Audit and Risk Assurance Committee
In January 2009, Ruth Marks appointed her first
Audit Committee. The role of the committee is to support the
Commissioner by reviewing the comprehensiveness of the systems of
assurances put in place to meet her Accounting Officer needs and
reviewing the reliability and integrity of these systems.
The Audit Committee will contribute at a strategic
level providing an external, informed, support and challenge function
for the work of the Commissioner and her office. This valuable input
will help ensure that the Older People’s Commission develops as a modern
public sector organisation.
Members of the Audit Committee are:
Gordon Lishman (Chair)
Gordon Lishman was Director General of Age Concern
for nine years and worked for them for 35 years, serving on the board of
Age Concern Cymru for a decade. He also established AGE-Platform, an
EU-wide body of older people’s organisations, serving as an Officer for
eight years, and has a history of campaigning government on behalf of
disadvantaged groups. Currently, he is the International Vice-President
of the International Federation on Ageing, Chair of the Department of
the Health Nutrition Action Plan Delivery Board and continues to promote
democracy and human rights around the world.
Ian Summers
Ian Summers has worked for 32 years in public
finance, audit and accountability, mostly with the National Audit Office
but also had a three- year stint in the late 1980s as Chief Accountant
in a Government Department. During his time with the National Audit
Office (NAO), Ian advised on the finance and accountability arrangements
for devolved government in Wales and also played a significant role in
creating the Wales Audit Office by the merger of the NAO and Audit
Commission in Wales. Currently, he works part-time as Finance and
Corporate Governance Adviser at the National Assembly for Wales.
Eifion Pritchard
Eifion Pritchard, a Welsh speaking native of North
Wales, has a psychology degree, spent five years serving in the Merchant
Navy and served for over 30 years with the Police service, retiring as
Deputy Chief Constable after being awarded the Queen’s Police Medal in
1998. He has chaired the Welsh Ambulance Service, Postwatch Wales and
Dyfed Powys Relate and has been a member of the Welsh Broadcasting
Council and the Welsh Consumer Council. Currently, he chairs the
trustees of Glasallt Fawr, an establishment for young adults with
learning difficulties, and is a board member of Consumer Focus Wales and
a member of the Welsh committee of the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Ken Jones
Ken Jones has spent much of his career in planning
and providing NHS and Social Services provisions for older people. He
enjoyed a long, successful career in the NHS Local and Authority
Services, has served as carer member, and more recently Chair, of
Carmarthenshire Local Health Board. He was also a member of the board
of Health Profession Wales and has undertaken numerous health and social
projects on a consultancy basis. Currently, Ken is a member of the Care
Council for Wales and trains social care professionals in complaints
and disciplinary investigations skills.