Local Authority Accounting: The CIPFA SORP and BVACOP Up-Date Days 2009
York 1 July
London 16 July
This conference offers local authority accounting practitioners a ‘must attend’ up-date on all the current major areas around both the Statement of Recommended Practice and the Best Value Accounting Code of Practice.  Given that this is the last year of the SORP as we know it, and with imminent the transition to IFRS and the new Code for local government, attendance is even more important that ever.

CIPFA Local Authority Finance Director e-newsletter - Edition 1
CIPFA has launched a new bi-monthly e-newsletter for finance directors in local authorities. As well as providing an update on key developments it is an opportunity for colleagues to share projects and schemes across the sector. To read the newsletter please click here.

Volunteer Feedback Survey
We are always eager to hear existing (and potential) panel members' views on how we can help support you better. The Volunteer Survey offers a formal mechanism for you to feed back your views to CIPFA.

Chris Bilsland becomes chair of CIPFA Local Government Policy Panel
Chris Bilsland, the Chamberlain of the City of London and a member of the CIPFA Council, has been appointed Chair of the CIPFA Local Government Policy Panel. Read more.

Sustainable Development - Financing Local Futures
Supported by CIPFA through the Local Government Policy Panel, the LGA and the IDeA, Financing Local Futures is a web-based resource designed to help those involved in local government financial decision-making to develop their own organisations' contributions to sustainable development.

The guide explores the opportunities available through existing financial mechanisms, policies and powers to encourage a sustainable future, and focuses on the role of local government financial decision-makers. It points to ways in which local authorities can use finance not only to gain financial and economic benefits but also to contribute to the health, well-being and prosperity of their communities and to protect and enhance the environment.

Further details are available from www.sd-commission.org.uk/financinglocalfutures. Click here to download the related leaflet [PDF file, 586K].

CIPFA backs ambitious Local Government White Paper
CIPFA have welcomed the ambitious proposals included in the Local Government White Paper published on 26 October 2006, but warned that they must be seen as first and not last steps towards a new constitutional settlement. More.