CIPFA stars shine at awards
The brightest and best in public finance have been recognised at a top awards ceremony.
The annual Public Finance Awards saw Bromley Council take the top spot for its work on pensions and treasury management.
The annual awards ceremony, run in association with the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA), celebrates the people, organisations and services that demonstrate excellence and originality in public finance from across the UK.
The corporate core team at Manchester City Council were given recognition for excellence in financial reporting and accountability.
Sonia Virdee, chief accountant at Kent Police, and Brian Davey, head of financial services centre at Transport for London, were singled out as the ones to watch.
Davey got recognition for embedding a new financial control and governance agenda across the £11bn organisation and delivering savings that have gone to support transport services in London.
Virdee has reduced the time taken to create draft accounts from four months to only four weeks and for final accounts from six months to just three. Her efficiency drive has allowed Kent Police to seek savings and income generation.
The full list of winners on the night were:
- Alternative Service Delivery Model of the Year: Cartrefi Conwy and Creating Enterprise
- Finance Training and Development Initiative: NHS Wales Finance Academy
- Good Governance and Risk Management Award: Assurance Lincolnshire Internal Audit Team, Lincolnshire County Council
- Pensions, Treasury and Asset Management Award: London Borough of Bromley
- Internal Audit Award: Northern Care Alliance NHS Group and MIAA
- Achievement in Financial Reporting & Accountability: The Corporate Core Team, Manchester City Council
- Outstanding Procurement Initiative: Logistics 2017 Programme, Department for Work & Pensions
- Community Engagement Project of the Year: Independent Living Fund Scotland
- Digital Finance Project of the Year: Help to Live at Home Digital Improvements, Liverpool City Council
- Solutions Partner: Oxygen Finance and Warwickshire County Council
- Public Finance Future Leader of the Year: Sonia Virdee, Chief Accountant, Kent Police
- Public Finance Leader of the Year: Brian Davey, Head of Financial Services, Transport for London
- Finance Team of the Year – Central Government and National Bodies: The National Archives
- Finance Team of the Year – Health: Finance Team, North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust
- Finance Team of the Year – Local Services: Financial Services Centre, Transport for London
CIPFA president Sarah Howard said: “The Public Finance Awards provide an opportunity to celebrate the fantastic work going on in not just our winners’ organisations, but across the entire public sector.
“In my year as president, I have had the privilege of seeing this first hand throughout the UK, and am proud to represent our members who are dedicated to delivering improved public services that change lives.”