FTP updateOnwards& upwardsLindsey Fussell outlines the <strong>Finance</strong> Transformation Programme’sprogress and achievements and previews the next stepTHE FINANCE TRANSFORMATIONPROGRAMME (FTP) was launched inJanuary 2011 with the publication of its‘foundation’ document ManagingTaxpayers’ Money Wisely. The aim of theFTP is to strengthen financial disciplineand deliver a real change in the way thattaxpayers’ money is managed by publicservants. <strong>This</strong> includes upgrading someof our infrastructure, but also – and evenmore importantly – undertaking acultural transformation, putting financeat the centre of decision making ingovernment.The FTP includes both crossgovernmentprojects and a focus onfinancial management (FM)improvement within departments.Initially, the programme waschampioned by Justine Greening, thenthe Economic Secretary to the <strong>Treasury</strong>,and a qualified accountant. WithJustine’s move to Transport, Chloe Smithhas taken on the role of EST and hasshown commitment to taking the FTPforward, chairing the first ProgrammeBoard meeting in her first week of office.We are fortunate in having Sir BobKerslake (DCLG), Mark Lowcock (DFID)and Ian Watmore (ERG) as FTP Boardmembers. In his new role as Head of theCivil Service, Sir Bob is taking forwardcivil service reform (see feature, page12). As part of this reform programme,Mark and Ian lead on improvingmanagement systems and processes, sowe are well positioned to ensure the FTPremains a high priority.A number of significant FTPmilestones were achieved during 2011.The new corporate governance codesets out the role of <strong>Government</strong> Non-Executives, bringing senior externalexpertise and challenge at departmentalboard level. And, recognising that goodFM is not just for finance, all SCS arenow required to have their performanceassessed against at least one finance orefficiency objective. Visible changes likethis play an important part in drivingforward a culture in which FM matters.Transparency, and accountability toParliament and the public, helps drivebetter financial performance bygovernment. After years of planning, theMain Estimates for 2011-12, presentedIan WatmoreJustine GreeningChloe Smithto Parliament in April, were prepared forthe first time using the new ‘Clear Lineof Sight’ (CLOS) framework. By aligningseveral previous spending frameworks,CLOS means a simpler system fordepartments to operate and allows forimproved scrutiny and accountability ofgovernment expenditure. Last year alsosaw publication of the Whole of<strong>Government</strong> Accounts – a massiveachievement – the UK’s first auditedconsolidated set of public sector financialstatements, covering the whole of UKcentral government, local governmentand public corporations, around 1,500public bodies.We are making real progress on‘Project Oscar’, which aims to replacethe current COINS database by 2013,with the first phase going live thissummer. We are working with IBM todeliver a robust, user-friendly system thatsupports us in freeing up time to focuson value adding activities, rather thandata quality <strong>issue</strong>s, complex reportingand extensive manual reconciliations.The <strong>Treasury</strong> and Cabinet Office are alsoworking together to improvemanagement information more broadlyacross government.These achievements come as a resultof the hard work and cooperation ofpeople across many departments.Members of the <strong>Finance</strong> LeadershipGroup (FLG) – DGs <strong>Finance</strong> from thelargest departments – are working with<strong>Treasury</strong> and Cabinet Office colleaguesto drive forward these vital systems andprocess improvements.We are also focusing on howdepartments are working to improvetheir own FM. The FTP Board and FLGthought long and hard about what FTPsuccess would look like and articulatedthis in the FTP ‘Vision Grid’ (see the GFPwebsite). Each of the 17 main centralgovernment departments was asked,earlier this year, to tell us how their FMimprovement initiatives would help todeliver the <strong>Finance</strong> TransformationProgramme. We now have a wealth ofdata to help us determine where we canfine-tune our efforts to work acrossgovernment to support better FM, andalso identify where there are outstandingexamples of best practice that can beshared more widely. I will update you onour progress in the next edition of<strong>Gasette</strong>.• Lindsey Fussell is Director of Financial Managementand Reporting, <strong>HM</strong>T, and <strong>Finance</strong> TransformationProgramme Director24 theGASETTEspring 2012
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