AUDIT

Local audit reform: a strategy for overhauling the local audit system in England [England]

This strategy committed to a series of measures to fix the broken local audit system, including:

A local audit vision with eight core principles.

The establishment of a statutory and independent Local Audit Office (LAO), with five strategic responsibilities - coordinating the system, contract management, ownership of the Code of Audit Practice, quality oversight and reporting.

Mandating audit committees.

The government also consulted on a number of specific proposals as part of this strategy, including:

Potential additional functions of the new LAO.

Simplifying financial reporting requirements to ensure they are proportionate.

Improvements to enhance capacity and capability in the local audit sector, such as the introduction of public provision.

Strengthening the relationship between local bodies and their auditor.

Reforming the audit regime.

The paper could be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/local-audit-reform-a-strategy-for-overhauling-the-local-audit-system-in-england/local-audit-reform-a-strategy-for-overhauling-the-local-audit-system-in-england

Closing date for responses was 29 January 2025.

The IRRV response can be found at https://www.irrv.net/documents/weblinks/2025/1/IRRV_Response_Consultation_Audit_Reform.pdf. 

Government response was added on 9 April 2025 and can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/local-audit-reform-a-strategy-for-overhauling-the-local-audit-system-in-england#full-publication-update-history. 

BENEFITS

Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper [Great Britian]

This consultation sets out plans and proposals to reform health and disability benefits and employment support. This Green Paper is an important staging post on a journey of reform, building on the vision and approach set out in the Get Britain Working White Paper in Nov