Town Deal governance - Newcastle

The section 151 officer

Section 151 of the Local Government Act 1972 requires every local authority to make arrangements for the proper administration of their financial affairs. One officer is nominated to take responsibility for the administration of those affairs. 

The Section 151 officer must be a qualified accountant belonging to one of the recognised chartered accountancy bodies. The Section 151 officer has several statutory duties to perform. This includes the duty to report: 

• any unlawful financial activity involving the authority (past, present or proposed) 

• any failure to set or keep to a balanced budget 

The Section 151 officer also has some statutory powers to allow them to carry out their role.

Our duty

We are the lead authority for both the Kidsgrove and Newcastle Town Deals. This means we have a duty to ensure that the finances are managed according to council and government regulations, in a way that ensures successful project delivery. 

To achieve this financial oversight of the Town Deals, the Section 151 officer, or deputy Section 151 officer, will attend Town Deal Board meetings. They will then provide reports to our executive management team. If neither officer is able to attend the meeting, an alternative representative from the finance team can attend instead and report back to the Section 151 officer after the meeting.