From:                                             CIPFA FAN <cipfa@email.cipfa.org.uk>

Sent:                                               29 October 2020 11:03

To:                                                  Pitt, Joanne

Subject:                                         Finance Advisory Network - October Newsletter and Updates

 

 

 

Finance Advisory Network Newsletter

29 October 2020

 

Events

 

Introduction to Collection Fund Accounts

3 December, Webinar

 

Introduction to Housing Finance (HAN)

3/4 November, Webinar

 

Introduction to Local Government Reporting Principles and Practices (two half-days)

24 and 26 November, Webinar

 

Local Authority Accounting Conference Autumn 2020 Update

25 November, Webinar

 

Introduction to Accounting for Groups and Collaborative Arrangements

27 November, Webinar

 

Impact of COVID-19 on NNDR and Council Tax Budget-Setting and Accounting (additional date)

10 December, Webinar

 

Budgeting for Social Care Through COVID-19; 2021/21 and Future Years

3/5 November, Webinar

 

Social Care: Narrowing the gap between plan and actual. Improving value rather than financial collapse

17/19 November, Webinar

 

Capital and Treasury management Conference

2, 3, 4 November

 

Capital Valuations: Avoiding the pitfalls

3 November, Webinar

5 November, Webinar

10 November, Webinar

3 December, Webinar

FAN Home

Advisor Update

 

Welcome to the October FAN Subscriber Newsletter.

 

Here is the usual monthly update of what the FAN team have been up to since the last newsletter.

 

David recently completed the FAN Capital and Leasing Hot Topics workshops in early October and the slides are now available for subscribers to download. David has also been supporting other events across the CIPFA networks, including Police and Fire and the Housing Advisory Network, and continues to be involved in delivering training and support for IFRS 16 Leases, responding to your many questions, supporting compliance of CIPFA’s own asset register software, and recently recording a session on IFRS 16 for an upcoming webinar by a third party.

 

David attended (virtually) many of the sessions at CIPFA’s annual conference, Public Finance Live, as well as attending the recent Local Authority Accounting Panel meeting. David is now working on the outline programme for the FAN Accounts Closedown series (webinars in January and February) so watch out for details soon!

 

Caroline has been busy contributing to the finalisation of the 2020/21 Code Guidance Notes as well as preparing for upcoming webinars she is delivering on Introduction to Collection Fund (see events listing if you are interested) and Introduction to Local Government Finance (now sold out for this year) as well as tailoring these for specific authorities, please get in touch if you would be interested in this for your authority.

 

She has also been working, and continues to work, with MHCLG on the issue of spreading collection fund deficits, a summary paper of which is available on the Business Rates Retention Hub on the FAN website. This topic, along with the implications for completing the NNDR 1 and council tax base for 2021/22 and other COVID-19 associated collection fund accounting issues will be covered at our December webinars, being run jointly with CBRS. The first three dates are now sold out and a further additional event on 10 December has now been added.

 

Sandra recently chaired and spoke at CIPFA’s second Special Councillors Conference aimed at helping Councillors understand the key issues within local government during the pandemic and how CIPFA can help authorities to overcome them.

 

Sandra has also recently delivered a couple of virtual onsite training days and is now preparing to deliver a number of FAN and SCAN events scheduled to take place over the next few weeks (see events listing).

 

Finally, just a friendly reminder that we are here to help. If you need any advice or support please do not hesitate to contact us.

 

That’s all for this month’s advisor update. Please stay safe.

 

David, Caroline and Sandra

 

 

 

Network and CIPFA News

 

Local Authority Accounting conference – Autumn 2020 update – 25 November 2020

 

This Local Authority Accounting Conference is the key event for practitioners to find out about the very latest developments and issues for local government financial reporting, both now and going forward. Hear directly from Sir Tony Redmond on the outcomes and recommendations of his review, as well as hearing the latest updates on the potential outcomes of consultations on PWLB lending terms and McCloud, and the PAC report on commercialisation, as well as the very latest position on IFRS 16 Leases, changes in the Code and the COVID-19 impact on financial reporting.

 

To book please go to the FAN Events webpage

 

FAN 2020/21 Accounts Closedown and Financial Reporting Workshops (webinars in January and February 2021)

 

The FAN team are working again with associate Graham Liddell for our annual closedown series, which this year (in line with other CIPFA workshops) is being delivered via webinar. The workshops will feature the usual healthy mix of technical updates and topical discussion and we hope to have details of the programme out in the next couple of weeks. The series is expected to run from 7 January to 10 February, so there will be plenty of dates to choose from, and as they are being delivered by webinar, they are now more accessible with no need to travel. Watch out for details very soon.

 

Impact of COVID19 on NNDR and Council Tax budget setting (2021/22) and accounting England (2020/2021) – Webinars December 2020

Following a number of requests, this joint event between FAN and CBRS allows the opportunity for revenues and accounting delegates to work together and consider their respective and combined roles and responsibilities in both completing the NNDR 1 2021/22 form and setting the council tax base.

 

The COVID-19 measures introduced by MHCLG, which we anticipate will require authorities to spread the collection fund deficit, will directly impact on the structure and completion of NNDR 1 2021/22 form. The COVID-19 measures will also impact on the calculation of the 2021/22 council tax base for tax setting purposes, and the expected need to codify this in a form as well as accounting for the 2020/21 collection fund and Section 31 grants, will also be considered in this session.

 

Caroline has been working directly with MHCLG on making the spreading proposal work and both she and Adrian Blaylock, lead Revenues Advisor are working with them on the NNDR 1 2021/22 form, so are right at the heart of what is going on. We had originally planned for 2 webinars on this topic but these, and a third added to the series have sold out so we have added a fourth and final date on 10 December.

 

Are you suffering from collection fund accounting issues?

Caroline has written an article for CIPFA Thinks on the common problems that local authorities seemed to encounter with their 2019/20 Collection Fund accounting. It’s more of a checklist of questions you should be asking yourself for assurance that you are happy with your own approach. Hopefully you are confident in your approach but if not, we have also added a collection fund support page to the FAN website detailing all the different support options we offer in this area. Bookings are already being taken for consultancy support and external reviews for 2020/21 collection fund closedown, so do get in touch with Caroline if either of these is something you would be interested in.

 

McCloud Employer Engagement – Free webinar 5 November 2020

Stakeholder management will be a key component of plans to deliver the McCloud remedy. This free webinar will cover the changes faced by a variety of stakeholders, with a focus on member engagement, the member journey and the opportunity that presents, whilst managing the risks. Places can be booked via the CIPFA website.

 

CIPFA Property Sustainability Conference - 26 November

Through the four key sub themes of sustainable housing, sustainable technologies, ethical investments and sustainable planning, the Sustainability 2020 Conference will provide practical advice and strategies that give both thought leaders and practitioners the tools they need to fulfil their roles better. Sustainability 2020 delivers real insight, guidance and advice to help meet arguably the world's greatest challenge. Places can be booked via the CIPFA website.

 

Spending Review and Local Government Finance Inquiry

The Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee will consider what approach the Government should take to funding local government as part of the 2020 spending review. It will investigate the current financial health of local authorities and their ability to deliver services, including the additional pressures caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. In light of continued delays to the multi-year spending review, the Committee Inquiry will also examine the impact of single year settlements on the ability of councils to plan and deliver services in the long-term.

 

Additional COVID-19 advice and support for local authorities

CIPFA has an online hub for COVID resources. Essential guidance for local authorities on all aspects of the coronavirus support can be found on the  GOV.UK website.

 

FAN Tax Advisory Services (FANTAS)

If you have any enquiries regarding the FANTAS tax updates or suggestions for topics to be covered by FANTAS, please contact Josh Ayre ( josheyre@deloitte.co.uk / 0121 696 8584) or Tom Smith ( tomjsmith@deloitte.co.uk  / 0117 984 3742). Further information for subscribers to the TAS service can be found at our dedicated website area.

 

CIPFA Thinks

Don’t forget to periodically check CIPFA Thinks to see the latest set of articles, comments and publications covering topical aspects of public finance and also those issues specific to local government.

 

Follow FAN on Twitter and connect to us on LinkedIn

 

David, Sandra and Caroline regularly tweet details of relevant news stories, FAN event updates, CIPFA consultation alerts, COVID-19 updates, etc. We encourage subscribers to follow us on Twitter for the latest news, so even if you don’t ‘tweet’ yourself, it’s a great way to keep updated on key issues affecting local authority finance and accounting. Click to find David Sandra and Caroline on Twitter, or search for all our network advisor tweets using the hashtag #cipfanetworks.

 

We can also be found on LinkedIn and increasingly use social media for additional FAN updates, so if you are on LinkedIn then please feel free to connect to us: David , Sandra and Caroline or the join the FAN Linkedin Group.

 

LinkedIn Discussions

 

CIPFA has its own LinkedIn group where you can find up to date announcements and discussions on all the latest issues in the public sector. Why not join in one of the discussions or start a conversation of your own?

 

 

News Roundup

 

News Roundup

 
CIPFA does not accept responsibility for the use of external websites and any external content hyperlinked, and accompanying text in this newsletter, does not represent CIPFA endorsement of any views or data presented.
 

Councils gain COVID enforcement powers

LocalGov 23.10.20

Councils are to gain new powers to issue businesses with improvement notices and close premises if they breach coronavirus restrictions.

 

Coronavirus leads to scrapping of three-year Spending Review

LocalGov 21.10.20

Chief executive officer of CIPFA, Rob Whiteman, added: ‘It is important that we do not lose sight of the fundamental principle that multiyear settlements are a more effective way of managing public money.’

 

Social care in England needs input of at least £7bn a year, say MPs

The Guardian 22.10.20

Full cost of adequately funding sector is likely to run into tens of billions, committee says.

 

Jenrick announces allocations for £1bn council funding

LocalGov 22.10.20

Local government secretary, Robert Jenrick, has confirmed allocations for individual councils from the £1bn of extra funding announced by the prime minister earlier this month.

 

CIPFA defends ‘huge prize’ in PWLB borrowing debate

Room 151 20.10.20

In a recent Room151.co.uk webcast CIPFA’s associate director Andrew Burns defended the institute’s stance that borrowing from the PWLB could not be yield only, even if the income is spent on essential services.

 

Streamline local government under plans to save £30bn a year, think tank argues

Local Gov 21.10.20

A new report from the Centre for Policy Studies (CPS) has set out how the Government could save at least £30bn a year without affecting frontline services.

 

Councils 'face challenging future' after pandemic costs

BBC News 21.10.20

Councils face a challenging future after extra costs and lost income caused by Covid-19, the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) has said.

 

Report calls for fundamental reform to local government funding

LocalGov 15.10.20

The handling of the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the ‘dysfunctional relationship’ between central and local government, a report has argued today.

 

Council raises £1m through UK's first local government green bond

LocalGov 14.10.20

The UK's first local government green bond has reached its target of raising £1m for West Berkshire District council five days early.

 

Local COVID lockdowns in England having limited effect, says minister

The Guardian 08.10.20

Robert Jenrick admits curbs have failed to eliminate virus, with new measures imminent.

 

Councils given £30m for coronavirus enforcement

LocalGov 07.10.20

Councils will be given half of a £60m cash pot to help them enforce coronavirus restrictions.

 

COVID-19 has changed working patterns for good, UK survey finds

The Guardian 05.10.20

Most office workers do not intend to spend five days a week in the workplace once the COVID-19 crisis is over, with both bosses and employees seeing home working as a long-term trend.

 

Councils key to levelling up agenda, says IFS report

LocalGov 02.10.20

Local government must have adequate funding to level-up deprived English towns, according to new research.

 

Extra £10bn needed to plug funding gap, say councils

BBC News 01.10.20

An additional £10.1bn is needed annually to help local authorities in England plug funding gaps and improve services, council leaders say.

 

Councils call for investment to tackle key drivers of homelessness

LocalGov 28.09.20

Councils have stopped nearly a quarter of a million households from becoming homeless since the introduction of the Homelessness Reduction Act (HRA) in 2018, a review has found.

 

 

Publications

IFRS 16 Leases: An Early Guide for Local Authority Practitioners

Code of Practice on Local Authority Accounting in the United Kingdom 2020/21

Financial Management Code

Financial Management Code Guidance Notes

Prudential Property Investment Guidance

Code of Practice on Local Authority Accounting in the United Kingdom Guidance Notes for 2020/21 Accounts

 

Finance Advisory Network Advisors

David Ellis

07879 665950
david.ellis@cipfa.org

Caroline Newman
07919018938
caroline.newman@cipfa.org

Sandra Beard
07718242835
sandra.beard@cipfa.org

CIPFA | The Chartered Institute of Public Finance & Accountancy

 

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