The job of the local authority chief finance officer is evolving into a far more varied role, according to their official body.

Chris Bilsland, chair of the CIPFA local government policy panel, told a CIPFA conference organisations were looking for CFOs who would be leaders of the future.

‘We need people who can make opportunities happen, and develop other people to their best potential alongside all the statutory responsibilities, including financial management and administration and treasury management,' he said.

He also urged the Audit Commission to become involved with changing the role of the CFO.

Mr Bilsland told the conference the commission was not doing enough and needed to be focusing on where, in an organisation, the CFO was sitting.

‘Organisations should only be scoring four out of four if the CFO is at the top of the organisation and is influencing decisions,' he said.

‘We must all be clear that to have a world-class financial organisation, there needs to be in place a world-class finance officer.'