SMALLER chartered accountancy firms in the Thames Valley are being urged to train new recruits.

SMALLER chartered accountancy firms in the Thames Valley are being urged to train new recruits.

Graham Ward, president of the Thames Valley Society of Chartered Accountants, told guests at its annual dinner that the new Association of Chartered Accountants professional qualification introduced in September made it easier for small firms to take up training.

Mr Ward told guests at the dinner in Oxford: 'The new ACA plays on our traditional strengths.

'It contains rigorous technical competences but the thrust is towards practical business case studies. It will produce well-rounded business professionals.'

He added that the professional must continue to be innovative in its response to changing business needs and developments in areas such as e-commerce.

The main speakers at the dinner, which included representatives from more than 30 chartered accountancy practices in the region, were Ian Hay Davison, former managing partner at Arthur Andersen, and Sir Jeremy Hanley, former chairman of the Conservative Party.