At the Heart of the Public Services

The Challenges

The pace and demand for change in the public services continues to accelerate. Pressures from the users of services, governments and regulators constantly conspire to make huge demands upon public service organisations and their employees.

CIPFA must understand these pressures and be quick to identify the needs which they create for members and their employing organisations. It also faces the challenge of seeking to influence the development of public policy, to encourage the adoption of policies which are capable of successful implementation and likely to lead to real improvements "on the ground".

Traditionally the Institute's specialism has been 'the public sector'. Nowadays it is not unusual for private and voluntary organisations to be commissioned to deliver public services. It is important that the Institute and its members are seen to be the leading source of information and advice about public finance and accountancy to all types of organisations engaged in the delivery of public services.

Where do we want to be in 2007?

Two more of the seven hallmarks which the Council is aiming to cultivate in the future CIPFA are especially relevant to the Institute's role within the public services:

Hallmark (5) High Profile in the Public Services An Institute which is well known, influential and highly regarded within its core public service markets and more widely. Hallmark (6) Delivering Real Improvements on the Ground An Institute which is widely recognised to be playing a significant role in the development and implementation of real improvements in the public services provided to and for citizens.

Our Strategy

The key components of our strategy to position CIPFA At the Heart of the Public Services are:

• to develop and promote Institute views and services which will help to improve public service organisations and the services for which they are responsible;
• to capitalise upon the skills and knowledge of practitioner members to ensure that, wherever possible, the Institute's work is strengthened by practical perspectives and experience;
• to strengthen CIPFA's capacity to provide tailored services which reflect the existence of multiple centres of government in the UK and the Republic of Ireland and the other territories in which CIPFA members work and develop the capability to compare and contrast distinctive 'national' approaches to common challenges;
• to ensure that advice, guidance and services, successfully developed in one sector, are tailored and made available systematically to other public services to which they are likely to be relevant;
• to work closely with other relevant organisations to draw opinion formers' and public attention to the importance of good public services and to promote and encourage their improvement;
• to review the needs of, and positioning of CIPFA in relation to, voluntary sector organisations which are engaged in the delivery of public services;
• to give a much higher priority to securing media coverage of the Institute's work and initiatives.

Progress to Date

Since the development strategy's launch in March 2001 our progress under hallmarks 5 and 6 has included:

• developing the new CIPFA Prudential Code for Capital Finance in Local Authorities;
• establishing an increasingly strong CIPFA profile in the new devolved centres of government in Belfast, Cardiff and Edinburgh including making regular oral and/or written submissions to Select Committees' inquiries and various consultation processes;
• establishing a new post of CIPFA in Wales manager and a new annual conference focusing upon public service developments in Wales;
• supporting a review led by the Republic of Ireland Branch of CIPFA's existing profile and opportunities for development in the Republic of Ireland;
• development of the pan-public sector Leaders in Finance programme;
• launching the Public Finance Public Servant of the Year Awards and the CIPFA/PwC Public Reporting and Accountability Awards;
• establishment of a proactive in-house Press Office targeted to achieve higher levels of media coverage for CIPFA.

Ongoing and New Initiatives

The detailed action plans which form part of this development strategy set out a variety of initiatives which aim to strengthen the Institute's reputation as a force for good in the public services. They include:

• continuing to shift the focus of CIPFA's research, policy and technical work to multiple centres of government, and helping, where appropriate, to compare and contrast different 'national' strategies and approaches;
• ensuring that successful CIPFA products and services are more systematically made available across the public services, including broadening the client base of the Institute's commercial arm, IPF;
• publication of the CIPFA Financial Management Model, a good practice, self-assessment tool focusing on the key drivers of excellence in financial management in public service organisations;
• commissioning research into the needs of voluntary sector organisations providing public services with a view to enabling the Institute and its members to provide improved services and support for this sector;
• establishing the Leaders in Finance programme as a regular feature within the CIPFA calendar, with appropriate refresher and networking opportunities for graduates of each programme.