The best and brightest in society

[Feedback]

I'm not sure what you're trying to say. Cipfa is a specialised qualification for those working for the public sector or providing assurance services to the public sector. It's not much use outside of that.

Do you think that all of the 14,000+ accountants working in the public sector are lazy, talentless, imbecilic jobsworths?

http://www.cipfa.org/about-cipfa

I also noticed that none ever worked beyond 5 o clock which was quite novel and twee.

[Eric Cartman]

I'm not sure what you're trying to say. Cipfa is a specialised qualification for those working for the public sector or providing assurance services to the public sector. It's not much use outside of that.

Do you think that all of the 14,000+ accountants working in the public sector are lazy, talentless, imbecilic jobsworths?

http://www.cipfa.org/about-cipfa

Welll?

Posted at...

[blue sky]

I'm not sure what you're trying to say. Cipfa is a specialised qualification for those working for the public sector or providing assurance services to the public sector. It's not much use outside of that.

That's crap I'm afraid. I know a number of cipfa accountants who have transferred easily into the private sector

I'm sure you do. the number of cipfa in industry or practice is remarkably small compared to the overall number.

Mr Blue Sky has alluded to 14,000 CIPFA members, the vast majority will work in the public sector.

And what is your response to these questions?

[blue sky]

I'm not sure what you're trying to say. Cipfa is a specialised qualification for those working for the public sector or providing assurance services to the public sector. It's not much use outside of that.

Do you think that all of the 14,000+ accountants working in the public sector are lazy, talentless, imbecilic jobsworths?

http://www.cipfa.org/about-cipfa

Welll?

So would you lump these accountants in with your scathing appraisal of public sector workers?

[Feedback]

I'm not sure what you're trying to say. Cipfa is a specialised qualification for those working for the public sector or providing assurance services to the public sector. It's not much use outside of that.

Do you think that all of the 14,000+ accountants working in the public sector are lazy, talentless, imbecilic jobsworths?

http://www.cipfa.org/about-cipfa

Welll?

I've answered elsewhere but let me repeat what I've already said. Having had experience of public sector accountants my opinion of them is technically ok but commercially naive.

[Feedback]

I'm not sure what you're trying to say. Cipfa is a specialised qualification for those working for the public sector or providing assurance services to the public sector. It's not much use outside of that.

Do you think that all of the 14,000+ accountants working in the public sector are lazy, talentless, imbecilic jobsworths?

http://www.cipfa.org/about-cipfa

Welll?

I've answered elsewhere but let me repeat what I've already said. Having had experience of public sector accountants my opinion of them is technically ok but commercially naive.

my issue is with the slow to respond public sector and not the people who work for it.

[Feedback]

But don't all accountants, in a sense, work for the state ?

accountants provide plenty of services that aren't related to tax. however, if you want to look at it like that, we provide a free service to the state ensuring that HMRC's work in collecting taxes is much reduced. without accountants, the UK tax system would fall over.

Aren't accountants legally compelled to report suspicious activity to the state?

as is everyone is society involved in handling money.

that's because the UK is a smart place to do business, and accountants drive forward business.

[TH63]

I'm not sure what you're trying to say. Cipfa is a specialised qualification for those working for the public sector or providing assurance services to the public sector. It's not much use outside of that.

That's crap I'm afraid. I know a number of cipfa accountants who have transferred easily into the private sector

I'm sure you do. the number of cipfa in industry or practice is remarkably small compared to the overall number.

You were wrong, clearly.

[Feedback]

I'm not sure what you're trying to say. Cipfa is a specialised qualification for those working for the public sector or providing assurance services to the public sector. It's not much use outside of that.

That's crap I'm afraid. I know a number of cipfa accountants who have transferred easily into the private sector

I'm sure you do. the number of cipfa in industry or practice is remarkably small compared to the overall number.

Mr Blue Sky has alluded to 14,000 CIPFA members, the vast majority will work in the public sector.

there is a lot of crossover when studying the various accountancy qualifications and generally one will give you a technical understanding of what accountancy is and each of the various chartered qualifications will specialise in certain aspects of what accountants do. in that respect the aspects of cipfa that differ from the others won't be much use to you away from public sector finance in the same way an audit/IP qualification won't be much use to you in industry

[blue sky]

But don't all accountants, in a sense, work for the state ?

accountants provide plenty of services that aren't related to tax. however, if you want to look at it like that, we provide a free service to the state ensuring that HMRC's work in collecting taxes is much reduced. without accountants, the UK tax system would fall over.

Aren't accountants legally compelled to report suspicious activity to the state?

as is everyone is society involved in handling money.

Without the HMRC and its complex rules, why would we need accountants?

Maybe accountants are a huge drag on our economy... what wealth do they actually produce? What value do they add?

[blue sky]

I'm not sure what you're trying to say. Cipfa is a specialised qualification for those working for the public sector or providing assurance services to the public sector. It's not much use outside of that.

Do you think that all of the 14,000+ accountants working in the public sector are lazy, talentless, imbecilic jobsworths?

http://www.cipfa.org/about-cipfa

Welll?

I've answered elsewhere but let me repeat what I've already said. Having had experience of public sector accountants my opinion of them is technically ok but commercially naive.

I also noticed that none ever worked beyond 5 o clock which was quite novel and twee.

You really are brimming over with faeces.

[Elwood Blues]

I'm not sure what you're trying to say. Cipfa is a specialised qualification for those working for the public sector or providing assurance services to the public sector. It's not much use outside of that.

Do you think that all of the 14,000+ accountants working in the public sector are lazy, talentless, imbecilic jobsworths?

http://www.cipfa.org/about-cipfa

Welll?

I've answered elsewhere but let me repeat what I've already said. Having had experience of public sector accountants my opinion of them is technically ok but commercially naive.

I also noticed that none ever worked beyond 5 o clock which was quite novel and twee.

So would you lump these accountants in with your scathing appraisal of public sector workers?

I'm sure it has improved since my years in thus civil service, but from what I have read over the years,I would guess there is still much which can be changed.

[Feedback]

I'm not sure what you're trying to say. Cipfa is a specialised qualification for those working for the public sector or providing assurance services to the public sector. It's not much use outside of that.

Do you think that all of the 14,000+ accountants working in the public sector are lazy, talentless, imbecilic jobsworths?

http://www.cipfa.org/about-cipfa

Welll?

I've answered elsewhere but let me repeat what I've already said. Having had experience of public sector accountants my opinion of them is technically ok but commercially naive.

I also noticed that none ever worked beyond 5 o clock which was quite novel and twee.

So would you lump these accountants in with your scathing appraisal of public sector workers?

You miss the point but Elwood has got it. It's not the workers that are the problem, it's the job they do and the rules and procedures that have to be followed

[blue sky]

I'm not sure what you're trying to say. Cipfa is a specialised qualification for those working for the public sector or providing assurance services to the public sector. It's not much use outside of that.

Do you think that all of the 14,000+ accountants working in the public sector are lazy, talentless, imbecilic jobsworths?

http://www.cipfa.org/about-cipfa

Welll?

I've answered elsewhere but let me repeat what I've already said. Having had experience of public sector accountants my opinion of them is technically ok but commercially naive.

I also noticed that none ever worked beyond 5 o clock which was quite novel and twee.

So would you lump these accountants in with your scathing appraisal of public sector workers?

my issue is with the slow to respond public sector and not the people who work for it.

So who makes those rules - skynet?

[Elwood Blues]

I'm not sure what you're trying to say. Cipfa is a specialised qualification for those working for the public sector or providing assurance services to the public sector. It's not much use outside of that.

Do you think that all of the 14,000+ accountants working in the public sector are lazy, talentless, imbecilic jobsworths?

http://www.cipfa.org/about-cipfa

Welll?

I've answered elsewhere but let me repeat what I've already said. Having had experience of public sector accountants my opinion of them is technically ok but commercially naive.

I also noticed that none ever worked beyond 5 o clock which was quite novel and twee.

So would you lump these accountants in with your scathing appraisal of public sector workers?

my issue is with the slow to respond public sector and not the people who work for it.

What a SWERVE! There is no public sector apart from the people who work there!

I understand perfectly thank you.

[Feedback]

Massive swerve! I don't think that EB has read this whole car crash of a thread and understood the nuances of my questions.

the public sector are the operational arm of the government and can only act within the law and as defined by law. The issue is often the law is inflexible and as a result the public sector worker is limited in their flexibility.

[blue sky]

The question I am asking is how do we attract the best to the uk public sector so that it can start delivering quality services that we all deserve rather than placing focus on ensuring every little piece of paper work is completed even if it's to the detriment of the end result.

So are the accountants working in the public sector not the best, in your opinion?

[the other bob wilson]

I think you're trying to provoke a reaction here to be honest, but you can hardly blame today's students, who exit university with crippling student loans to pay off, chasing the most money that they can get. It just happens that the financial services sector pay the most. If the Public sector paid anything like an international bank, we'd be fighting graduates off with a stick.

You got to the heart of the matter three days ago and they're still going at it .

[Feedback]

The question I am asking is how do we attract the best to the uk public sector so that it can start delivering quality services that we all deserve rather than placing focus on ensuring every little piece of paper work is completed even if it's to the detriment of the end result.

So are the accountants working in the public sector not the best, in your opinion?

they are the best at accounting for public finance. for anything else, I'd say they're probably not the best.

[archibald leitch]

The question I am asking is how do we attract the best to the uk public sector so that it can start delivering quality services that we all deserve rather than placing focus on ensuring every little piece of paper work is completed even if it's to the detriment of the end result.

So are the accountants working in the public sector not the best, in your opinion?

they are the best at accounting for public finance. for anything else, I'd say they're probably not the best.

A very sweeping generalisation about thousands of people you know **** all about. Not really surprised though.

[TH63]

I think you're trying to provoke a reaction here to be honest, but you can hardly blame today's students, who exit university with crippling student loans to pay off, chasing the most money that they can get. It just happens that the financial services sector pay the most. If the Public sector paid anything like an international bank, we'd be fighting graduates off with a stick.

I believe people choose the fire/police/medical/HE sectors because they do and can make a real difference, but clearly not many of us go to work for the fun of it, so of course salary comes into it.

It's like walking into a pub and the only people there are the same old drunks gathered at the bar blathering on, so you try to slip out unnoticed and go next door instead.

[Feedback]

The question I am asking is how do we attract the best to the uk public sector so that it can start delivering quality services that we all deserve rather than placing focus on ensuring every little piece of paper work is completed even if it's to the detriment of the end result.

So are the accountants working in the public sector not the best, in your opinion?

they are the best at accounting for public finance. for anything else, I'd say they're probably not the best.

A very sweeping generalisation about thousands of people you know **** all about. Not really surprised though.

you really are so precious about these things. I'd have absolutely no problem with anyone making a sweeping generalisation that accountants from industry wouldn't be the best people to run public finance departments. do you know why that is? Because I understand that by and large, the best people to run public finance departments will be those who have experience in public finance accounting.

[TH63]

'As an accountant, public finance is the most challenging,
stimulating and rewarding environment that you could ever find
yourself working in. No private sector company even comes close
to the size and impact that finance has on the public service.
So if you can make the grade in the public sector, you can do
so*anywhere.'
Tom Taylor, CPFA, Director, Finance and Performance, DEFRA

'CIPFA doesn't limit you to the public sector. I have worked for
both private and public sector organisations transferring with
ease. What CIPFA does is give you a unique specialism in public
finance and this has enabled me to work in diverse roles for an
accountancy firm, government agency, a housing association
and now the City of London Corporation.'
Suzanne Jones, CPFA, Business Support Director, Chamberlain's Department,
the City of London Corporation

[Feedback]

'As an accountant, public finance is the most challenging,

this is my profession, but what do I know?

[Feedback]

'As an accountant, public finance is the most challenging,

stimulating and rewarding environment that you could ever find

ICAEW, CIMA then ACCA