The Finance and Risk Committee of the Barbican Centre Board met on 23 June 2025 to discuss an internal audit update and to approve the minutes from their last meeting. The meeting also included discussion of a Barbican Business Review, a forecast update, a visual arts deep dive, an update on cyclical works and capital projects, and updates on risk and health and safety. Some of these items were scheduled to be discussed in the non-public portion of the meeting.

Internal Audit Update

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on internal audit activity relating to the Barbican Centre, including the finalisation of various audits. The report, prepared by Cirla Peall, Audit Manager in the Chamberlain's Department, noted that as of early June 2025, there were eight live high priority and 22 live medium priority recommendations. One recommendation was closed down during a recent follow-up.

The update included outcomes from assurance work in 2024-25:

• A risk review with a limited assurance outcome.
• Four audits: two limited assurance and two moderate assurance outcomes.
• A compliance check with a moderate assurance outcome.
• A fourth round follow-up exercise which confirmed resolution of five issues from a 2020-21 audit.

A safeguarding audit, which aimed to provide assurance over the adequacy of the control framework to ensure compliant safeguarding practices throughout the Barbican Centre, was also discussed. A moderate assurance opinion was given, and seven recommendations were made. Follow-up is scheduled for September 2025 to evaluate the effectiveness of control improvements.

The report also noted that formal follow-up activity has identified that target timescales for making necessary improvements have been over-optimistic in some cases, resulting in recommendations implementation slippage, and delaying closure.

The committee was scheduled to discuss high-level proposals for remaining audit coverage, comprising reviews of the Barbican Renewal Project Governance and rolling programme coverage in respect of Ticket Income, and Facilities Management and Maintenance.

Approval of Minutes

The committee was scheduled to approve the public minutes and non-public summary of the last meeting held on 8 January 2025. The draft minutes of the 8 January meeting show that the committee received a report from the Head of Internal Audit, concerning an update on Internal Audit activity relating to the Barbican Centre. The committee also received a report from the Interim CEO, Barbican Centre, concerning the current state of health and safety at the Barbican Centre and steps taken to address gaps.

Exclusion of the Public

The committee was scheduled to consider a motion to exclude the public from the meeting for certain items. The motion stated that the items involved the likely disclosure of exempt information, as defined in Part 1, in Schedule 12A, of the Local Government Act 1972.¹

Other Matters

The agenda included several other items for discussion:

• Barbican Business Review: The committee was scheduled to receive a report on the Barbican Business Review for March 2025 (Period 12).
• 2025/26 Barbican Centre Forecast Update: The committee was scheduled to receive a report on the 2025/26 Barbican Centre Forecast Update.
• Visual Arts Deep Dive: The committee was scheduled to receive a report on a visual arts deep dive.
• Barbican Cyclical Works Programme and Capital Projects: The committee was scheduled to receive an update report on the Barbican Cyclical Works Programme² and capital projects.
• Risk Update: The committee was scheduled to receive a report on risk management at the Barbican Centre.
• Programming & Business Events Risk: The committee was scheduled to receive a report on programming and business events risk.
• Health and Safety Update: The committee was scheduled to receive a report on health and safety at the Barbican Centre.