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CIPFA Shared Services Conference 13 March 2008

CIPFA Shared Services Conference 13 March 2008. The SDCT/CIPFA Shared Service for Financial Services in District Councils. David Wood. The Context. 238 district councils (about 200 from Apr 09) Almost all in financial difficulties Almost all can’t retain or recruit accountants

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CIPFA Shared Services Conference 13 March 2008

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  1. CIPFA Shared Services Conference 13 March 2008 The SDCT/CIPFA Shared Service for Financial Services in District Councils David Wood

  2. The Context • 238 district councils (about 200 from Apr 09) • Almost all in financial difficulties • Almost all can’t retain or recruit accountants • Almost all have no better than adequate FIS • Low expectations for financial management • Auditor framework not helpful enough

  3. Our vision • World Class Financial Management within the partner councils • Financially literate councils • A new role for the Finance Director • 21st Century technology and systems • Large-scale transformational change • CIPFA at the heart + commercial partner • A profitable Joint Venture Company • At least 25% reduced costs to councils

  4. World Class Financial Management Steve Freer, Chief Executive of CIPFA: “Good financial management is like fresh air, exercise and a healthy diet. Organisations need it to stay fit and live a full and active life.” Mal Singh, Head of Finance Professionalism at HMT: “Financial management is the job of management not the finance profession.”

  5. The Joint Venture Company Councils CIPFA JVC Commercial Partner(s)

  6. Simply Fantastic – and Virtuous! • Simple – just for districts (to start with) and just accountancy services • Fantastic – nothing like how things are done now - i.e. a whole ‘staircase of change’! • Virtuous – all of the partners have incentives to achieve growth and high performance

  7. Who’s involved? SDCT LGA CIPFA JVC CLG Private sector interest 4ps

  8. The average district council • Employs 5 - 10 accountants • Spends about £800k p.a. on FS • Low volumes of transactions • Under pressure to reduce costs and share services • Little or no capital to spend • FIS needs upgrading or replacing

  9. How it will work • National scale, with sub-regional offices • Single set of accounts and one interpretation of legislation and accounting standards • Web-based systems – all self-service • Designed on 2010+ ways of working • CIPFA training in JVC and in councils • Fewer, happier accountants, liberated from dross! • Streamlined auditing – happy auditors! • Savings of about £200k p.a. – happy public!

  10. Timescales • OBC Dec 07 (done) • CLG grant decision March 08 (done) • Project team formed March 08 (done) • DBC Aug 08 (planned) • EU procurement Aug 08 – Dec 09 • JVC contracts signed early 10 • First councils go live Sept-Oct 10

  11. Longer-term • Councils from other tiers – counties, unitaries, mets, parishes etc • Wales, Scotland and NI? • Other public sector bodies – health etc • Third sector? • Global – Canada, SA, NZ, Australia? • Other services – payroll, internal audit? • Model would work for legal, HR and other professional services

  12. Contact details David Wood Strategic Director, Malvern Hills District Council Council House, Avenue Road, Malvern WR14 3AF Email: drwood@malvernhills.gov.uk Tel: 01684 862201 Mobile: 07967 374050 SDCT website: http://www.socdct.org.uk/

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