Security is vital for local authority investments and that means managing the range of risks entailed. CIPFA’s recent study shows what councils are doing to protect their funds
As schools chief inspector and top education mandarin, Sir David Bell has never shrunk
from challenging the status quo. Now as Reading University’s new vice-chancellor, he is taking his reforming...
Finance directors’ fears are mounting over how their councils will be able to run services effectively and balance their books in the medium term, a CIPFA survey reveals.
Chancellor George Osborne has been urged to use next month’s Budget to end uncertainty over whether corporation tax powers will be devolved to Northern Ireland.
Most local authorities in Wales had their accounts ready on time, despite the challenges posed by the introduction of International Financial Reporting Standards, the Wales Audit Office said.
The public sector is paying more than it should for equity investment because investors tend to overstate the risk they are bearing, the National Audit Office said today in its latest report on...
Winning friends and influencing people is more vital than ever in today’s challenging and uncertain work environment. Fiona Dent explains how to go on the charm offensive to get people to co-operate...
Whole of Government Accounts need to include all bodies that affect the financial position of the government, according to the Public Accounts Committee.
Scotland is to overhaul its public procurement systems after a think-tank study found they were stacked against Scottish firms, losing the country millions of pounds of business.
As head of the Government Finance Profession, Richard Douglas is overseeing big changes to Whitehall’s financial management. He tells PF how he combines that with his day job at the Department of...
Councils should make their accounts more understandable and accessible by reducing ‘clutter’ and using summary financial statements to communicate with councillors and residents, according to the...
Public sector fraud is on the increase globally, with organisations particularly at risk from their own employees and suppliers, according to research published today by PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Plans to allow councils to retain a share of their business rates could disadvantage areas where service need suddenly increases, according to a group of 46 municipal local authorities.
Set the New Year off to a good start by developing a coaching approach. This is an excellent way of improving individuals’ skills and confidence, but it also motivates the team
The first ever Whole of Government Accounts are a ‘big step forward’ for public sector financial management despite being qualified by the National Audit Office last month, according to the Treasury’...
The government’s implementation plan shows that ministers are serious about getting to grips with the problems associated with public sector ICT projects
All staff learn as they do their jobs, building up individual mines of useful information. But sometimes it stays inside them instead of being shared more widely – and they take it with them when...
Derek Myers is no ordinary chief executive. Having run one London borough for a decade, he has taken on responsibility for a second and is sharing a range of services with a third. He tells PF how...
As the eurozone crisis continues and sovereign debt soars, governments need to urgently reform their accounting practices. CIPFA’s chief executive, Steve Freer, calls for a collective effort across...
Accountants across the world should step out from the sidelines and put pressure on governments to improve the quality of financial reporting, CIPFA chief executive Steve Freer has said.
