More than 200 authorities have opted to join a new national scheme, which will negotiate auditors’ contracts on their behalf.
Following the closure of the Audit Commission in 2015, Public Sector Audit Appointments Ltd (PSAA) was set up by the Local Government Association to manage council auditing contracts.
Although councils will be free to negotiate their own contracts from April 2018, the LGA said the scheme provided a more cost effective option than each authority separately procuring their own external auditor.
‘Opting into the national scheme will avoid the need for authorities to expend time and resources on local appointments,’ said PSAA chairman Steve Freer.
‘It will avoid the need for hundreds of separate procurement exercises and will save time and costs which would otherwise be required to establish an Independent Auditor Panel.
‘This will deliver significant financial benefits to those who opt in.’
Councils have until 9 March 2017 to respond to the PSAA’s invitation to opt in.
