CIPFA Statement on the Role of the Chief Financial Officer in Local Government

This summer CIPFA launched its Statement on the Role of The Chief Financial Officer in Public Services . Following the launch of the overarching statement, we have now updated our 2003 Statement on the Role of the Finance Director in Local Government. The was approach has been to follow closely the format and principles of the overarching statement but to add in as necessary additional content relating to the unique statutory position of the role in local government.

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Launch Statement
The statement on the Role of the Chief Financial Officer in Public Service Organisations was launched at the CIPFA conference on Thursday 25th June 2009 in a choice stream which also introduced CIPFA’s leadership programme.

The statement sets out five principles that define the core activities and behaviours that belong to the role of the Chief Financial Officer in Public Service Organisations and the organisational arrangements needed to support these. Summaries of personal skills and professional standards detail the technical expertise and leadership qualities that an organisation can expect in their CFO.

The statement supports CIPFA’s work to strengthen governance and financial management across the public services. It is intended to allow the leadership team of a public service organisation, whether elected, executive or non-executive, to benchmark their existing arrangements against a defined framework.

For current CFOs or those aspiring to the role the Statement provides a focus for their own personal development.

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