PrintCIPFA WALES CYMRU – A New Region?
Many will be aware that since the creation of CIPFA Wales Cymru, the CIPFA Wales Cymru Executive Forum has functioned as a representative group of the membership to support and advise the Head of CIPFA Wales Cymru in the development of CIPFA events and activities in Wales.
Following the recent establishment of the CIPFA Wales Cymru office in Cardiff, now is the time to reconsider the governance and accountability arrangements in Wales and thus, through a co-ordinated all-Wales approach, improve services to members.
It is proposed that a new CIPFA region for Wales be established and therefore cease the current arrangements whereby CIPFA in the Midlands, CIPFA NWNW and CIPFA SWWE share responsibility for regional activity within Wales. This would follow the same geographic models already successfully embedded within Scotland and Northern Ireland and provide CIPFA members and students in Wales with the similar opportunities as afforded to their colleagues in other devolved government territories in the UK.
Wales’s regional governance has already been evolving over the last few years, and whilst the work of the Wales Cymru Executive receives support and approval from the 3 existing regions, in practice it also operates as an independent and vibrant body, considering issues on an all-Wales basis and already the lead sponsor for a number of new CPD events held throughout Wales over the last eighteen months or so. These working arrangements have already enabled an improved service to both members and students, with more events being delivered locally.
A proposal to formally recognise Wales as a Region in its own right has already received the backing of regional executive colleagues of the three affected regions and CIPFA Council has formally endorsed the proposal subject to a ballot being held amongst CIPFA membership and students in Wales.
This proposed structural change would enable the continuance of the developments already managed and delivered by the CIPFA Wales Cymru Executive and with no detrimental impact on the current close working relationships that exist with the three existing Regions.
Creating a new region for Wales would not mean the cessation of relationships and networks built up over many years with colleagues and organisations in England. Welsh members could still attend and support those activities which support their CPD requirements, but by also having an additional range of activities in Wales this would provide them with added advantages and opportunities.
This proposal will bring significant added benefits to the membership within Wales, including:
- Creating a geographically based CIPFA Region recognised and understood by the membership;
- Creating a CIPFA Region that is more responsive to the needs of members on an all-Wales basis, delivering events on topics and at venues that meet Welsh needs;
- Elevating the status of the Wales to that of a full CIPFA Region;
- Using the finite pool of volunteers better, removing the duplication and associated costs of Wales regional activities being delivered by up to 4 different regional bodies;
- Establishing a closer working relationship with the CIPFA Wales Cymru office to develop a more cohesive and co-ordinated programme of regional activity;
Members and students in Wales will be formally balloted from mid-August, but prior to that the CIPFA Wales Cymru Executive would welcome your response to this proposal. It is essential that managing the future delivery of regional activities in Wales reflects the needs of members and your response to this proposal would be invaluable.
If you would therefore wish to comment or seek further clarification about the proposal to establish a new CIPFA Wales Cymru region please email the Executive Chair, Chris Taylor (ctaylor@arlingclose.com) or Vice Chair Steven.O’Donoghue@wales.gsi.gov.uk who will provide you with a response.