Governance arrangements
Explore the governance arrangements of Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums (TWAM), covering its Strategic Board, financial committees, companies, and partnerships with local authorities and universities for effective leadership, oversight and development.
Governance structure
Joint Agreement
Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums (TWAM) is a joint service of the four local authorities on Tyneside: Newcastle (which acts as lead authority and legal body), South Tyneside, North Tyneside, and Gateshead, with additional support and contributions from Arts Council England (ACE). TWAM has separate agreements with Sunderland City Council to manage its archives and with Newcastle University, to manage the Great North Museum: Hancock and Hatton Gallery.
The relationship between, and commitment of, the partners is enshrined in the Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums Joint Agreement. The Joint Agreement lays out the terms and conditions of the relationship and the involvement of central government.
Download the Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums Joint Agreement 2017-2027 (PDF, 2.69 MB)
Strategic Board
Policy and decision making is undertaken by the Strategic Board and key decisions are outlined in the Business Plan. A considerable degree of consultation takes place about budget priorities and budget proposals, which shapes the budget decisions that are made.
Finance, Audit and Risk Committee
TWAM has also established a Finance, Audit and Risk Committee which is separate from the Strategic Board. It includes an independent chair and vice-chair. The Finance, Audit and Risk Committee provides an essential challenge, monitoring and scrutiny role in relation to governance and internal control issues, helping to provide assurance and the early identification and resolution of weaknesses in arrangements.
The Strategic Board has delegated certain responsibilities to the Director, which are set out in the Financial Handbook.
Development Trust
TWAM is also supported by the Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums Development Trust, which was established on 1 December 2010 to raise funds from individual donors, trusts and foundations to support a wide variety of archives and museum activities.
Over the years the Trust's predecessor, the Tyne & Wear Museums Development Trust helped to raise more than £1.5 million from charitable sources for a wide range of museum activities.
TWAM Enterprises Ltd
The Trading Company, TWAM Enterprises Ltd (Company number 10940488) was established on 1 May 2018 following a major review of TWAM’s governance structures. Its purpose is to allow TWAM to capitalise on the expertise it has already developed in relation to commercial activity by assuming responsibility for activity previously delivered through TWAM’s trading team, including retail operation, venue hire and catering. It will donate/gift aid its profit to TWAM Development Trust to further TWAM’s charitable objectives.
The company limited by shares is wholly owned by the five ‘partners’; Gateshead Council, Newcastle City Council, North Tyneside Council, South Tyneside Council and the University of Newcastle.
Exhibitions by TWAM Ltd
Exhibitions by TWAM Ltd (Company number 12106351) was established on 1 September 2020 to manage all exhibition production activities for Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums (TWAM). The company, limited by guarantee is wholly owned by Newcastle City Council. The company will donate its profit to TWAM Development Trust to further TWAM’s charitable objectives. TWAM produces approximately 35-40 exhibitions per year across its nine venues. These vary greatly in scale, subject matter and target audiences.
Strategic Board
Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums is governed by a Strategic Board which comprises between 6 and 11 members. Each Council in Tyneside provides one member from amongst its elected members, Newcastle University appoints one member, each year two different councils appoint one additional member each and there are up to four additional members who are independent appointments.
The Strategic Board meets a minimum of four times a year and the annual meeting is in June. The Chair is appointed for a term of three years and is an independent appointee. The vice-chair is appointed annually from amongst the elected members.
The Strategic Board was created to enable Tyne & Wear Archives and Museums (“TWAM”) to explore new ways of working and engage with a wider sector; and to ensure a sustainable, resilient and positive future for TWAM, particularly in light of significant reduction in public sector funding.
Objectives and responsibilities
The Strategic Board’s key objective is to administer, maintain and develop TWAM.
More specifically, the Strategic Board is responsible for:
- developing a strategic focus to drive growth;
- providing scrutiny and leadership, democratic accountability, and enterprise support and challenge to TWAM and its executive team;
- overseeing the overall governance and strategic leadership of TWAM in accordance with TWAM’s mission and objectives;
- ensuring TWAM’s continuing financial viability and long term sustainability including by supporting TWAM to take advantage of new opportunities (notably in relation to generating income from commercial and philanthropic sources);
- ensuring TWAM is making effective use of its assets, services and resources to support its museum and archive activities;
- ensuring TWAM is delivering against Constituent Council and University priorities; and
- ensuring TWAM is recognising the diversity and meeting the needs of its users and communities.
Strategic Board membership
The 2024/25 membership is as follows:
Chair: Chris Mullin
Vice Chair: Cllr Angela Douglas and Cllr Julie Cruddas
| Member | Substitute | |
| Gateshead Council | Cllr Angela Douglas | Vacancy |
| Newcastle City Council | Cllr Abdul Samad | Cllr Teresa Cairns |
| North Tyneside Council | Cllr Julie Cruddas | Cllr Tommy Mulvenna and Cllr Louise Marshall |
| South Tyneside Council | Cllr Judith Taylor | Cllr Joyce Welsh |
| Newcastle University | Professor Jane Robinson | - |
| Independent Member | Sarah Green | - |
| Independent Member | Jonathan Blackie | - |
| Rotating Member | Cllr Linda Wright (Newcastle) | - |
| Rotating Member | Cllr George Kasfikis (Gateshead) |
Strategic Board papers and Terms of Reference
Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums Strategic Board reports and minutes can be downloaded from the Newcastle City Council website.
Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums Strategic Board Terms of Reference (PDF, 189 KB).
Finance, Audit and Risk Committee
The Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums Finance, Audit and Risk Committee is independent from the Strategic Board. It was established in 2006 and provides independent assurance on the adequacy of the risk management framework and the associated governance and control environment, independent scrutiny of TWAM's financial and non-financial performance to the extent that it affects the TWAM's exposure to risk and weakens the control environment, and oversees the financial reporting process.
The Finance, Audit and Risk Committee has an independent chair and vice-chair, who were appointed following the publication of a statutory notice. The appointment is for a four year period, with the option to renew for a further four years. The scope of the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee's work is defined in its Terms of Reference and encompasses all the assurance needs of the Strategic Board and the Director.
Finance, Audit and Risk Committee membership
The 2024/25 membership is as follows:
Chair: Richard Gregory
Vice-Chair: Laura Donelly
| Member | |
| Strategic Board Member | Cllr George Kasfikis |
| Strategic Board Member | Vacancy |
| Independent Member | Richard Gregory (Chair) |
| Independent Member | Laura Donelly (Vice-Chair) |
| Independent Member | Adam Morton |
Finance, Audit and Risk Committee papers
Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums Finance, Audit and Risk Committee reports and meeting minutes can be downloaded from the Newcastle City Council website.
Development Trust
The Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums Development Trust (The Trust) was established on 1 December 2010 and is registered as a company limited by guarantee number 7334262 and is registered with the Charity Commission under charity number 1137867.
Trustees
The current Trustees are:
- Philip Kite - Chair
- Christine Holland
- Anna McCready
- Charlotte Windebank
- John Holmes
Find out more about our Trustees.
Objectives
The objectives of the Trust are:
- To advance the education of the public (particularly, but not limited to those within, the metropolitan county of Tyne & Wear) by encouraging them to participate in and contribute to the activities of an archive and museum service managed by Tyne & Wear Archives and Museums (TWAM) and to value it for the positive impact that it makes upon their lives
- To advance art, culture, heritage and science by supporting TWAM to establish and maintain a world class archive and museum service that is accessible and enlightening
- To contribute to the advancement of civic responsibility and good citizenship by supporting TWAM to help to equip people with the capacity to understand and operate successfully in society
- Such other charitable purpose beneficial to the community consistent with the Objects above as the trustees shall in their absolute discretion determine.
The Trust carries out its objectives by raising funds from individual donors, trust and foundations to support a wide variety of museum activities including:
- Exhibitions and displays
- Capital improvements
- Cataloguing
- Acquiring objects for the collection
- Conservation and restoration work
- Learning programmes
- Outreach projects with all sections of the community
By supporting activities like these, the Trust is able to help Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums achieve its strategic vision of ensuring everyone has access to museum provision, are able to use this access and to value it for the significant and positive impact that it makes upon their lives.
Annual Report and Accounts
The following links will take you to the unaudited accounts for the last three years.
TWAM Development Trust Annual Report and Accounts 2022/23 (PDF, 720 KB)
TWAM Development Trust Annual Report and Accounts 2021/22 (PDF, 1.46 MB)
TWAM Development Trust Annual Report and Accounts 2020/21 (PDF, 2.57 MB)
Copies of further Annual Reports and Accounts can be obtained by contacting the Corporate Governance team.
Privacy notice
View the TWAM Development Trust privacy notice.
The notice provides information about what personal information we collect from you, how and why it is collected, when and with whom it might be shared, and how long it will be kept. It also provides information on your rights to decide how it might be used, how you can access it, require it to be deleted and corrected and your rights to complain.
Business partnerships
Find out more about how we can connect businesses to millions of people via our venues and online by downloading our Business Partners Brochure (PDF, 2.94 MB) or read more about partnering with TWAM, the largest cultural collective in the North East.
TWAM Enterprises
The Trading Company, TWAM Enterprises Ltd (company number 10940488) was established on 1 May 2018 following a major review of TWAM’s governance structures. Its purpose is to undertake commercial and enterprise activity to increase self-generated income.
TWAM Enterprises will allow TWAM to capitalise on the expertise it has already developed in relation to commercial activity which has resulted in a significant increase in self-generated income and is seeing TWAM recognised nationally for its entrepreneurial work.
TWAM Enterprises will build on this success and create further growth. From 1 May 2018 it assumed responsibility for activity previously delivered through TWAM’s trading team including the retail operation, venue hire and catering.
The company, limited by shares, is wholly owned by the five ‘partners’; Gateshead Council, Newcastle City Council, North Tyneside Council, South Tyneside Council and Newcastle University.
Company directors
The current directors are:
- Geoff Hodgson (Chair)
- Cllr Angela Douglas
- Keith Merrin, Director, Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums
- Jackie Reynolds, Head of Finance, Governance & Resources, Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums
- Nicola Short, Director
- Amy James, Director
Privacy notice
View the TWAM Enterprises Ltd privacy notice.
The notice provides information about what personal information we collect from you, how and why it is collected, when and with whom it might be shared, and how long it will be kept. It also provides information on your rights to decide how it might be used, how you can access it, require it to be deleted and corrected and your rights to complain.
Health and safety policy
Download the TWAM Enterprises Ltd's health and safety policy (PDF, 290 KB).
The policy lays down our aims to protect the health and safety of all users of services, all members of the public exposed to activities, all employees and all other persons who work on or visit premises.
Exhibitions by TWAM
Exhibitions by TWAM Ltd (company number 12106351) has been established to manage all exhibition production activities for Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums (TWAM). The company, limited by guarantee, commenced trading on 1 September 2020, and is wholly owned by Newcastle City Council. The company will donate its profit to TWAM Development Trust to further TWAM’s charitable objectives.
TWAM produces approximately 35-40 exhibitions per year across its nine venues. These vary greatly in scale, subject matter and target audiences.
Company directors
- Vacancy
- Keith Merrin, Director, Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums
- Jackie Reynolds, Head of Finance, Governance & Resources, Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums
Health and safety policy
View the Exhibitions by TWAM Ltd health and safety policy (PDF, 282 KB).
The policy lays down our aims to protect the health and safety of all users of services, all members of the public exposed to activities, all employees and all other persons who work on or visit premises.
Governance and Assurance report
As a governing body the Strategic Board demonstrates a willingness and ability to act in the best interest of the stakeholders of TWAM.
TWAM is responsible for ensuring that its business is conducted in accordance with the law and proper standards, that public money is safeguarded and properly accounted for, and used economically, efficiently and effectively.
Purpose of Governance
At TWAM we believe that the fundamental requirements of good governance are: accountability, transparency, lawfulness, responsiveness, equity and inclusivity, effectiveness and efficiency and a participatory approach.
Governance Framework
Leadership and Management
TWAM has an effective management structure which takes collective responsibility for the long-term success of the organisation. There is an appropriate balance of skills, experience, independence and knowledge of TWAM to enable duties and responsibilities to be discharged successfully. The governance structure defines and documents the roles and responsibilities of the Strategic Board, Finance, Audit and Risk Committee, and officer functions, with clear delegation arrangements and protocols for effective communication.
Scrutiny and Governance
TWAM has adopted an assurance framework designed to give sufficient, continuous and reliable assurance on the stewardship of TWAM, the management of its major risks to organisational success and the delivery of improved, cost-effective public service.
Engagement
TWAM establishes clear channels of communication with all sections of the community and other stakeholders, through a variety of channels, encouraging open and meaningful consultation and ensuring accountability.
Impact
TWAM has a clear mission and a vision. Impact is measured via Annual Report, Statement of Accounts, publication of KPIs and achievement of objectives.
Assurance Framework
This diagram explains the governance arrangement process for TWAM (PPTX, 56 KB)
Conclusion
The Governance and internal control environment provides reasonable and objective assurance that any significant risks impacting on the achievement of TWAM’s principal objectives were identified and actions taken to avoid or mitigate their impact.
