Audit
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.
Glasgow praised for delivering £500m equal pay claims
Scotland’s local authority watchdog has praised Glasgow City Council for successfully delivering a project to finance £500m in equal pay claims.
Northamptonshire commissioners warn of financial risks
The funding of children’s services poses a ‘significant risk’ to Northamptonshire CC and the viability of its successors, commissioners have warned.
Auditors in fees increase warning
Auditors have warned a number of councils that their audit fees for 2019/20 could be more than one-fifth higher than they were expecting.
Council acts after planning 'collusion'
‘Swift action’ has been taken by Northumberland Council’s senior management after ‘several persons in positions of authority and control’ appeared to ‘collude’ with a developer.
Watchdog concerns over sustainability and services at Highland Council
The Accounts Commission expects the council to ‘demonstrate improvement in the next 12 months’ by implementing a series of recommendations made by Audit Scotland.
Shining a strong light
The Local Government Association is about to launch a review of its peer challenge process. Paul Marinko asks whether the approach is robust enough to meet the demands of a tough financial climate.
'One-fifth of audit contracts should be put back out to tender'
The organisation responsible for appointing auditors should take away up to 20% of current contracts from existing suppliers and put them back out to tender, a top accountancy body has said.