Finance Directorate
Finance Directorate (FD) ensures that the CPS makes the best use of its resources and that the Department's financial planning, risk management and performance management arrangements help the CPS achieve its aims and objectives. FD is also responsible for ensuring that the Department's accounting and financial reporting obligations are met.
FD's responsibilities are to:
- develop and manage the CPS's financial planning, risk and management framework;
- advise the CPS Board on budget allocations, setting budgets for HQ Directorates and Areas;
- deal with procurement and estates business;
- support the delivery of government objectives and work with the Law Officers' Departments and other criminal justice partners to enable the CPS to achieve its priorities; and
- manage the finance system, budgetary and expenditure control and paying all invoices, counsel fees, witness expenses and travel and subsistence expenses.
FD Structure
The Directorate, led by Director of Finance Paul Staff, is organised into four divisions:
- Business Support Division (BSD);
- Financial Accounting and Systems Division (FASD);
- Strategic Finance Division (SFD); and
- Procurement and Estates Division (PED).
And one business centre:
- National Finance Business Centre (sits within FASD).
Internal Audit is a separate and independent function that also sits within FD but reports directly to the Chief Executive.
Business Support Division
The role of BSD, headed by Peter Kelly, is to:
- allocate budgets to HQ and Areas;
- monitor and report on the financial performance of HQ and Areas;
- deploy financial management arrangements that support both HQ and Areas, so that collectively they deliver outturn spend within budget; and
- provide support and guidance to HQ and Areas to improve their reporting and performance.
Financial Accounting and Systems Division
The role of FASD, headed by Justin Freebairn, is to:
- ensure CPS expenditure and income is properly managed and accounted for in line with HM Treasury requirements;
- work with other parts of CPS HQ, the Attorney General's Office and criminal justice departments to produce effective submissions for the Comprehensive Spending Review process; and
- improve financial awareness and ability throughout the CPS.
National Finance Business Centre
The role of NFBC, which sits within FASD, is to:
- deliver a high quality, efficient payment service on behalf of the CPS;
- effectively administer payments on behalf of the organisation; and
- work in partnership with the wider CPS community and other key stakeholders.
Strategic Finance Division
The role of SFD, headed by Helen Smith, is to:
- support the CPS's change and reform programme;
- improve efficiency to enable the business to deliver with reducing resources;
- produce financial reports for the CPS Board and Audit Committee; and
- provide financial training and support to financial and non-financial managers.
Procurement and Estates Division
The role of PED, headed by Mark Williams, is to:
- contribute to the efficient and effective performance of CPS business by ensuring value for money in procurement and commercial activities;
- promote compliance with current UK/EC legislation, Government Accounting and good commercial practice;
- drive efficiency savings through greater use of e-procurement & professionalism of the procurement function;
- provide and maintain CPS offices;
- lead CPS and the Law Officers' Departments in sustainable development;
- provide advice and guidance on health and safety issues; and
- lead the management of the Department's facilities and estates matters.
Further information on procurement in the CPS
Internal Audit
The role of IA, headed by Joe Mohan, is to:
- provide independent, objective assurance and consultancy to add value and improve operational practices;
- help the CPS accomplish its aims and objectives by bringing a systematic, disciplined approach to the evaluation and improvement of the effectiveness of risk management, control and governance processes; and
- provide support to the Audit Committee.
More information on the Audit Committee
