By Amie Hall | AFEP Programme Manager
Due to the success of the award-winning Achieving Finance Excellence in Policing programme, CIPFA is delighted to be able to reinvest in strengthening financial management in the police sector. With 34 forces subscribing to AFEP, there are many opportunities for CIPFA to deliver ongoing support and training for police finance professionals. The vision of AFEP is to achieve financial excellence through building on national capacity and providing local support, and this reinvestment will further that aim, allowing the benefits of the programme to cascade over the long term.
CIPFA has identified three areas where we can offer services beyond the initial scope of the AFEP programme, in relation to investing in better financial management, developing people, and robust data management. The offer reflects CIPFA's expertise as 'the people in public finance', and our commitment to encouraging and enabling best practice in the police sector.
Each of the 34 forces signed up to the AFEP programme will receive an asset management health check. This will involve a dedicated visit from one of CIPFA's resident experts, who will conduct a thorough review of asset management practices based on the latest guidance in this field. This will then provide the basis for a report highlighting the strengths and weaknesses in the force's approach to asset management, compared against current best practice. The review will also encompass the overall strategy, including staff roles and responsibilities and organisational structure, to illustrate the priorities for improvement. The 'health check' will therefore enable individual forces to make decisions on how best to preserve their assets and plan their future resource needs.
We are also offering the opportunity for twenty individuals to be sponsored to complete a three-year CIPFA Professional Qualification. This includes all learning materials and a full spectrum of student support, available through our online learning portal. Courses can be studied through face-to-face tuition at one of the seven education and training locations across the UK, or via web-based classes, and can be taken on either a full-time or part-time basis. The PQ syllabus covers a wide range of topics, from procurement and commissioning to implementing new service delivery models, to provide a solid foundation for a successful career in public financial management.
Finally, a copy of the forthcoming Management Accounting Guide to Collaboration for Police (subject matter to be agreed) will be made available for all AFEP subscribers. This guidance draws on the expertise of CIPFA's new Public Financial Management Board and is supported by the AFEP Financial Management sub-group to reflect sector-specific best practice. It will be designed to complement existing guidance on financial accounting for collaboration, with a focus on practical support for everyday management accounting practices.
CIPFA will continue to build on the success of the AFEP programme and expand the ways we can support police finance professionals. Through initiatives such as this reinvestment, we can ensure that finance excellence is not only achieved but maintained for years to come.
Visit the webpage or to enquire about the police network, please contact Alison Dewhirst at alison.dewhirst@cipfa.org.