has the financial and governance oversight of all decisions made by the LLEP on behalf of the Accountable Body.
Following guidance issued by CIPFA and the Cities and Local Growth Unit, which sought to clarify the role the of the Section 151 Officer within LEPs, they issued five key principles which they expect the role for to meet when instilling good and proportionate financial governance:
- Enshrining a corporate position for the section 151 officer in LEP assurance.
- Creating a formal/structured mandate for the section 151 officer.
- Embedding good governance into decision making.
- Ensuring effective review of governance.
- Appropriate skills and resourcing
Whilst the Section 151 Officer may choose to delegate functions, they cannot delegate accountability.