Audit
Homelessness inquiry launched by NAO
The National Audit Office (NAO) has launched an inquiry into homelessness as the issue piles pressure on squeezed council budgets.
Councils lobby for reduced audit fees amid backstop plan
Fees for councils should be slashed if auditors are forced to give qualified opinions due to failing to meet the backstop deadline later this year, English councils have said.
Two-year Sandwell intervention to end
Local government minister Simon Hoare has today confirmed that Whitehall’s two-year intervention at Sandwell Council will end.
Watchdog warning over Moray's funding gap
Moray Council must act quickly to shore up its finances, Audit Scotland has warned.
Moving forward after failure
Ed Hammond considers the governance challenges facing members under section 114 and other models of oversight and the implications for member-officer relationships.
Lending rates could spike after audit reset, LGA warns
Proposals to reset the local audit system and clear the backlog of accounts could drive up the lending rates offered to the sector, councils have warned.
Audit Commission fears continue to haunt Oflog
A senior sector figure has expressed concerns about the Office for Local Government’s (Oflog) direction of travel.
Plymouth told to 'hold its nerve' on budget
Plymouth City Council’s budget for the forthcoming year hinges on a request to the Government for a capitalisation direction.
Oflog data explorer to cover all main sector services by mid-2025
The Office for Local Government’s data explorer will cover all the main services offered by the sector by the middle of next year, the watchdog has pledged.
Delay is the way
Diary waited with bated breath on deadline last week as Whitehall put the final touches to a consultation confirming its solution to the audit crisis.
Time for change: An early review for the Code of Audit Practice
Change is needed now to resolve the broader problems in the local audit market, and together with other organisations, the NAO has produced new proposals for a reset, says Mike Newbury.
Accountancy bodies move to offer dual membership
Two accountancy bodies are putting the ‘finishing touches’ to the registration process for an accelerated route to dual membership.
Consultation on audit reset proposals launched
Proposals to reset the local audit system and clear the backlog of accounts have been officially unveiled.
Statutory recommendations lifted at Sandwell
Auditors have lifted the three statutory recommendations in place at Sandwell MBC.
Audit 'backstops' could become permanent
‘Backstop’ dates designed to reset the local audit system could become a ‘permanent feature,’ the Government has admitted.
Officer-member relations ‘fractured’ at Wrexham
Issues in Wrexham CBC’s planning service mean it is hindered in fulfilling its role, an audit has found.
MPs ‘disturbed’ by state of local audit
MPs have been left ‘disturbed’ by the state of the local government audit system, top officials have been told.
Providing piecemeal offerings fails to fix the underlying causes
'As the public sector purse becomes tighter at a time when demand outstrips supply, a longer-term strategic style of service delivery emerges as a platform for reform', says Rob Whiteman.
Radical overhaul required to drag us into the 21st century
From central government and the NHS, to police, prisons and local government: the ‘state of the state’ is dire, says Heather Jameson. 'There are few quick fixes, but propping up the status quo is not an option.'
Auditor's 'significant concerns' over Dudley finances
Dudley MBC has received a withering verdict on its finances from external auditor Grant Thornton as it attempts to stave off a section 114 notice.