Executive team
Controller of Audit
Marcine Waterman: Controller of Audit
Marcine leads the Audit Commission, making sure it efficiently and effectively applies its statutory audit regime for local public bodies, and monitors and manages the performance of the firms providing audit services. Marcine will ensure the Commission continues to fulfil its statutory audit functions; to carry out data matching through the National Fraud Initiative; and to publish a number of national briefings and tools.
Since joining the Commission in 1993 Marcine has been involved in most of the Commission’s key change programmes including data quality, fire modernisation verification, Best Value, and market testing. As Director of Audit Policy and Regulation, she recently led the largest and most complex outsourcing procurement the Commission has been engaged in.
Before joining the Audit Commission Marcine worked at Ernst & Young, and was a Confidential Assistant in the US President’s Office of Management and Budget, Legislative Affairs. She has a Masters degree in Public Finance and Administration from Washington’s American University.
Associate Controllers
David Aldous: Associate Controller – Audit Technical Services
David leads the team responsible for providing guidance under the Code of Audit Practice and technical support to firms, to promote a consistent approach by appointed auditors. The team also manages the Commission’s counter fraud work and the National Fraud Initiative.
David has had several roles at the Commission since 2001, providing audit policy advice and technical support to the Commission and auditors. He has worked with the wider accountancy and audit profession, government departments and auditors across all the sectors within the Commission’s regime.
Before joining the Commission David worked in local government as Head of Management Review at East Sussex County Council, and at KPMG managing various public sector and charity audits. He originally trained at the National Audit Office, where he qualified as a chartered public finance accountant.
Jon Hayes: Associate Controller – Audit Compliance
Jon leads the team responsible for ensuring the Commission’s appointed auditors are complying with our regime and their contracts with us. His team is also responsible for the exercise of the Commission’s statutory functions in relation to audit, such as making auditor appointments and consulting on fees.
Jon joined the Commission in 1988, qualified as a chartered public finance accountant in 1992 and became a District Auditor in 2004. He has been involved in all aspects of the Commission’s work in that period and led audit and inspection engagements at a number of high profile bodies, mainly in London. Earlier in his career Jon was seconded to the Department of the Environment as its Local Government Accounting Adviser.
Ian Hickman: Associate Controller – Information and Analysis
Ian leads the Information and Analysis team in delivering high-quality studies, providing analysis and analytical tools and contributing to the development of public policy. He ensures the learning from the Commission’s work over recent years is captured and disseminated.
Previously Ian was Director of Policy and, before that, Director of Local Government and Fire. His recent publications included how to apply payment by results to local services across the public sector. From 2005 to 2010 he was responsible for the development and implementation of CPA and CAA frameworks as well as corporate governance inspection.
Before joining the Commission Ian worked for 19 years in four local authorities at a senior level within education and cultural services. He is a Fellow at the RSA; is an Advisory Board Member for both the Centre for Public Scrutiny and the Public Sector Performance Management Forum; and has a Masters in Business Administration. He is both a secondary school and primary school governor.
Neil Swift: Associate Controller – Corporate Resources
Neil leads the work of the Finance and Operations Group, ensuring that the Controller and Board receive high-quality, strategic advice on the most efficient use of resources. He is responsible for the delivery of effective support services, either directly or though commercial contracts, in a role that covers Finance, HR, Estates and ICT.
Neil joined the Commission in 2003, initially as a Senior Manager and Health Policy Lead working on a range of national studies and publications including fire verification, police and health data quality, and Payment by Results. He became Head of Technical Support for the Audit Practice in 2007, responsible for providing auditors with training and guidance on technical issues.
Neil joined the Commission from a large NHS Trust in London, where he was Deputy Director of Finance, and previously worked in several frontline operational finance roles across the public sector. He is also a school governor.
Head of Governance
Julie Hope: Head of Governance
Julie deals with governance issues for the Commission, and leads on internal and external communications. She also runs the Chairman and Controller’s office; ensuring that we respond to requests for information; overseeing our responses to parliamentary questions and Select Committee inquiries; and liaising with government departments.
Julie joined the Commission in 2003, initially as the Head of the Chief Executive’s office – a role that soon expanded to cover the Chairman’s office and his staff.
Before the Commission she worked at what was the Department of Social Security (DSS) and at the Department of Health in various roles, including several years as Private Secretary to two Secretaries of State and two Ministers of State. She has also worked for the Chairman and Chief Executive of English Heritage; and run the investor liaison section of what is now the Financial Services Authority’s compensation scheme.