By Richard Johnstone | 13 May 2014
Julian Kelly has been appointed director general of public spending and finance in the Treasury after the post was created following the government’s Financial Management Review, it was announced today.
Kelly is currently the Treasury’s director of public spending. His new role merges responsibility for public spending with the head of the government finance profession, after the review concluded this would strengthen value for money across government. The Financial Management Review was undertaken by Sharon White, second Permanent Secretary to the Treasury, and Richard Douglas, the current head of the government finance profession.
The post, which will report to White, will also have a formal management relationship with all the heads of finance across Whitehall to strengthen leadership and drive financial management reforms.
Announcing the appointment, Chancellor George Osborne said controlling the public finances and getting the deficit down was a key part of the government’s long-term economic plan.
‘Julian Kelly was the outstanding candidate and will play a pivotal role in ensuring the success of the next spending review, and leading the government finance function through its implementation.’
Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander added: ‘Julian Kelly is an excellent appointment to this critical new role. Bringing together the spending and finance functions of government into one role will raise our game on public spending control, a key element to building a stronger economy and fairer society. ‘
CIPFA, which was part of the review that recommended the creation of the post, welcomed the appointment.
Chief executive Rob Whiteman said: ‘I want to congratulate Julian Kelly on his appointment and wish him well in the role.
‘CIFPA have been calling for the creation of this position to help strengthen leadership in financial management across government and assist in its reform and were happy to be a part of the consultation process which drove this change.
‘This new position and the appointment of such a leading figure in the Treasury underlines the commitment of this government and civil service to putting good public financial management at the heart of the way they operate.’
In addition to working in the Treasury, where he led the work on the 2013 Spending Round, Kelly has also worked as finance director in the Treasury and at the UK Border Agency, and with HSBC in the private sector.
