An accountant for Kent Police has been singled out as a rising star in the public finance profession after scooping a top award.

Sonia Virdee, chief accountant for the force, was named Public Finance Future Leader of the Year at the Public Finance Awards in London this week.

The annual awards ceremony, run in association with the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA), celebrates the people, organisations and services that demonstrate excellence and originality in public finance from across the UK.

She was praised for her commitment to efficiency, her commercial know-how, and her transformation of the statements of accounts.

Her efficiency drive allowed Kent Police to seek savings and income generation opportunities to maximise the service the police can provide to the public.

Paul Curtis, chief finance officer for Kent Police, said: “Sonia is without doubt a future leader within financial services. Sonia is a pro-active, efficient and effective leader, consistently balancing heavy workloads whilst supporting and nurturing her staff. Sonia is an excellent problem solver and seeks to not only help her own department but to offer advice and provide solutions to the departments throughout the organisation."