Following discussions, informed by the views collected from the membership, ICAEW Council confirmed on 10 December its support for progressing the proposal, subject to conditions being met as the detailed work continues.

ICAEW’s Council also delegated authority to the Chair of the ICAEW Board, Peter Wyman, and the Chief Executive, Alan Vallance, to take forward the work required to prepare the underlying agreements.

On the day, Vallance was joined by CIPFA CEO, Owen Mapley for the opening part of the meeting, where they outlined why the proposal matters and how closer alignment between ICAEW and CIPFA could help build a stronger, more resilient and more connected profession for the future.

Speaking about the proposals previously Vallance said: “The world in which members operate is changing rapidly, driven by technological change, new ways of working and rising expectations around transparency and trust. Closer alignment would strengthen the profession’s collective voice and provide a more resilient platform to support members and the public interest.”

Mapley said: “CIPFA has always been proud of the role its members play in supporting public services and the communities they serve. The proposals would allow us to retain our charter, brand and qualifications while benefiting from greater scale, reach and investment.”

On 10 December, ICAEW’s Council held open and confidential sessions in which members challenged and scrutinised the proposal in detail.

Following a constructive discussion, Council agreed that the work should move forward into the next phase, recognising that further due diligence, and the necessary regulatory and constitutional approvals, will be required.

A summary of the key themes raised through member engagement, along with updated FAQs and an outline of next steps, is now available on the ICAEW website as the work continues into the new year.