By Amie Hall, CIPFA National Police Programme Manager
New two-year programme to help police sector achieve exemplary financial health
April 2019 sees the launch of an innovative and revolutionary service for the police sector throughout England and Wales. Delivered by CIPFA, governed and supported by the NPCC, APCC and PACCTS, Achieving Finance Excellence in Policing programme is designed to support the police sector to deliver the best possible financial management.
CIPFA Chief Executive Rob Whiteman describes the rationale for this programme:
“Effective financial management has always been built on planning for the long term, but forces need the resilience to deliver savings while still providing services to their community. Resources are becoming scarcer, which coupled with increasing pressures and demands on services, makes it more challenging to ensure that resources are effectively targeted. Developing the talent and skills within teams is equally important but is also affected by time and resources.”
Achieving Finance Excellence in Policing programme responds to the increasing pressures and demands on services, with three parallel programme themes:
Financial management
With a programme of face-to-face events, valuable information resources, data diagnostics and financial management capability review, this aspect of the programme helps the police sector to achieve best practice though an array of support tools and collateral.
Data
Forces have access to sector-specific comparative data to benchmark their performance. This bespoke benchmarking service covers a range of Policing activities for better informed decision making and to demonstrate value for money.
People
Featuring a CFO peer support network and development programmes for both future leaders and established CFOs, Achieving Finance Excellence in Policing is designed to give the current and future generations of police finance leaders the skills they need to achieve best practice and manage and effect change.
The chart below outlines how these themes will be delivered over 2019-2020:
“I would recommend all forces sign up and ensure this programme is represented across England and Wales, which in turn will provide the Police sector with the information and support we need. The programme will be a central pillar to key discussions on driving reform and will enable comparisons, nationally, to benchmark efficient practises to drive finance and efficiency.”
Nigel J Hiller FCPA FCCA – Director of Resources, South Yorkshire Police
In my next posts
I will explain in more detail what the three themes within the Finance Excellence in Policing programme offer. In the meantime, to learn more visit and find out how to get involved:
T: +44 (0)7824 839567
W: www.cipfa.org/fep
E: amie.hall@cipfa.org
Download the programme brochure PDF