Local government finance workforce action plan for England: 2025 progress update

Introduction

In October 2024, the LGA and CIPFA published a report which made key recommendations to address the workforce challenges that face the finance profession across the local government sector in England. Many of these recommendations were actions to be delivered at a national level, while some were targeted at employers. The findings were split into 4 themes:

Leadership capacity and capability
Attracting and recruiting the right staff
Developing our people
Creating the right environment to deliver

This summary captures progress to date by signposting to the relevant national programmes, events and resources which are helping councils to mitigate these risks and overcome obstacles.

Quick links

Toolkits and guidance

Programmes

Theme 1: Leadership

Recommendation	Deliverable
Ensure that the new s151 development programme helps s151 officers to develop their strategic leadership and people management skills.	The LEAD programme is designed for s151 officers who are looking to elevate their strategic leadership skills: CIPFA LEAD Programme for CFO Section 151 officers The first cohort had their final session in June 2025. The second cohort will begin the programme in September 2025.
Encourage authorities to make more provision for experienced mentoring of fast-track CFO candidates within the authority.	CIPFA has delivered a series of sessions offering guidance for implementing and delivering mentoring relationships: Unlock the Power of Mentorship- 27 March 2025 Unlock the Power of Mentorship - 17 March 2025
Further promote the LGA’s national CFO mentoring scheme.	LGA is funded by MHCLG to run a programme matching CFOs and Deputy CFOs with mentors/mentees: Chief Finance Officer (CFO) Mentoring Scheme \| Local Government Association LGA is working with sector partners, including Treasurers Societies, to promote the programme. The programme is regularly posted in bulletins from CIPFA and the LGA.
CIPFA to promote and support larger authorities to include candidates from other sectors in their recruitment for CFOs and other senior roles.	CIPFA have published a recruitment guide and templates to support local authorities in seeking to attract and hire applicants from outside the sector: Financial recruitment project guide This was developed in consultation with the sector in Spring 2025.
Provide guidance and specific training content for CFOs and other senior finance managers being recruited from those other sectors, to enable staff to come in and come up to speed as quickly as possible, avoiding potential risks.	The LEAD development programme is useful for senior finance professionals who are new to the local government sector. CIPFA’s key competencies resource brings together the full range of knowledge, skills and approaches which are required by public finance practitioners. New CFOs receive a welcome letter from CIPFA which sets out additional information relevant to leading the finance function in a council, and signposts to resources, networks and support.

Theme 2: Attracting and recruiting

Attracting and recruiting
Recommendation	Deliverable
Authorities to review the renumeration package for finance apprentices and young applicants, taking full advantage of the available flexibility in remuneration options, with support from the LGA Workforce service.	LGA has produced a package of resources to support councils in making the most of recruitment and remuneration options. The LGA’s Apprenticeship Pathways programme included a specific session on finance and accounting in Spring 2025: Apprenticeship Pathways - Apprenticeships Gateway - Knowledge Hub CIPFA engaged with the government on the recent change to the apprenticeship levy, and were successful in lobbying against a cap at 18 years old. The LGA and CIPFA recognise that the cap at 21 years old will have implications for the sector in recruiting finance apprentices. The LGA and CIPFA are working with councils to plan ahead for these changes which will be in place from April 2026.
Finance managers to work with HR leads and explore potential job description changes for staff being recruited into accountants, internal audit and business partners that may help to attract more candidates, with help from CIPFA.	LGA held skills shortages workshop on finance in January 2025 (Talent Transformation – Future Proofing Your Workforce: 14 and 15 January 2025). 40 councils attended. This workshop discussed ideas such as JD adaptations. CIPFA’s key competencies resource brings together the full range of knowledge, skills and approaches which are required by public finance practitioners. This could be used by HR leads to ensure job descriptions remain relevant, while attracting a wider pool of candidates.
Promote the LGA’s Impact (formally NGDP) Finance Graduate Scheme and attract new recruits for the scheme in 2025.	The Impact Finance Stream was developed in collaboration with the Society of London Treasurers. Trainees are employed by councils and complete the CIPFA Level 7 Apprenticeship over four years, with additional learning, development, and networking opportunities provided by the LGA. Cohort 2 is expected to see 28 trainees starting with 12 councils in Autumn 2025. The programme is seen to have positive contribution to workforce diversity: last year, 64 per cent of trainees were from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds and 11 per cent identified as having a disability or being neurodiverse. The LGA recognise that the changes to the apprenticeship levy will have implications for councils recruiting trainees through the programme – the CIPFA qualification is currently funded via the levy. The LGA is considering options for expanding the programme outside of London, although affordability remains a key barrier.
Continue to monitor the changing state of local government finance resourcing for individual roles to inform the design of solutions to the problems that need addressing.	Local government capacity survey: Finance collected quantitative and qualitative finance workforce data highlighting challenges in recruiting, developing and retaining staff across all finance disciplines, and increasing pressures facing finance teams.

Theme 3: Developing our people

Recommendation	Deliverable
All authorities must have a training plan and associated budget. CIPFA, subject to agreement with stakeholders, will ensure that the relevant code will include these requirements at the next FM code review.	CIPFA will take action when the FM code is updated.
Review the training needs and the training provision for those roles within the local government finance profession with acute resourcing difficulties – both in terms of scale of provision and contents of the curriculum. It will involve considering options to redesign and deliver new training and qualification solutions and applying the necessary changes.	CIPFA will take action when the qualification is updated. Information will be shared with education colleagues.
Provide opportunities for managers and team leaders to have more training in people management and talent management, to deal with the changing work culture (mirroring the One NHS finance model).	CIPFA’s ‘Introduction to Managing Others’ course aims to help individuals develop in their role as manager, and to lead with confidence and purpose: Introduction to Managing Others

Theme 4: Creating the right environment

Creating the right environment
Recommendation	Deliverable
Finance teams should have a workforce plan which reflects good practice that is led and promoted by the CFO but is owned and bought into by the whole team.	CIPFA promotes good examples of workforce plans through regional finance networks. From September 2025, the LGA will be delivering a Workforce Planning programme for 30 council finance teams. Participants will benefit from shared practices, peer-to-peer learning, and access to a wealth of resources including guides, tools, and templates.
Finance teams need to make sure all their staff have an annual opportunity to discuss and review their career plans (to whatever degree appropriate) and to update their CPD programme.	CIPFA requires all CIPFA members to have 20 CPD hours over 12 months.