Federal Finance and Resources Committee
(FFRC)
The FFRC reports to the Federal Board and is responsible for:
- Planning and administering the budget and finances of the Federal Party for the forthcoming year and in outline for following years;
- Presenting the audited Annual Accounts to Conference;
- Overseeing the administration of the Federal Party including its Chief Executive, headquarters and other staff; and overseeing the role of the Party as an equal opportunities employer and the maintenance of staff grievance and disciplinary procedures; and
- Overseeing the Party’s compliance with external regulatory bodies, including the Electoral Commission and the Information Commissioner and carrying out the responsibilities established in Articles 9.6 and 20.3 of the Constitution in relation to the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 and as later amended.
The Committee is chaired by the Board elected Registered Party Treasurer and also includes:
- the Federal Treasurer
- the Party President
- each State Party’s Treasurer
- the Chief Executive
- a staff representative
- a representative of the Parliamentary Office of the Liberal Democrats
- and five further persons separately elected by the Federal Board
Further details about the FFRC are available in the Federal Party Constitution (Article 12).
The members of the Committee are:
Chair and Party Registered Treasurer - Mike Cox
Mike was born in Bolton, Lancashire and now lives in Christchurch Dorset.
He was elected Party Registered Treasurer in May 2022. In that role he chairs the Federal Finances and Resources Committee.
Mike, a graduate of Brunel University, is Senior Partner of a firm of Chartered Accountants a firm which he founded in 1997 and is based in London and Middlesex. Mike is also a Finance Director to several small businesses.
Previously a Councillor for 8 years on Hillingdon Council Mike serves as a Councillor for Christchurch Town on Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole Council and also as a Town Councillor on Christchurch Town Council.
Mike has stood for Parliament in every election since 2002 in Ruislip, Uxbridge and Christchurch
Federal Party Treasurer - Tilly McAuliffe
Tilly was elected Federal Party Treasurer in March 2021. Previously, she was Chair of the Lib Dem Business & Entrepreneurs Network for five years, as well as an active member of the Fundraising Board.
Outside of politics and fundraising, Tilly is an entrepreneur and a publisher. In 1999 she co-founded Think, a content marketing agency which has over 70 staff working across the UK. Tilly is also a non executive director of Welbeck Publishing Group and the PPA, Professional Publishers Association, and is a trustee of the think tank Demos.
English Party Treasurer - David Craddock
I have been a member of the Lib Dems for 10 years. As a former Chair of Shrewsbury local party, Chair of the West Midlands, and now a member in Cornwall, I am excited to have been elected as Treasurer for the Party of
England.
I bring a wealth of professional board level experience as an experienced MD and Chief Executive in small and large businesses, and higher education. I managed multi-million £ budgets and delivering computer and data projects to ensure innovation and efficiency. In Unilever I held several international business development roles working primarily in Europe, Southeast Asia, and North America.
I am currently a Trustee for Cornwall Mind, Director of the Duchy of Cornwall Nansledan Management Company, member of the Nansledan Arts Festival group, and a van driver for the local Foodbank.
Welsh Party Treasurer - Nick Beckett
Scottish Party Treasurer - Mike Gray
Mike was born in Dublin and completed his schooling in Edinburgh - it was an alumnus of that school, Sir David Steel, who inspired him to join the Liberals.
After graduating from Edinburgh University, Mike trained and qualified as a Chartered Accountant. He has stayed in the audit and accountancy profession since then, including 3 years working in Johannesburg, and retires in October 2023.
Mike increased his involvement with the Party considerably from 2007, soon joining his local party executive, where he has been treasurer for over a decade. He has been an agent for multiple candidates at every General Election, Scottish Election and Council Election since 2011, including being agent in the 2017 and 2019 General elections in Edinburgh West.
Mike took over as treasurer for the Scottish Liberal Democrats in March 2023.
Board Appointed Member - Helena Cole
Helena grew up in a Liberal household and delivered her first leaflet at the age of four. She officially joined the party in 1990 when she moved to Portsmouth and someone got around to asking her to join. She has been an active campaigner ever since and in 2000 stood for Parliament in Havant. Since then she has been concentrating on her accountancy career whilst campaigning in her spare time and is now Finance Director in the defence industry.
Board Appointed Member - Tom Bartleet
Tom joined the Liberal Democrats in 2022 to make positive change for the country and is now an active member in his local constituencies of South Suffolk and Colchester. This followed a successful career in insurance of 30 years, including a decade as the CEO and owner of Erskine Murray Insurance Brokers and 20 years at Willis, holding various corporate roles including broking in the London market; CEO positions; and working in New York.
Tom was educated at Haileybury College and the University of Manchester where he graduated in Economics. Married with 3 adult children, he is a keen skier and dog walker. Unusually, he enjoys insurance and is a big fan of technology at home and in the office.
Board Appointed Member - Paul Greenwood
Paul has recently retired from a 30-year career in the oil and gas industry, which encompassed a wide range of roles based in the UK, France and the USA. His last role was as UK Chair of ExxonMobil from 2021 to 2026. Paul has been a Liberal Democrat since his teens and is seeking to leverage his business experience to support the Liberal Democrats in their work.
Board Appointed Member - Jeremy Hargreaves MBE
Jeremy Hargreaves MBE is an independent consultant and non-executive in public services. His career has spanned senior management in the NHS, education, management consultancy and local government. He was vice chair of the party’s policy committee (FPC) for many years, as well as vice chair of Federal Board. He has also been chair of the Lib Dem European Group and a parliamentary candidate.
Board Appointed Member - Sian Reid
Sian was a councillor in Cambridge and served as Leader of the Council from 2010 - 2012. She has served on a Liberal Democrat climate and energy policy working group and been a delegate to European bodies such as the Congress of Europe and CEMR.
Sian’s commercial background is in entrepreneurial telecomms businesses in the UK, US and Europe and she has an MBA from London Business School. She has been a trustee of various arts charities in London, Cambridge and Wales. She speaks Welsh and studied French and German at Bristol University.
Federal Party President - Josh Babarinde
Federal Chief Executive - Mike Dixon
Mike is CEO of the Liberal Democrats. He joined a few days before the General Election in 2019.
He has led charities for ten years, working with young people, substance use, crime and advice. He has led campaigns, research, service design, operational delivery and digital transformations.
Before his work in charities, Mike worked as a special adviser in Government, as a researcher, and briefly in advertising.
He lives in Oxford with his family and two cats.