The sector is grappling with a perilous collection of challenges. Rising demand for services, increased operating costs and the frequent need for government cash bailouts mean those taking on the most senior finance roles must be at the top of their game.
With the financial uncertainties that lie on the other side of the latest round of local government reorganisation (LGR) layered in, section 151 officers – also known as chief finance officers – need to be equipped with the skills required to operate in an increasingly demanding environment.
In this context, the new Future County Finance Leaders programme, with 27 delegates signed up, aims to ensure that members of the finance workforce can go for those crucial s151 roles, confident they will be successful.
The programme – brought into being following a conversation between the Society of County Treasurers (SCT) and Newton Europe – aims to address workforce challenges, enhance financial performance and foster a more diverse talent pool in local government.
It features workshops, mentorships and peer learning, and its objectives include providing an understanding that a s151 is one who influences wider decision-making, with each participant having a personal development plan to help them build towards this. There is a focus on political awareness, provision of a peer network and confidence in assessing opportunities and identifying priority areas that both improve outcomes for residents and deliver financial benefit.
Other objectives covered include understanding the key success factors for driving change in priority areas, along with confidence in holding teams accountable, and in using evidence and data to build a robust medium-term financial strategy and budget. Development support from an experienced s151 officer will build on content from the in-person modules and virtual sessions.
Setting out the reasons for the initiative, president of the SCT Rob Powell tells The MJ that when he took on the role, he ‘didn't want the theme for the year to just be funding reform or LGR or special educational needs and disabilities or the stuff that we're dealing with day to day'.
Why has Newton chosen to join up in partnership with the SCT to design and deliver this programme to help create the future pipeline of section 151 officers? Knight tells The MJ that the need to instigate more change at once across more areas is becoming increasingly profound, ‘and the pace of that is relentless with everything that's going on'.
His focus is on providing training that is of long-term strategic benefit to the finance workforce and to local government as a whole. He says: ‘It felt like workforce and people was the big challenge for the sector. We know there's going to be a lot of change with LGR. We know it's getting harder to recruit great people, particularly into senior roles.
‘As the financial challenges grow, we know that the workforce will change because of artificial intelligence and digital innovation,' he adds. ‘It felt like an area the SCT could make a mark on. Recognising how much talent there is within our teams, we thought there might be space for a programme to develop future county finance leaders.'
The next step was to float the idea with Newton Europe, a principal sponsor of SCT. His conversation with Steve Knight, who leads Newton Europe's work in local government, has resulted in what Powell says is ‘incredibly generous' financial support to get the year-long programme up and running. There has also been crucial help from the other main sponsor Grant Thornton, along with ‘lots of other people in the sector with whom we have regular contact'.
Why has Newton chosen to join up in partnership with the SCT to design and deliver this programme to help create the future pipeline of section 151 officers? Knight tells The MJ that the need to instigate more change at once across more areas is becoming increasingly profound, ‘and the pace of that is relentless with everything that's going on'.
Knight believes SCT, Newton and Grant Thonton can ‘add a bunch of value into the sector' by putting the focus on the things that are going to have the biggest impact on residents and finances, ‘in the context of constrained resource and budget, in order to make change happen'.
He adds: ‘But I think the other bit, which I'm really passionate we get right within this, is also doing what we can to build a network.'
Assistant finance business partner at Leicestershire CC Nerinder Samaria is one of those s elected to take part in the programme. He says he has joined the cohort ‘because I think it offers a rare chance to step back from some of those operational pressures and invest in my own personal growth as a strategic leader'.
‘I really want to strengthen my leadership capabilities and broaden my networks, and I hope it will give me those practical tools to be able to influence and drive financial sustainability.'
In conclusion, Powell says he hopes the programme will provide delegates with what they need to be ‘really good leaders for public service reform, and to be better leaders in the future, brilliant finance leaders, if you like'.
