You could be forgiven for thinking this was not news, but on 31 March, in a couple of weeks time, the Audit Commission will finally be abolished. It has been winding down for a number of years now, but come 1 April, it will legally (and in every other sense) cease to exist, and is not being replaced.

A further period of transition will begin, which will culminate in the new local audit regime brought in by the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 (LAAA 2014) being fully implemented in 2017. These changes have significant implications for local authorities (and some other bodies), local government auditors, and local government electors.

Some of the Commission’s functions are being transferred to various bodies, whilst others will disappear altogether. A company set up by the Local Government Association, Public Sector Audit Appointments Limited, will manage the appointment of auditors (including setting fees), until the new regime comes fully into force in 2017, after which audited bodies will appoint their own auditors.