Issue - meetings

This report sets out proposals for appointing the external auditor to the Council for the accounts for the five-year period from 2023/24.

The Committee received a report setting out proposals for appointing the external auditor to the Council for the accounts for the five-year period from 2023/24.

The Committee received a verbal introduction from the Chief Accountant. 

The following matters were raised by the Committee:

a)            The possibility of “keeping both options open”.  It was confirmed that a firm decision on the chosen option is needed to be taken by March 2022 in order to meet the deadline of Public Sector Audit Appointments Ltd (PSAA).

b)            The advice of the LGA: this advice is overwhelmingly in favour of the national procurement scheme.

c)            There are a number of audit firms expected to bid for audit contracts through the government-appointed organisation (the PSAA). If a firm was appointed to perform the EEBC audit, and Council did not agree with the appointment, it should be possible to indicate as such, however reasons would have to be given.

d)            The issue of the audit fees:  It was confirmed that by opting-in to the national PSAA-led procurement exercise, audit contracts and fees would be determined through a competitive tendering process that benefits from national economies of scale, which ought to achieve best value for money for individual Councils.

Following consideration, it was resolved to:

(1)          Recommend to the Strategy & Resources Committee, and then to Full Council, that the Council accepts Public Sector Audit Appointments’ invitation to opt into the sector-led option for the appointment of external auditors to principal local government bodies for five financial years from 1 April 2023.