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Support for Boards

 

Successful boards improve their organisation’s performance, but what makes a successful board? To help boards identify their strengths and areas for improvement, we have developed a board evaluation questionnaire with Mazars and the ICAEW’s Non-Executive Directors Special Interest Group.

The questionnaire is more suited to statutory boards as it builds on the foundations of a clearly defined role but non-statutory boards may also find it useful. Boards may use the questionnaire as a self-assessment tool or as the basis of a facilitated exercise.

How Boards use financial management information is critical to delivering value for money from public funds. In our reports to Parliament we often point out how good financial information available to key decision makers at the right time has a beneficial effect on organisational performance.

We also comment on the limiting effect that poor or inadequate financial information has on decision making in government. To allow the Board to fulfil its responsibilities effectively, the financial management information that they receive must be fit for purpose in terms of scope, quality and presentation and be clearly linked to the organisation’s performance against its objectives.

 

Our self-assessment guides for Boards

Board evaluation questionnaire

Public sector boards must conduct an annual performance appraisal and board members may find it helpful to complete this questionnaire as part of the process. We can help boards by facilitating a workshop to assess performance in this area.
To obtain further information please email Z5-FMGP@nao.gsi.gov.uk.

If your organisation is interested in comparing its performance with others, they can contact craig.scarr@mazars.co.uk for details of Mazars’ benchmarking service.

Reporting financial management information to the Board

Boards can assess the financial management information reported to them against best practice using the guide. Again, we can help boards by facilitating a workshop to assess performance.

To obtain further information please email Z5-FMGP@nao.gsi.gov.uk.