The Yorkshire and Humber region will soon be bidding a fond farewell to executive John Butler.
John has been an active CIPFA member for 55 years both nationally and regionally. He has announced that at the upcoming Yorkshire and Humber AGM, he will not be running again for his Regional Executive Committee role. The region would like to thank John for his dedication and commitment during his many years of service.
And a few words from John
My CIPFA journey started in April 1960 at the age of 16 in the borough treasurer’s department at Beckenham Borough Council.
The borough treasurer was James Scougal, who had been the President of the Institute of Municipal Treasurers and Accountants (IMTA) in 1949. He retired a few months after my arrival and was succeeded by Tom Sowerby, who went on to be the IMTA President in 1973. It is not surprising that I was encouraged to study for the IMTA, and I enrolled for an Alban & Lamb correspondence course (no college courses then) and became a regular attendee at the local IMTA students’ society meetings.
Six years and three local authorities later, I passed the final examination and was admitted as an associate member of the IMTA.
The following summarises the CIPFA milestones on my journey from then until the present day:
- 1967–1974: Committee member and treasurer of IMTA South East associates section
- 1967–1979: Treasurer of the annual IMTA/CIPFA South East region summer school at Reading University
- 1970–1974: Secretary of Joint Committee of IMTA associates sections
- 1974: IMTA became CIPFA
- 1974–1979: Committee member and treasurer of CIPFA South East region
- 1979–1995: Council member of CIPFA South Wales and West of England region (including President in 1988/89)
- 1989–1994: Committee member of CIPFA South Wales and West of England students’ society (including President in 1992/93)
- 1994–2009: CIPFA Council member
- 1995–2022: Council member of CIPFA Yorkshire and Humber region (formerly North East region)
- 2006–2008: Member of Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies (CCAB)
- 2007–2008: CIPFA National President and Council chairman
- 2008–2009: Board member of Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW)
- 2009–2011: Chairman of CIPFA Nomination Committee
- 2012–2016: Founder and chairman/secretary of CIPFA Yorkshire and Humber region retired members’ group
As you can see, CIPFA has been a major part of my life for the past 62 years, and I shall miss no longer being involved, but it is time that I moved on. However, it would be remiss of me if I did not give my grateful thanks to past and present Council members of the Yorkshire and Humber region for their unstinting friendship and support in the last 27 years, and I wish the region continued success in the years to come as I watch from the sidelines.