Day 2: Wednesday 28 June

Day 1
Day 2
Day 1 - Students

Please note that the programme sessions, speakers and timings are subject to change.

President's welcome and Chair’s opening remarks

09:00 - 09:10

 

Speakers and more info

President's welcome and Chair’s opening remarks

09:00 - 09:10
 
Chairs:
Dharshini David
Broadcaster and economist
Speakers:
Caroline Rassell
Incoming CIPFA President
Close

Opening keynote address: How do we fix broken public services?

09:10 - 09:40

We know that public services have not fully recovered from the strains and disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic. Backlogs and delays are everywhere and from criminal justice to health, public service performance is struggling to return to pre-pandemic levels. Short-term funding injections, fixes, patches and the heroic efforts of frontline professionals will not shore up public services for the long term. Is it time for a more fundamental rethink about what public services should do and how they are organised? 

Speakers and more info

Opening keynote address: How do we fix broken public services?

09:10 - 09:40
We know that public services have not fully recovered from the strains and disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic. Backlogs and delays are everywhere and from criminal justice to health, public service performance is struggling to return to pre-pandemic levels. Short-term funding injections, fixes, patches and the heroic efforts of frontline professionals will not shore up public services for the long term. Is it time for a more fundamental rethink about what public services should do and how they are organised? 
Chairs:
Dharshini David
Broadcaster and economist
Speakers:
Polly Curtis
Demos
Close

Cleaning up our act: tackling the UK’s anti-corruption challenge

09:40 - 10:25

Rather than an international beacon of probity and good governance, the UK has become magnet for kleptocrats and criminals. Dubbed the ‘London Laundromat’ due to lax regulation and complex tax avoidance schemes, the capital is awash with illicit funds and financial flows. This conference session will explore the impact of this on Britain’s global reputation and soft power, and whether the recent reforms will help us take back control.

Speakers and more info

Cleaning up our act: tackling the UK’s anti-corruption challenge

09:40 - 10:25
Rather than an international beacon of probity and good governance, the UK has become magnet for kleptocrats and criminals. Dubbed the ‘London Laundromat’ due to lax regulation and complex tax avoidance schemes, the capital is awash with illicit funds and financial flows. This conference session will explore the impact of this on Britain’s global reputation and soft power, and whether the recent reforms will help us take back control.
Chairs:
Dharshini David
Broadcaster and economist
Speakers:
Rachel Davies Teka
Transparency International UK
Tom Burgis
Journalist and author
Close

Trust in numbers: how can statistics and data serve the public good in an age of data overload?

10:25 - 10:55

Statistics and data are at the heart of our understanding of the economy and public sector. From economic growth and employment rates to migration flows and NHS waiting lists these datasets help us make sense of current trends and need to be clear, accurate and accessible. Yet we live in a world of data abundance, misinformation and potential confusion. Protecting the public good of statistics is the day job of the Office for Statistics Regulation, and its director general of regulation will provide an overview of the state of government data, how confident we can be – and why it’s relevant for public finance professionals.

Speakers and more info

Trust in numbers: how can statistics and data serve the public good in an age of data overload?

10:25 - 10:55
Statistics and data are at the heart of our understanding of the economy and public sector. From economic growth and employment rates to migration flows and NHS waiting lists these datasets help us make sense of current trends and need to be clear, accurate and accessible. Yet we live in a world of data abundance, misinformation and potential confusion. Protecting the public good of statistics is the day job of the Office for Statistics Regulation, and its director general of regulation will provide an overview of the state of government data, how confident we can be – and why it’s relevant for public finance professionals.
Chairs:
Dharshini David
Broadcaster and economist
Speakers:
Ed Humpherson
Office for Statistics Regulation, Uk Statistics Authority
Close

Break

10:55 - 11:25

Refreshments and networking in the exhibition hall

Fringe

Break

10:55 - 11:25
Refreshments and networking in the exhibition hall
Close

Who are tomorrow's public finance professionals and what do they need?

11:25 - 12:25

A career in public finance is rich and rewarding and can really make a difference to citizens and communities. We hear from some of CIPFA's younger members about their experience to date and their hopes and aspirations for the future. This session will also explore how the profession is changing and what skills and attributes will be needed by tomorrow's public finance professionals. 

Leadership and Skills
Speakers and more info

Optimising financial processes, aligned to procurement, for a brighter future

11:25 - 12:25

Ever increasing demands on services and costs require a new level of financial rigour and efficiency; and the need for transparency and accountability of spend is a catalyst to ensuring an integrated, coordinated relationship between finance and procurement.

This workshop will outline how financial processes can continue to evolve to optimise efficiency and compliance. You will also learn the critical steps and considerations to introduce automation and good practice to enable closer collaboration with procurement across Source-to-Pay processes - enabling critical outcomes of efficiency, compliance, transparency, and cost control for a new future.

Governance and Trust
Speakers and more info

Total Cost of Risk: What value Prevention, Mitigation, Risk and Resilience?

11:25 - 12:25

At a time when pressure on public finances is tighter than ever, understanding and evaluating the long term impacts of short term decisions is critical. How do you give consideration to the total cost of risk of those decisions, mitigating negative short and long term impacts by valuing prevention, mitigation, risk and resilience? During this session Zurich Municipal will discuss these issues through exploration of global risks and how they impact the UK public sector and deep dives into key elements including the use of data, analytics and technology to better understand and manage risk.

Financial Resilience
Speakers and more info

Addressing regional inequalities in the UK

11:25 - 12:25

Reducing inequalities between the UK's regions has been a central plank of the government's levelling up policy. Last year, in partnership with the University of Birmingham, CIPFA looked at ten international cities and what they have done to improve opportunities and outcomes in left-behind places. This pinpointed some common success factors as well as the pitfalls to avoid. How could UK cities apply these learnings to their own circumstances and challenges? A new phase of CIPFA research is examining four UK city regions and this session will explore key objectives of the project and share progress to date. 

Protecting Place and Planet
Speakers and more info

Who are tomorrow's public finance professionals and what do they need?

11:25 - 12:25
A career in public finance is rich and rewarding and can really make a difference to citizens and communities. We hear from some of CIPFA's younger members about their experience to date and their hopes and aspirations for the future. This session will also explore how the profession is changing and what skills and attributes will be needed by tomorrow's public finance professionals. 
Chairs:
Anna Howard
CIPFA
Speakers:
Lin Liu
Outgoing CIPFA Student Network President
Professor Mary Bishop
Director of Learning at the Royal Society of Medicine and Non-Executive Director, CIPFA Commercial Board and Student Member Board
Humphrey Thompson
Children and Families Finance, Southwark Council
Close

Optimising financial processes, aligned to procurement, for a brighter future

11:25 - 12:25
Ever increasing demands on services and costs require a new level of financial rigour and efficiency; and the need for transparency and accountability of spend is a catalyst to ensuring an integrated, coordinated relationship between finance and procurement. This workshop will outline how financial processes can continue to evolve to optimise efficiency and compliance. You will also learn the critical steps and considerations to introduce automation and good practice to enable closer collaboration with procurement across Source-to-Pay processes - enabling critical outcomes of efficiency, compliance, transparency, and cost control for a new future.
Chairs:
Caroline Al-Beyerty
City of London Corporation
Speakers:
Mark Watson
Proactis
Nicola Roberts
Caerphilly Council
Stephen Harris
Caerphilly County Borough Council
Close

Total Cost of Risk: What value Prevention, Mitigation, Risk and Resilience?

11:25 - 12:25
At a time when pressure on public finances is tighter than ever, understanding and evaluating the long term impacts of short term decisions is critical. How do you give consideration to the total cost of risk of those decisions, mitigating negative short and long term impacts by valuing prevention, mitigation, risk and resilience? During this session Zurich Municipal will discuss these issues through exploration of global risks and how they impact the UK public sector and deep dives into key elements including the use of data, analytics and technology to better understand and manage risk.
Chairs:
Khalid Hamid
International Director, CIPFA
Speakers:
Alix Bedford
Zurich Municipal
Close

Addressing regional inequalities in the UK

11:25 - 12:25
Reducing inequalities between the UK's regions has been a central plank of the government's levelling up policy. Last year, in partnership with the University of Birmingham, CIPFA looked at ten international cities and what they have done to improve opportunities and outcomes in left-behind places. This pinpointed some common success factors as well as the pitfalls to avoid. How could UK cities apply these learnings to their own circumstances and challenges? A new phase of CIPFA research is examining four UK city regions and this session will explore key objectives of the project and share progress to date. 
Chairs:
Jeffrey Matsu
CIPFA
Speakers:
Dr Abigail Taylor
the City-Region Economic Development Institute at the University of Birmingham
Paul Johnson
South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority
Close

Lunch Break

12:25 - 13:25

Lunch and networking in the exhibition hall

Fringe

Lunch Break

12:25 - 13:25
Lunch and networking in the exhibition hall
Close

From foundations to innovation

13:25 - 14:25

Jason Martin shares London Borough of Lambeth’s story on how they trailblazed with the first full implementation of Oracle cloud in local government back in 2017, and in the years since, have reimagined their services are now evolving towards creating a culture of learning, customer centricity and continuous improvement.

As a true innovator in local government, you'll hear how Lambeth are taking a different approach to delivering great finance and procurement services, and what is next for them.

Steve Twigg and Baeda Jaralla from Lambeth’s consultancy partner, Socitm Advisory, will provide insights on how they have helped Lambeth take theory, and put it into practice at different points of their improvement journey.

Leadership and Skills
Speakers and more info

Capacity development in perpetual volatility

13:25 - 14:25

Corruption scandals, political instability, climate change, post-pandemic recovery, military conflict, rising interest rates and costs pressures, vulnerable supply chains – the world is seemingly in a perpetual state of volatility. The current political and economic landscape is challenging our governance systems and can limit the effectiveness of capacity development work in the global public sector. This panel session will explore international perspectives on the evolving relevance and role of PFM professionals, outlooks for the application of digital technology and the dynamic relationship between public management and public finance functions – all within the contemporary crisis context.

Governance and Trust
Speakers and more info

Are we facing a temporary accommodation crisis and what can be done?

13:25 - 14:25

Temporary accommodation has long been a significant source of funding pressure for local authorities. Current economic pressures and global events are increasing the numbers of households facing homelessness and in need of help from their local authority. Evictions from private rented properties continues to increase largely driven by rent arrears or other financial difficulties experienced by tenants. Meanwhile, increasing numbers of refugees are seeking local authority assistance with housing. This session, hosted by the Society for District Council Treasurers, will consider rising demand for temporary accommodation from a finance perspective, the practical steps some authorities are taking to deal with the problem and the wider lessons that can be drawn from their experiences. 

Financial Resilience
Speakers and more info

Reaching Net Zero: a case study for lasting change

13:25 - 14:25

Many authorities are committed to reach their adopted net zero targets.  The challenge is to chart the programmes and steps to reach those goals.  The role of the local authority is multifaceted involving five phases: (1) design; (2) implementation; (3) stakeholder education; (4) project finance and (5) monitoring and reporting.  This panel will discuss an approach to developing an integrated comprehensive net zero programme.  Panelists who are actively involved in assembling the building blocks of an integrated programme will share their experiences, both challenges and successes in developing a robust response.  Actual practitioners will share their approaches to project development, securing funding sources and establishing a robust tracking system to ensure targets are met.  This panel will provide practical advice using actual case studies from prominent local authorities in the ESG space

 

Protecting Place and Planet
Speakers and more info

From foundations to innovation

13:25 - 14:25
Jason Martin shares London Borough of Lambeth’s story on how they trailblazed with the first full implementation of Oracle cloud in local government back in 2017, and in the years since, have reimagined their services are now evolving towards creating a culture of learning, customer centricity and continuous improvement. As a true innovator in local government, you'll hear how Lambeth are taking a different approach to delivering great finance and procurement services, and what is next for them. Steve Twigg and Baeda Jaralla from Lambeth’s consultancy partner, Socitm Advisory, will provide insights on how they have helped Lambeth take theory, and put it into practice at different points of their improvement journey.
Chairs:
Suzanne Jones
Strategic Director – Customer, Business and Corporate Support at St Albans City and District Council and CIPFA Exam Panel Chair
Speakers:
Baeda Jaralla
Socitm Advisory
Jason Martin
Lambeth Council
Steve Twigg
Socitm Advisory
Close

Capacity development in perpetual volatility

13:25 - 14:25
Corruption scandals, political instability, climate change, post-pandemic recovery, military conflict, rising interest rates and costs pressures, vulnerable supply chains – the world is seemingly in a perpetual state of volatility. The current political and economic landscape is challenging our governance systems and can limit the effectiveness of capacity development work in the global public sector. This panel session will explore international perspectives on the evolving relevance and role of PFM professionals, outlooks for the application of digital technology and the dynamic relationship between public management and public finance functions – all within the contemporary crisis context.
The session will move to discussing compliance, GDPR requirements for data protection and fraud, explaining how open banking lowers or eliminates the associated risks. This will be followed by the integration process, demonstrating the ease of implementing open banking solutions. Finally, the panel will provide an overview of the ‘return on investment’ and the financial efficiency the technology brings, and discuss how this technology will develop in the future for continued innovation to serve the public sector.
Chairs:
Khalid Hamid
International Director, CIPFA
Speakers:
Jana Repanšek
CEF
Dr. D Joyce Christina Dharmaraj
The National Accounting Institute, Accountant General’s Department of Malaysia
Cathal Long
ODI
Close

Are we facing a temporary accommodation crisis and what can be done?

13:25 - 14:25
Temporary accommodation has long been a significant source of funding pressure for local authorities. Current economic pressures and global events are increasing the numbers of households facing homelessness and in need of help from their local authority. Evictions from private rented properties continues to increase largely driven by rent arrears or other financial difficulties experienced by tenants. Meanwhile, increasing numbers of refugees are seeking local authority assistance with housing. This session, hosted by the Society for District Council Treasurers, will consider rising demand for temporary accommodation from a finance perspective, the practical steps some authorities are taking to deal with the problem and the wider lessons that can be drawn from their experiences. 
Chairs:
Adrian Rowbotham
Sevenoaks District Council
Speakers:
Terry Collier
Spelthorne Borough Council
Emma Foy
West Lindsey District Council
Close

Reaching Net Zero: a case study for lasting change

13:25 - 14:25
Many authorities are committed to reach their adopted net zero targets.  The challenge is to chart the programmes and steps to reach those goals.  The role of the local authority is multifaceted involving five phases: (1) design; (2) implementation; (3) stakeholder education; (4) project finance and (5) monitoring and reporting.  This panel will discuss an approach to developing an integrated comprehensive net zero programme.  Panelists who are actively involved in assembling the building blocks of an integrated programme will share their experiences, both challenges and successes in developing a robust response.  Actual practitioners will share their approaches to project development, securing funding sources and establishing a robust tracking system to ensure targets are met.  This panel will provide practical advice using actual case studies from prominent local authorities in the ESG space  
Chairs:
Stephanie Donaldson
Executive Director of Business Resources at National Museums Liverpool (NML)
Speakers:
June Matte
PFM Financial Advisors
Kenroy Quellennec-Reid
London Treasury Limited
Close

Break

14:25 - 15:00

Refreshments and networking in the exhibition hall

Fringe

Break

14:25 - 15:00
Refreshments and networking in the exhibition hall
Close

Closing keynote address: Partygate and the paucity of public trust and Chair's closing remarks

15:00 - 15:55

There’s now a strong sense that standards in public life are declining and an increasingly shameless political class is emboldened to bend or even break the rules with little consequence. Pippa Crerar, the journalist who broke the Barnard Castle and Partygate stories joins us to share how she exposed wrongdoing at the highest level of government, the role of the press in holding politicians’ feet to the fire and whether there is anything public finance professionals can learn from the fourth estate about speaking truth to power.

Speakers and more info

Closing keynote address: Partygate and the paucity of public trust and Chair's closing remarks

15:00 - 15:55
There’s now a strong sense that standards in public life are declining and an increasingly shameless political class is emboldened to bend or even break the rules with little consequence. Pippa Crerar, the journalist who broke the Barnard Castle and Partygate stories joins us to share how she exposed wrongdoing at the highest level of government, the role of the press in holding politicians’ feet to the fire and whether there is anything public finance professionals can learn from the fourth estate about speaking truth to power.
Chairs:
Dharshini David
Broadcaster and economist
Speakers:
Pippa Crerar
The Guardian
Close