John Ashurst Email & Phone Number

Preston, United Kingdom

My latest position is within County Treasurer's Directorate. Specifically, it involves the budget setting, monitoring, forecasting and reporting of a £100M+ Pooled Budget for Adults with Learning Disabilities, between Lancashire County Council and the eight Clinical Commissioning Groups within Lancashire. I work with senior Finance colleagues, from both organisations, to provide timely, accurate data on this high risk area of the County Council's expenditure. This involves the preparation of the budgets, forecasts and variance analysis. I hold monthly forecast reviews with my budget holders to ensure timely action can be taken should variances show unexpected pressures.I also work closely with Learning Disability Service Providers, ensuring service payments are accurate and any contracts are financially on target. I have built up an excellent working relationship with all colleagues from a wide variety of disciplines, including Directots of Finance, Contracts Officers, Solicitors, Providers and Commissioners. This role has provided me with an extremely useful background in a number of professions.

Working within a Combined Finance Team providing a holistic financial service and strategic advice to a range of officers including commissioners, service providers from LCC and Primary Care Trusts. I was heavily involved in the tendering of a large in house PCT provider services contract, working closely with health professionals of differing disciplines to ensure a smooth transition to new providers. I was responsible for compiling and presenting finance monitoring reports to Directors of Finance and Health Professionals.

This role involved the management of three members of staff. The team were responsible for the submission of feeder file data and subsequent production of reports and various update reconciliations of the Authority's Financial Management Information System. I also assisted in the development of a user interface, all of which needed in depth training for end users.Excellent communication skills were necessary to engage with users and to promote the benefits of the new online system.

Working in a team responsible for the implementation and maintenance of a new Financial Accounting System. This involved the development of a user interface, training end users and ongoing maintenance/development of the system. I found this role extremely rewarding to move officers to a new and dynamic on line accounting system.