Enhancing Financial Scrutiny for Success and Impact
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Ed Hammond, Director of Research
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Current state of financial scrutiny
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Many councils do two things:
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In-year “budget monitoring”, focused on financial
scorecards
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Relatively light-touch oversight of the budget
process, in December and January
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Neither of these approaches tend to be
especially effective!
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Does this reflect your experience?
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Current state of financial scrutiny
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Scattergun approach
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Looks at finance as somehow separate from
other substantive business
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Tends to engage at the wrong time
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Tends to have access to poor quality
information
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Tends to be short-term (although note
concerns about state of current MTFS)
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Current state of financial scrutiny
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Practice is changing and improving
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In part this is reactive
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Difficult to highlight particular examples of
“excellent financial scrutiny in councils”
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This is because it is predominantly a matter of
culture and attitude – therefore an issue for the
s151 officer and the relevant CM
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Ways to improve and develop
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How confident are you that there is a motive and
rationale sitting behind the financial scrutiny you
undertake in your own council?
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Ways to improve and develop
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Does the council take members’ scrutiny
contribution on finance seriously?
Is there a common understanding about what
motivates financial scrutiny and what it can
achieve?
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Ways to improve and develop
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Information should be used to inform the scrutiny
process, rather than being used “in committee”
Do you have the skills, capacity and support you
need to properly understand financial
information?
How can you use risk and performance
information alongside?
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Ways to improve and develop
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Information should be used to focus on a
handful of critical issues – at the right time
For the 2019/20 budget that time is right now
For ongoing budget monitoring, this is about
integrating financial scrutiny into wider scrutiny
work
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Ways to improve and develop
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Members have a right to carry out this work
There is a pressing need to do so as the sector
is an exceptionally challenged position
It is your right – and duty – to be robust about
your demands, and that you push back against
attempts to sideline scrutiny
What support will you need to do this?
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What will you do?
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How will you engage with others to change the
way they work?
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What bumps in the road will there be? What
opportunities?
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Explore the current state of financial scrutiny in councils, highlighting shortcomings and areas for improvement. Learn how to enhance financial scrutiny through understanding its impact, addressing cultural aspects, and promoting effective practices for better outcomes in budgeting and oversight. Visit www.cfps.org.uk for more information.
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Presentation Transcript
Scrutiny for success Making a difference through high quality financial scrutiny Ed Hammond, Director of Research
About CfPS The current state of financial scrutiny Ways to improve and develop What will you do? www.cfps.org.uk @cfpscrutiny #cfpstruth
Current state of financial scrutiny Many councils do two things: In-year budget monitoring , focused on financial scorecards Relatively light-touch oversight of the budget process, in December and January Neither of these approaches tend to be especially effective! Does this reflect your experience? www.cfps.org.uk @cfpscrutiny
Current state of financial scrutiny Main shortcomings: Scattergun approach Looks at finance as somehow separate from other substantive business Tends to engage at the wrong time Tends to have access to poor quality information Tends to be short-term (although note concerns about state of current MTFS) www.cfps.org.uk @cfpscrutiny
Current state of financial scrutiny Practice is changing and improving In part this is reactive Difficult to highlight particular examples of excellent financial scrutiny in councils This is because it is predominantly a matter of culture and attitude therefore an issue for the s151 officer and the relevant CM www.cfps.org.uk @cfpscrutiny
Ways to improve and develop 1. Understand what good financial scrutiny can do On issues like developing the budget, monitoring the budget and treasury management there are specific contributions How confident are you that there is a motive and rationale sitting behind the financial scrutiny you undertake in your own council? www.cfps.org.uk @cfpscrutiny
Ways to improve and develop 2. Address the culture Does the council take members scrutiny contribution on finance seriously? Is there a common understanding about what motivates financial scrutiny and what it can achieve? www.cfps.org.uk @cfpscrutiny
Ways to improve and develop 3. Think about information Information should be used to inform the scrutiny process, rather than being used in committee Do you have the skills, capacity and support you need to properly understand financial information? How can you use risk and performance information alongside? www.cfps.org.uk @cfpscrutiny
Ways to improve and develop 4. Focus Information should be used to focus on a handful of critical issues at the right time For the 2019/20 budget that time is right now For ongoing budget monitoring, this is about integrating financial scrutiny into wider scrutiny work www.cfps.org.uk @cfpscrutiny
Ways to improve and develop 5. Resilience and robustness Members have a right to carry out this work There is a pressing need to do so as the sector is an exceptionally challenged position It is your right and duty to be robust about your demands, and that you push back against attempts to sideline scrutiny What support will you need to do this? www.cfps.org.uk @cfpscrutiny
What will you do? As a consequence of today s session what will you do to change the way you work? How will you engage with others to change the way they work? What bumps in the road will there be? What opportunities? www.cfps.org.uk @cfpscrutiny
