Institutes - Hypocrisy row hits CIPFA

Eight members of a key CIPFA working party are not meeting self-imposed standards of professional conduct by failing to participate in the institute’s Continuing Professional Development scheme.

Accountancy Age has learned that only five of the 14-strong group, which was established to examine the role of finance directors in local government, have signed up to CPD, raising concerns that the group is failing to practise what it preaches.

‘This would appear to indicate that the group overall wishes to set others standards higher than they are willing to set themselves,’ said one member of the group. ‘On the other hand, it could mean that the majority of the group have signed up to a statement they do not believe. Either way this does not reflect well on the institute.’

CIPFA rebuffed the claims, saying participation in the scheme was voluntary and there were other ways to keep skills up to date.

Shelley Thornton, CIPFA’s assistant policy and technical director, said: ‘While CIPFA strongly recommends participation, some members choose to maintain their technical skills and competence without formally registering within the scheme.’

In a recent report, the working party urged FDs to ‘keep their skills up to date’ and recommended that they participated in and promoted CPD to maintain their effectiveness.

Those group members not signed up to CPD include ex-president John Scotford.

Others are: Simon Heywood,Peter Leeming, Alex McClean, Bob Patterson, John Philp, Tony Redmond, and Roger Scott.