CIFA's flagship annual conference
Why governance matters more than ever
TThe public sector is operating under extraordinary pressure. Years of financial constraint, rising demand, workforce shortages and increasing political volatility have created an environment where organisations are expected to deliver more with less – while maintaining public trust and confidence.
In these circumstances, good governance can sometimes be seen as a luxury: another process to navigate when time and resources are stretched. The reality is quite the opposite. Good governance is what helps organisations make better decisions under pressure, manage risk, maintain accountability and create the conditions for sustainable public services.
These themes will be at the heart of our discussion at Public Finance Live 2026 on 15 July at Olympia, London, where CfGS Chief Executive Mel Stevens joins Hamida Ali and Brian Roberts for a panel exploring a timely question: Can good governance hold the line?
Governance under pressure
When organisations are under strain, governance arrangements are often tested first. Financial pressures can narrow the focus to immediate operational concerns, while political uncertainty and public scrutiny create additional demands on leaders.
Yet these are precisely the circumstances where governance matters most.
Strong governance is not simply about constitutions, committees or compliance. It is about creating an environment where difficult decisions can be made transparently, challenge is welcomed rather than avoided, and organisations retain the confidence to think beyond the next crisis.
The new International Framework for Good Governance in the Public Sector, published this year by IFAC and CIPFA, reinforces this message, recognising governance as fundamental to the long-term sustainability of public services.
About the session
Public Sector Live brings together practitioners and leaders who have seen what happens when governance fails — and what it takes to prevent it. Chaired by Diana Melville, Governance Advisor at CIPFA, the panel will include Mel Stevens, Chief Executive of the Centre for Governance and Scrutiny, Hamida Ali, Head of Learning and Partnerships at The Future Governance Forum, who steered Croydon Council through a period of serious financial and governance turbulence as its elected Leader; Brian Roberts OBE, Former Finance Commissioner at Northamptonshire County Council, who has played a central role in three major government interventions, at Northamptonshire, Liverpool, and Croydon.
The panel will explore the warning signs of governance breakdown, the cultural conditions that allow problems to take root, and what it actually takes to build genuine buy-in to robust governance arrangements — not just among finance professionals, but across whole organisations.
On the panel
Mel Stevens
Hamida Ali
Brian Roberts
Why this matters now
In 2026, IFAC and CIPFA published a new International Framework for Good Governance in the Public Sector. But frameworks only go so far. As the session will examine, the real test of governance lies in culture, relationships, and the ability of professionals to speak plainly — even when the political environment makes that uncomfortable.
The panel will consider questions including: what erodes trust and collaboration within an organisation, how to foster a culture that allows for genuine internal challenge, how public finance professionals navigate the tension between political pressure and professional duty, and what messages public services need to hear — and give — as the sector looks ahead.
Join the conversation
The session takes place in the Transparency Theatre from 13.15–14.15 on Wednesday 15 July, and will include audience Q&A. Delegates can submit and upvote questions through the conference app.
If you are attending Public Finance Live 2026, we hope you’ll join us. It promises to be a frank, timely, and practical conversation — exactly the kind the sector needs.
Public Finance Live 2026 runs on 15–16 July at Olympia, London. Full programme: publicfinancelive.org/programme
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