Issue - meetings

At its meeting on 23 January 2017 the Joint Audit and Governance Committee considered a report on the approach the council will follow in appointing its external auditors.

The report of the head of finance, which the Joint Audit and Governance Committee, considered on 23 January 2017, is attached.

RECOMMENDATION:

To opt in to the appointing person arrangements made by Public Sector Audit Appointments (PSAA) for the appointment of external auditors.

At its meeting on 23 January 2017 the Joint Audit and Governance Committee considered a report on appointing external auditors and recommended that Council opt in to the appointing person arrangements made by Public Sector Audit Appointments for the appointment of external auditors. 

RESOLVED: to opt in to the appointing person arrangements made by Public Sector Audit Appointments for the appointment of external auditors.

To consider the head of finance’s report (attached).

The committee considered the head of finance’s report regarding the future appointment of external auditors by both councils.

For the audit of the 2018/19 accounts it would be necessary for authorities to either undertake their own procurements or to opt in to the appointed person regime.  Opting in meant that authorities confirm that they wish to use auditors who will be appointed to a panel by Public Sector Audit Appointments (PSAA) following a tender process which will be run by the PSAA and was expected to commence in March 2017. By asking authorities to confirm they wish to opt in, the PSAA will be able to assess the demand and tailor their tender process accordingly with the intention of securing economies of scale.

The main advantages of using PSAA were set out in the report. The date by which authorities need to opt in to the appointing person arrangements was 9 March 2017.

RECOMMENDED: to South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse Councils to opt in to the appointing person arrangements made by Public Sector Audit Appointments for the appointment of external auditors.