Performance and Audit Committee
The Committee advises National Council and the Accounting Officer on matters relating to risk, internal control, governance and performance management. It is responsible for reviewing the comprehensiveness and reliability of assurances on governance, risk management, performance management, the control environment and the integrity of financial statements and the annual report.
What does the committee do?
What does the committee do?
It provides advice on the accounting policies, accounts and annual report to ensure they reflect best practice.
It reviews and comments on reports by the National Audit Office, or the appointed external auditor, and evaluates the effectiveness of anti-fraud and bribery policies, whistleblowing processes, and arrangements for special investigations.
The committee decides the scope and remit of internal audit work and advises on the long-term audit programme. It assess and advises on how well the organisation’s performance management framework enables us to manage and improve the delivery of our functions. The committee receives and reviews also formally the annual health and safety report.
Meet the members
Paul Roberts OBE
Paul produced the government report “Nurturing Creativity in Young People” in 2008 and was joint author of “The Virtuous Circle – why creativity and cultural education count”. Paul is a Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts and was awarded an OBE in 2008 for services to Education and the Creative Industries.
He was appointed to the National Council of Arts Council England in December 2017 where he is also chair of the Performance and Audit Committee.
Term of appointment: 1 December 2017 – 30 November 2024
Helen Birchenough
Driven by the power of the arts and education to change lives, Helen is a strong believer in the importance of further education and vocational training. She was Chair of Wiltshire College for five years, leading the College through a period of transformational change.
Helen has also chaired the education panel at Wiltshire Community Foundation, giving grants to young people to access educational resources and services and bursaries to those who could not otherwise go to university. She is also a Deputy Lieutenant of Wiltshire.
She is a non-executive director of Messums Org, a pioneering multi-purpose gallery and art centre based in a fourteenth century tithe barn in Wiltshire and with spaces in London and the East of England.
Helen sits on the Arts Council England Performance and Audit Committee and Remuneration Committee.
Term of appointment: 05 December 2018 - 04 December 2026.
Clive Parritt
With considerable experience of providing strategic, financial and commercial advice to growing businesses he has chaired Boards and Audit Committees for companies of all sizes – listed and private. Clive has extensive experience as an executive and non-executive director of private and public companies. He served as President of the ICAEW 2011-2012.
He continues to be involved with a number of businesses including as consultant to Audiotonix Ltd, a world-leading manufacturer of sound mixing consoles where he spent 10 years as Group CFO.
Term of appointment: 13 September 2018 – 12 September 2024
Abigail Pogson
Following a degree in Modern and Medieval Languages at Cambridge University and an MA in Cultural Management at City University, she began working in the arts.
Abigail serves as a Trustee for V&A Dundee, as a Director for North East England Chamber of Commerce and as Chair of Sunderland Empire Theatre Trust.
Term of appointment: 15 May 2022 – 14 May 2026.
Tracy Staines
She is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, a Chartered Internal Auditor and a qualified member of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investments.
Tracy currently holds two non-executive positions in the public and not-for-profit sectors.
Term of appointment: 13 September 2018 – 12 September 2024
Guillaume Fleuti
In 2021 he joined NatWest as Managing Director for the Coverage & Sector Content team in the Commercial & Institutional division. Guillaume is married to Flavie and has two sons, Hadrien (13) and Edouard (11). In his spare time Guillaume has a passion for scuba diving and is a keen diver, which he practices regularly with his children.
Term of appointment: 19 May 2022 - 18 May 2025
Penny Ciniewicz
Term of appointment 10 November 2021 – 9 November 2024
William Bush
He is currently the Chair of the Alliance for Intellectual Property, Board member of English Touring Opera, Trustee of Civic Future, and Board member of the Football Foundation.
Before joining the Premier League, Bill worked as a Spec
Bill sits on the Arts Council England Performance and Audit Committee and Remuneration Committee.
Term of appointment: 15 May 2022 – 14 May 2025.