Issue - meetings

This report summarises the changes to the arrangements for appointing External Auditors following the closure of the Audit Commission and the end of the transitional arrangements at the conclusion of the 2017/18 audits.  The Council will need to consider the options available and put in place new arrangements in time to make a first appointment by 31 December 2017.

The Committee agreed:

(1)          the approach of supporting the Local Government Association (LGA) in setting up a national Sector Led Body by indicating the intention to “opt-in”;

(2)          to receive a further report on the preferred option during December/January 2017.

A report was presented to the Committee which summarised the changes to the arrangements for appointing External Auditors following the closure of the Audit Commission and the end of transitional arrangements following the 2017/18 audits.  The Council needed to consider the options available and put in place new arrangements in time to make a first appointment by 31 December 2017.

The report set out three options for the future appointment of External Auditors and the advantages/disadvantages of each one.  These options were:

·                     To make a stand-alone appointment

·                     Set up a Joint Auditor Panel/local joint procurement arrangements

·                     Opt-in to a sector led body

Officers recommended the option of opting-in to a national Sector Led Body. This option provided the maximum opportunity to limit the extent of any increases in costs to the Council by entering into a large scale collective procurement arrangement and would remove the costs of establishing an audit panel. 

Accordingly, the Committee agreed:

(1)          the approach of supporting the Local Government Association (LGA) in setting up a national Sector Led Body by indicating the intention to “opt-in”;

(2)          to receive a further report on the preferred option during December/January 2017.