Winner: Finance Team, Wigan Council

Wigan’s finance team has delivered £10m of savings in the past year, while simultaneously improving local services and outcomes. The council remains well positioned to respond to the challenging financial landscape facing local government, while maintaining one of the lowest council tax rates in the country.

The team’s expertise and dedication of staff is coupled with its unique culture and relationship-based model of support. This culture gives all team members permission to be courageous, which drives a forward-thinking and innovative approach.

Staff ensure strong financial performance and value for money across the organisation that delivers sustainable and effective public services. This means the team’s financial influence and impact goes beyond any single project, and has affected digital transformation in adult social care, the reshaping of the council’s procurement approach with a stronger consideration of social value, and the in-sourcing and redesigning of leisure services.

Judges said: “The team approach set out is tantalisingly different to many others, driven by strong values and behaviours and recognising that getting finance professionals embedded in the business and not behind a screen or a spreadsheet is what really makes a positive impact.”

Shortlist

• Finance Teams, Transport for London
• Financial Management Service, Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council
• Financial Services Team, South Yorkshire Pensions Authority
• Graeme King, Katherine Adams, Shoba Varghese and Alex Coatalen with Transport for London, The GLA SME Prompt Payment Working Group consists of Transport for London, Greater London Authority and Bloomberg Associates
• Long Term Resilient Finances Team, Enfield Council
• Purchase to Pay Team, Halton Borough Council
• Shared Finance Team, South Hams District Council and West Devon Borough Council
• Unit4 ERP Cloud Migration Team, Warwickshire County Council

Winner: Finance Team, Bolton NHS Foundation Trust

Bolton’s finance team has achieved top 15 scores in the national staff survey scores for NHS finance departments two years running. It has also launched an ambitious project to create a shared ledger system for NHS providers in Greater Manchester. And it has provided better care to more patients by driving national funding business cases for two major developments: four new state-of-the-art theatres to treat 5,000 patients a year, and a community diagnostic centre that will provide 80,000 diagnostic tests annually.

This level 3 accredited team, the highest level of accreditation for NHS finance teams, follows agile and flexible working principles that are more progressive than in many NHS finance departments. But the team is kept connected and cohesive with regular social events, as proved by its high-level staff survey scores.

The team is well set up to maintain this success through progressing its objectives in line with the Finance Department Business Plan for 2024/25, refining and developing its KPI metrics and is working on its level 3 re-accreditation.

Judges said: “In these challenging times for the public sector, it was particularly pleasing to see a pronounced focus on development and organisational culture. Staff highlighted a deep commitment to continuous improvement and the wellbeing of the team and the community they serve.”

Shortlist

• Finance Team, Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service

• Finance Team, Police Scotland

Winner: Social Value Strategic Approach, London Borough of Barking and Dagenham

The London Borough of Barking and Dagenham is one of the UK’s most deprived local authorities, with high levels of inactivity, unemployment and poverty. The council, with its Social Value strategy, is committed to improving the wellbeing and resilience of the local population, promoting a more inclusive economy and delivering environmental sustainability.

Recent outcomes include work opportunities for people with learning disabilities and care leavers, improvements to school and community gardens, and three large freezers to enable food banks to provide more choice to residents struggling with the cost of living.

The policy was developed in partnership with commissioners, community partners and residents. A dedicated coordinator advises, convenes and brokers relationships between these different stakeholders, ensuring Social Value builds the capacity of existing initiatives and provides resources for vulnerable communities.

Judges said: “Strong impact on the people served, with decision-making that positively contributes to the community beyond just the delivery of services. Their approach goes beyond traditional service delivery, creating meaningful benefits for the community as a whole.”

Shortlist

• Bristol City Leap
• Bus Finance Business Partnering Team, Transport for London
• Green Finance Fund, Greater London Authority
• LNER Supply Chain Social Value, London North Eastern Railway
• Manchester Power Purchase Agreement, Manchester City Council
• Northern Ireland Social Return on Investment Study, Independent Living Fund Scotland and Northern Ireland

Winner: Finance Team, Herefordshire Council

The council finance team overhauled the content and presentation of internal financial reporting during 2022/23 and 2023/24 to include insight on the council’s financial performance against budget and make recommendations to management, highlight key risks and provide detailed analysis of budget pressures to support recovery actions and mitigations. 

This enhanced reporting has proved a valuable management tool, enabling the council to reduce overspend significantly in 2023/24.  Its external financial reporting has also been refreshed; the statutory accounts have been decluttered, with significant changes made to the presentation and are now easier for the reader to understand.

Feedback from directors, cabinet members and the chair of the audit and governance committee has confirmed that the improvements have added value across the council; financial information is timely and relied upon as part of the decision-making process.  The information in the reports encourages engagement and enquiry and, as a result, budget manager accountability has improved, and finance teams are embedded in directorate leadership team activities and strategic discussions.

Judges said: “Despite the reporting challenges faced across the public sector, the team has not only delivered the statutory accounts on time but has also demonstrated clear improvements working across colleagues, directors, and members. Succession planning has emerged as a key driver in this progress, ensuring the organisation is well-prepared for the future with a strong pipeline of talent.”

Highly commended
David Smith, Salford City Council

Shortlist

• Finance, Walsall Council
• Finance Department, East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust
• Finance Team, The University of Edinburgh
• Governance and Control Framework, Gravesham Borough Council
• Group Financial Accounting and Tax, Transport for London

Winner: Financial Accounting System, Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service is responsible for delivering fire and rescue services to the 890,000 people of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. The service operates from 27 fire stations varying from whole-time and on-call firefighters to support staff. 

The finance team has been able to implement a new finance system within eight months and also managed to bring the project in under budget. The previous system, paper-based and fractured, was over 20 years old, and was refreshed in several ways: it was centralised, carbon emissions were reduced by stopping the need for printing, real-time information was made available, and audit trails were improved.

End users were involved in the testing of the system, which then provided fundamental feedback for the finance team to take on board. The finance team attended workshops, and responsibilities for different areas were shared and established clearly. The finance manager made sure that no team member was left behind, and all staff played a crucial role in the implementation of the new system.

Judges said: “The judges were impressed that the team implemented a new finance system in super-quick time – eight months – and unusually it was done under budget.  Nearly 900,000 people are as a result better protected from potential tragedy and disaster.”

Shortlist

• Approval to Buy Solution (A2B Solution), Halton Borough Council
• CTM Invoice Validation Tool, Scottish Government, Ukrainian Resettlement Directorate
• Four Projects as Part of Improvement Program FCi, MIRROR MIRROR, Ledger LIVE Connection System, FAST, Forecasting Analysis Statistical Tool, PETALS, Programmable Extract Transform and Load Tool, IRIS, Integrated Resource Intelligent System, East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust

Winner: Pan-Pathology Managed Service Contract Tender Team, West Yorkshire Association of Acute Trusts, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Mid-Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust and Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust

In a drive for efficiency and productivity in the NHS, 112 pathology units were to be consolidated into 29, bringing together 80% of testing in one of the biggest integrated care systems in the country. This procurement achieved a significant £475m contract in a single four-year-long process and required managing the governance across three organisations. Most exceptionally, the procurement was completed after successfully defeating a legal challenge – an almost unheard-of achievement in a field where lost opportunities and huge additional costs are common.

The new pathology hub will mean results will be available to all of West Yorkshire’s providers and GPs and will reduce the need for multiple blood draws, samples and testing. Centralising pathology will decrease the number of journeys patients have to make, increasing sustainability. The network will also remain on the front foot for its patients, futureproofing its diagnostics by including genomic testing in the project’s scope.

Judges said: “The benefits here are clear, and there is a concerted plan to share these with the individual trusts involved in the partnership, hopefully leading to further benefits in the future.”

Highly commended
DE&S Operations Finance Team, Defence Equipment and Support, Ministry of Defence

Shortlist

• Kayley Lakin, Procurement Business Partner for People Services, West Northamptonshire Council
• The National LGPS Frameworks, LGPS Funds, Pools and Central Team, A Voluntary Collaboration Between Local Government Pension Schemes and LGPS Investment Pools, Hosted by the Norfolk Pension Fund

Winner: Internal Audit and Counter Fraud, Kent County Council

At a time of increased challenges for public sector internal audit in relation to the capability and capacity to deliver modern forward-facing services, Kent County Council internal audit team has successfully managed staff retention and recruitment risks and has continuously developed audit approaches to increase the value to stakeholders and clients.

The increasing challenges faced in delivering a wide range of assurances have been addressed by ensuring the culture of talent management and development is central to how the service operates.

This has led to highly positive outcomes, including stakeholder feedback and financial returns to the council. For the future, the culture and mindset of the team is one of continual learning, improvement and development, and this will be the underlying basis for maintaining success.

Judges said: “The team’s operating model reflects improved outcomes, underscoring the success of these development efforts and their positive impact on overall performance. This forward-thinking approach not only fosters collaboration but also drives the organization toward continuous improvement and success.”

Shortlist

• Internal Audit Service, Aberdeenshire Council
• Internal Audit Service, Salford City Council
• Internal Audit Teams, London North Eastern Railway, Northern Trains, Southeastern Railway, Transpennine Express and DfT OLR Holdings

Winner: HMRC Data Sharing Initiative, Local Authority/Cabinet Office Partnership

This working group, made up of senior revenue officers from local authorities and the Cabinet Office fraud team, has created a trial information-sharing arrangement with HMRC to obtain employment data on council tax debtors, collecting over £5m for the councils concerned during two trials.

In June 2024, 12 authorities adopted the information exchange as an integral part of their council tax recovery routines, with the initiative being rolled out across the country in late 2024 and 2025. Over the next 18 months, this innovation will be made available to all councils at little or no cost, significantly boosting council tax collection nationally. Armed with earnings information, the scheme removes non-payers’ ability to avoid collection via enforcement agencies, and residents struggling to pay will be more likely to engage with councils and make a reasonable repayment arrangement.

Although it is difficult to quantify the improvement in collection, Manchester Council is setting a target of £5m in 2024/25.

Judges said: “This scheme is aiding enforcement of those who might otherwise avoid contact with enforcement agents. The size of the benefits and the relative ease of the process are very promising.”

Shortlist

• 7 Force Commercial Services, The Police Forces of Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Herts, Kent, Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, Surrey, Sussex, Thames Valley and Insurance Broker Marsh JLT, South East and Eastern Region Police Insurance Consortium

• Cheshire and Merseyside Grant-funded In-patient Detox Programme, Cheshire and Merseyside IPD Consortium
• Devin O’Neill, Empty Homes and Revenue Generation Officer, Revenue Services, North Norfolk District Council
• Finance Tower, MIAA Solutions

Winner: Asset Management Team, South Ayrshire Council

The asset management team at South Ayrshire Council has been working on proactive building energy management across internal buildings, resulting in a 36% reduction in gas consumption since 2018/19. This is equivalent to 13.9m kWh, the annual consumption for 1,384 homes. This success was delivered through automatic meter reader deployment, implementation of centrally controlled building management systems, and seasonal monitoring and scheduling. The initial £190,000 spend generated savings of over £306,000 to 2022/23. A further £160,000 development in the past year has increased system coverage and associated savings to £476,000 to date.

The projects have delivered a wide range of improvements in staff engagement, process improvements and critical carbon reductions. This proof of concept has supported not only South Ayrshire’s continuing work, but authorities across the UK in their own development.

Judges said: “South Ayrshire has pioneered savings through better management of energy in the council’s buildings, with distinctive and tangible benefits for both the financial and environmental bottom lines.”

Shortlist

• Asset Management Team in the Highways Services Department, Birmingham City Council
• Property Services, Herefordshire Council

Winner: Internal Audit and Anti-Fraud Team, Royal Borough of Greenwich

The internal audit and anti-fraud team is committed to protecting the public purse via its strategies and procedures to prevent, detect, deter, investigate and sanction fraud.

It has an innovative corporate approach to combating fraud that embraces partnership working. Its approach delivers value for money, returning much needed funds to front-line services for Greenwich and all its partners. Investigations are conducted in a professional and fair manner, which has been recognised by customers, judges, solicitors and union representatives.

In addition, the team takes on investigations other teams might not, with a reputation for prosecuting fraudsters across an extensive range of council activities. Over 100 enquiries have been undertaken in Direct Payments, identifying £2m in ‘overpayments’ and £1.4m in projected savings with over a dozen prosecutions. And in March 2023, two people were sentenced to five years and 3.5 years respectively for their part in a complex conspiracy against the council.

Judges said: “Achievements in fraud prevention, detection and recovery are highlighted by recent successes with some high-profile fraudsters. This approach is being shared with other local authorities.”

Highly commended
Peter Miles, Rochford District Council

Shortlist

• Anti-Fraud Service, London Borough of Waltham Forest Council
• Corporate Counter Fraud Team, Warrington Borough Council
• Counter Fraud and Investigation Team, Government Internal Audit Agency
• NAO Work and Pensions Team (both Financial Audit and Value for Money Teams) and the DWP Fraud, Error and Debt Analysis Team, National Audit Office and the Department for Work and Pensions
• Risk and Assurance Team, London North Eastern Railway
• The London Boroughs Fraud Investigators Group

Winner: Sonia Khan, Principal Advisor to CFO, CFO Office, Transport for London

At Transport for London (TfL), workforce representation remains a focus, with women making up just a quarter of its total workforce and with just 18% of senior leaders coming from Black, Asian, or minority ethnicity communities.

To tackle this, Sonia Khan was a key driving force behind setting up the chief finance officer’s (CFO’s) first shadow leadership team (ShaLT) and a diversity and inclusion workstream. She tirelessly worked up proposals, chaired steering groups and influenced senior leaders to support the initiative, including the sponsor. The approach to selection of candidates was open and fair, and the ShaLT is now in its second year – Sonia has continued to give momentum to the group.

ShaLT is seen by colleagues as an opportunity to problem-solve business challenges separate to their day-to-day work while gaining visibility with the wider CFO community, through presentations, blogs, attendance and participation at meetings, and mentoring.

Judges said: “A clearly articulated contribution to DE&I that showed good understanding of the challenges facing the organisation – Sonia promoted a great example of what a difference can be made by looking at all aspects of diversity.”

Shortlist

• Georgia Hudnott, Senior Internal Auditor, London North Eastern Railway

Winner: Lin Liu, Management Accountant, Children’s Services and Public Health, Bedford Borough Council

Lin joined Bedford Borough Council a year ago as a management accountant for children’s services and public health during a period of change for the finance team. She quickly settled in and led her team in implementing new ways of working, which saved time and improved outcomes.

She has fostered a supportive culture that has boosted team morale, and her leadership has improved working relationships and outcomes. Her successes include streamlining processes and understanding between the finance team and the service directorates. For example, she identified areas for improvement and made changes in the children’s placement budget monitoring process, and increased efficiencies in key returns submitted by the authority, including the Section 251 return.

To safeguard the future, Lin is always looking for opportunities to improve her knowledge and understanding of the local government sector and utilises senior staff within the organisation to gain knowledge and insight of the sector. She continues to seek guidance from her mentor and through her continued volunteering work with CIPFA continues to network with and learn from successful role models.

Judges said: “The candidate serves as an inspiring and effective team leader, taking personal interest in her colleagues’ wellbeing and professional development as well as work for the profession through her work on CIPFA Student and other networks.”

Shortlist

• Olivia Beasley, Senior Finance Business Partner, Streets Operations, Transport for London
• Dan Guest, DES Ships Eng-PMO-Fin2, Defence Equipment and Support
• Jenny Wong, Senior Accountant, Revenue Reporting and Schools, City of London Corporation

Winner: Patrick Doig, Group Finance Director, Transport for London

Patrick Doig acted as interim CFO at Transport for London (TfL), leading difficult funding negotiations with government and securing over £4bn of funding, all while maintaining his responsibilities around communicating effectively, developing his team and inspiring confidence in his leadership.

Throughout the pandemic, Patrick showed strong financial and fiscal leadership to ensure the sudden drop in income did not result in TfL becoming unsustainable. And as a key finance lead, he helped TfL deliver an operating surplus for the first time in its history.

Patrick’s technical aptitude is matched by his ability to reach people. A role model in communicating, he has held honest and open conversations in large forums on inclusivity and fairness. He also led the CFO People Group focusing on how TfL improves opportunities for its staff.

Judges said: “Patrick is truly a great leader across more than just finance, making contributions to the diversity and inclusion agenda as well as to the overall recovery of the organisation after the challenges of the pandemic.”

Shortlist

• Kat Bavington, Lead Finance Business Partner, Defence Equipment and Support
• Jade Brunt, Group Finance Lead, Manchester City Council

Winner: Procurement Solutions, Digital and IT, NHS Shared Business Services

NHS Shared Business Services has developed a unique framework agreement bringing ‘pioneering’ AI software to stroke clinicians to augment capacity in interpreting CT scans. More than 100,000 people in the UK are affected by stroke yearly, and this is expected to rise to 151,000 by 2035, costing the NHS over £75bn. Use of AI speeds up the diagnostic process, crucial in stroke where interventions are time-dependent.

Manual reviews of stroke imagery can take as long as 30 minutes, but the AI software provides real-time interpretation faster and more reliably. It boosts the capacity of stroke clinicians in the review, diagnosis and delivery of time-dependent treatments and can transform the care delivered.

New development areas are being researched with the intention to expand the software into additional clinical disciplines where AI has proven to make a significant impact in patient outcomes – such as cardiology and ophthalmology – and engage with pioneering providers in the field to help shape it.

Judges said: “A valuable service that is improving the speed and accuracy of interpretation of scans, and thus not only improving the efficiency of dealing with stroke episodes but also contributing to vastly improved outcomes for stroke victims.”

Shortlist

• FreePay Programme, Oxygen Finance
• London Borough of Waltham Forest and Mastek
• Optimisation and Business Change Team, Shared Services Connected