Professional issues

Council accounts: what about the users?

30 April 2013 | Don Peebles

Public sector accounts have faced criticism for their complexity, timeliness and relevance. Now users of local government financial information in Scotland have an opportunity to express their views and make the system work more effectively Read more

Tags: | | | | Comment

Finance function: time for a Whitehall shake-up?

24 April 2013 | Julian McCrae

Is the idea of creating a more strategic role for senior financial professionals within central government blindingly obvious, or insane? Discuss  Read more

Tags: | | | | | Comment

Locating the leaders of the future

3 April 2013 | Brendan McCarron

If junior finance staff are to progress into top public sector jobs then they need the opportunities and support to help them develop the necessary skills early in their career.

Read more

Tags: | | | | | Comment

WGA: will it have a role in the Budget?

26 February 2013 | Mark Williams

Whole of Government Accounts provide a consolidated view of the UK’s finances that should be used more to inform government policy making – yet failed to even get a mention in the Autumn Statement. It will be interesting to see if this is rectified in the March 20 Budget Read more

Tags: | | | | 1 comment

New model finance directors

26 April 2012 | Ebony Hughes

Local government FDs have seen the future, and it’s not pretty. So how can they face up to the daunting challenges at a local and community level? Some new research points the way Read more

Tags: | | | Comment

Conquering complexity

16 February 2012 | Simon Collinson

Whitehall departments are 30% more complex than the world’s largest companies. Complexity is not uncontrollable or inevitable, but tackling it requires a strong, top-down approach Read more

Tags: | | | | 5 comments

The answer is ‘yes’. What was the question?

8 February 2012 | Alan Finch

Finance managers must be aware of the dangers of self-justification and pre-determination in decision-making. Fortunately, there are tools and techniques to help arrive at more objective outcomes Read more

Tags: | | | | Comment

Holding governments to account

9 January 2012 | Ian Ball

It’s time for governments to take their accounting responsibilities seriously and to modernise their finances. The eurozone debt crisis has highlighted widespread reporting failures and must lead to extensive reform Read more

Tags: | | | | | | | | Comment

Global warning

19 December 2011 | Alan Edwards

Putting the gloom of the Autumn Statement behind him, CIPFA’s international director set off to Washington to take CIPFA’s Fixing the Foundations campaign to the next level Read more

Tags: | | Comment

Take your partners

19 December 2011 | Alan Finch

Many accountants want to get out from behind their spreadsheets and add more value. A good way to do this is through the use of business partners in the finance function Read more

Tags: | | | | Comment