Audit
At the sharp end of Scottish scrutiny
The chair of Scotland’s public spending watchdog for councils steps down this month. Graham Sharp talks to Ann McGauran about his legacy and says the challenges have never been greater.
South Ribble chief executive resigns
South Ribble BC’s chief executive has resigned after a year on ‘special leave’.
Fresh league table fears
The prospect of council performance being ranked in a league table has been raised again this week.
Watchdog urges faster improvement at Argyll and Bute
The council has been told it must ‘significantly increase’ the pace of improvement by the Accounts Commission.
Grant Thornton most likely to suggest extra audit fees, survey finds
Grant Thornton is the firm most likely to have proposed an additional audit fee, a survey of finance directors has found.
Audit scale fees frozen
Audit scale fees for 2020/21 have been frozen though there could still be rises for individual councils ahead.
KPMG criticised for rejecting Northamptonshire public interest report pressure
Northamptonshire CC’s commissioners have criticised the council’s former auditors for deciding not to issue a rare public interest report.
Make councils account for extreme investments
Local government needs a new way to hold councils to account when they are making ‘extreme’ investments, finance expert Rob Whiteman has claimed.
Jenrick urges councils not to delay on coronavirus spending
Local government secretary Robert Jenrick this week urged council leaders not to put off decisions because of money in their response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Local government audit deadline extended
The deadline for local government financial audits has been pushed back by two months.
Interactive map to be created for council audits
The National Audit Office (NAO) is working on creating an interactive map helping members of the public find out the outcome of their council’s audit.
Districts call for 'more robust' audit procurement
District councils have called for a ‘more robust procurement process’ as an increasing number of auditors shift away from their tendered prices.
Sustainability of 'Cinderella' audit market hard to achieve - review
The sustainability of the ‘Cinderella’ local government audit market will be ‘difficult to achieve,’ an independent review has warned.
Government advisers to be sent into council
The Welsh Government will send specialist advisers to Merthyr Tydfil CBC after a review found a ‘debilitating lack of capacity and resilience’ throughout the council.
Calls for local audit to be decoupled from system governing companies
Calls are mounting for the regulatory framework for local audit to be decoupled from the system governing companies.
Redmond to consider audit deadline change
Sir Tony Redmond will consider whether to change the current publication deadline for accounts as part of his independent review for the Government, ministers have confirmed.
Audit firms look overseas amid shortage
Audit firms are having to resort to recruiting overseas to fill public sector vacancies because of low levels of interest within the UK.
Call for new audit board
An independent review has been urged to back the creation of a board to oversee the local audit system.
Jenrick comes under pressure to extend audit deadline
Local government secretary Robert Jenrick is coming under pressure to extend the deadline for council audits to be completed.
Chief executive criticised by cross-party working group
One of Norfolk’s longest serving chief executives should have had a stronger hold over a project to build an innovation centre, a cross-party working group has found.
