Public goods, public value and public audit: the Redmond review and English local government

IMPACT

There has been a growing recognition that the arrangements for local public audit and public assurance are no longer fit for purpose in England. Audit provides an essential part of all accountability arrangements, as it certifies financial propriety. English local governance now features an incomplete and fragmented landscape. This means that policy-makers and citizens only have limited oversight of local authorities’ operations and the extent to which they deliver value to the public. The government has accepted the Redmond Review’s recommendations and promised radical changes to the audit market, and the scope, functioning and transparency of local audit.

ABSTRACT

Following multiple critical reviews of local audit arrangements, the UK government is poised to improve public oversight of English council finances to try to identify and address risks as they emerge. This article traces the growing realization that previous audit arrangements were ineffective and suggest that the New Public Management-inspired approach of outsourcing, fragmentation and austerity increased these concerns. The authors highlight the enduring importance of public oversight of public spending in order to protect the delivery of public goods.

KEYWORDS:

• England
• financial resilience
• local government finance
• public audit
• public value
• Redmond review

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).