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 The first cohort of senior civil servants on the Postgraduate Diploma in Public Finance and Leadership (PDPFL) programme, run jointly by CIPFA and Warwick Business School, are about to sit their final exams in late November and early December. Successful candidates become fully qualified members of CIPFA as well as receiving a Postgraduate Diploma from the university.
For further information on the PDPFL programme go to www.cipfa.org.uk/students/prospective/postgrad.cfm.
The Local Government Finance Review Committee, which was set up by Scottish Ministers to review local taxation in Scotland, has recently published its recommendations. CIPFA in Scotland contributed to this review, which you can read in its entirety at www.localgovernmentfinancereview.org.
CIPFA in Scotland has recently published a Guide to Local Government Finance in Scotland. The 2007 edition is the essential aid for anyone seeking to gain a general understanding of local authority finance in Scotland and is available from www.cipfascotland.org.uk.
CIPFA's Local Government Directors of Finance Section, has produced a best practice guide for capital planning and option appraisal. The guide covers the Prudential Code, asset management planning, strategic capital planning and a general overview of option appraisal. The key overall objective of the guide is to enhance the effectiveness of capital planning, it is available at www.cipfascotland.org.uk/scotland/technical/publications.cfm
Annual Procurement Seminar -
7 December Edinburgh
Maximising The Use Of The Prudential Code To Achieve Efficiency Gains - 11 December Edinburgh
8 December 2006, Hilton Hotel, Templepatrick
These are challenging times for local government in Northern Ireland. Within the change programme, the Review of Public Administration provides an ideal opportunity to introduce the highest standards of governance and ethical standards in the new district councils.
CIPFA has developed a one-day training programme to help to focus district councils on best governance practice. This programme will benefit those who have a role in shaping the future of local government in Northern Ireland. In particular, senior central government officials, elected representatives and Chief Executives in local government will gain a valuable insight into good governance in district councils.
For further information or to book a place please go to www.cipfa.org.uk/ni/seminars.cfm.
Making Shared Services Happen
7 December 2006, The Mount Conference Centre, Belfast
Public services in Northern Ireland are now moving towards shared financial services. In this lunchtime event Rachel Owen, Financial and Management Accounting Manager, NHS Shared Business, will give a practical insight into setting up and operating a shared service centre. Rachel will draw on her experience of the NHS Shared Services Financial Services pilot in 2004 and subsequent impact, highlighting the benefits and pitfalls.
Fraud Investigation in the Public Sector- 30 November & 1 December 2006, Belfast
Interpreting Company Accounts -
4 December 2006, Belfast
Conflict Resolution and Problem Solving - 6 & 7 December 2006, Belfast
Economic Appraisal and the Business Case - 8 December 2006, Belfast
Communication Skills for Auditors - 11 & 12 December 2006, Belfast
Managing Small Projects - 13 December 2006, Belfast
 5 December 2006, Jolly St Ermin’s Hotel, London
There is still time to book for the PMPA Annual Conference, “When will we ever learn: can public sector organizations learn from their mistakes?”. Anyone interested in public sector accountability issues, or in organizational learning, will find they have something to gain from this event.
For more details and to book go to www.pmpa.co.uk or the CIPFA shop.
A new event has just been added in the series of joint practitioner exchange events with the National School of Government. Entitled “How can we in Whitehall make best use of specialist knowledge and skills brought in from “outside”?” this is a morning event with a fee of £55 to be held on 12 December 2006 at Robert St.
For more information or to book a place please contact janet.grauberg@cipfa.org.
The next PMPA Report on Modernizing Governance: Red Flags, Trust and Professional Power by Andrew Massey and William Hutton, will be published on 1 December. The report explains why we need to look again at what it means to be a ‘professional’ within the networks that make, shape, and deliver policy. The report provides checklists of ‘red flags’ to help policy-makers detect, deter or disrupt malpractice and mismanagement. Enquiries to sandra.harper@cipfa.org
Local authority managers can find out what they need to know about the efficiency agenda, and how to achieve efficiency gains, with help from a new resource launched on the Improvement Network.
It brings together key guidance and support tools relating to the efficiency agenda, and references CIPFA's Balance Sheet Management in the Public Services: A Framework for Good Practice.
Find out more at www.improvementnetwork.gov.uk/imp/core/page.do?pageId=1037519
Read The Politics of Place, the Leadership Centre for Local Government's new publication, featured in the Improvement Network's Leadership and Governance resource. It offers insights into place-shaping, and examines why leadership of place is so important.
Find out more at www.improvementnetwork.gov.uk/imp/core/page.do?pageId=10955
 The Cliff Nicholson Award for Innovation and Excellence is an annual award that is presented for outstanding work in the field of Audit. This award is now in its 17th year, and, year after year attracts a wide variety of entries from a range of sectors including local government, health, housing, education and the private sector.
Find out more at www.cipfa.org.uk/panels/audit/cliff_nicholson_award.cfm
You'll now see a 'rate this page' button on the larger sections of the CIPFA website which you can use to give your feedback on what you think is good and what you'd like to see improved on the site. Your feedback will then be used to ensure the site is providing for your needs. Look out for them now on www.cipfa.org.uk.
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Bournemouth, 12-14 June 2007
