Recommendation 20

The Government must reconsider its plan to combine the local audit system leader with the new audit regulator, ARGA. Specifically, the Government must, in coordination with the FRC, which currently has shadow system leader responsibility, introduce legislation to create a new body to manage, oversee and regulate local audit in line with the recommendations put forward by the Redmond Review. The new body must be sponsored by, and directly accountable to, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. The legislation to establish this body should be introduced as soon as possible in the 2023–24 session of Parliament.