Page 4 - Local Audit News Today

Local government.

Grant Thornton recently issued statutory recommendations to Slough Council after finding that:  the finance team had insufficient skills or capacity to produce financial statements or working papers of a reasonable quality; reserves had fallen to an unsustainably low level; and,  the council had inadequate governance arrangements over subsidiary and joint venture companies.  Section 24 of the Local Audit and Accountability Act gives local authority auditors the power to issue written reco...

Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government Government publishes update to audit review response Further measures to help ensure taxpayers get value for money by improving the effectiveness and transparency of local government audit. New powers for Audit, Reporting and Governance Authority on local government audit Public Sector Audit Appointments is reconfirmed as appointing body for audit procurement and contract management Government update addresses all independent recommendation...

A new regulator to replace the Financial Reporting Council (FRC), overseeing public and private sector auditing practices nationwide will be strengthened with powers over local government audit, the government announced today. The new regulator, the Audit, Reporting and Governance Authority (ARGA), will contain a standalone local audit unit bringing all regulatory functions into one place to coordinate what the government described as a "new, simplified local audit framework". The Ministry of H...

Government publishes update to audit review response Further measures to help ensure taxpayers get value for money by improving the effectiveness and transparency of local government audit. From: New powers for Audit, Reporting and Governance Authority on local government audit Public Sector Audit Appointments is reconfirmed as appointing body for audit procurement and contract management Government update addresses all independent recommendations into local audit Further measures to hel...

Mazars says the termination settlement paid to York’s former chief executive was “arguably unlawful”, while also criticising how the council dealt with conflicts of interest. Mazars recently issued a public interest report on payments made by the City of York Council on the termination of employment of its former chief executive, raising concerns about governance, conflicts of interest, record keeping and a failure to follow due process. York held a public meeting on 4 Ma...

Members of the Conservative party claim the borough council’s net debt stands at £83 million, which has appeared in Facebook adverts and leaflets for UllaKarin Clark, their candidate for Emmbrook. The material states: “The independent auditor [Ernst & Young] says our net debt is £83 million against £1.3 billion in assets. Do you believe them or the Liberal Democrats trying to win your vote?” Ernst & Young [EY] are the council’s officially appointed auditors. The Liberal Demo...

Whitehall claims about the key Redmond Review recommendation do not cut the mustard, writes the assistant director of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance & Accountancy. “I help to support the establishments I have mentioned--they cost enough; and those who are badly off must go there” – Ebenezer Scrooge I think it’s safe to say that the final announcements to come out of the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government for 2020 were a bit of a mixed bag. Despite the heroic ...

Details This response to the Redmond Review, prepared by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, forms part of the department’s post-legislative scrutiny assessment of parts 1 to 5 of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 which received Royal Assent on 30 January 2014. The department’s review of the non-audit related elements of the 2014 Act will be published separately. Published 17 December 2020

Government publishes response to audit review Response to review into the effectiveness of local audit published. From: Government commits to measures that will help councils improve transparency and accountability An additional £15 million for councils to help them deliver the recommendations The government has published its response to the independent review into the effectiveness of local audit which was carried out by Sir Tony Redmond earlier this year. The review, launched in July 201...