Recommendation 20

The Department confirmed that ARGA would be accountable to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.50 The Department explained that it would hold Accounting Officer responsibility for the local government role of ARGA and for all aspects of the local government audit and accountability system, including public interest reports which enable auditors to put into the public domain their concerns and recommendations for action on matters that come to their attention in their work.51 The Department added that it would need to work within the oversight arrangements for ARGA, to ensure that the interests of local government were properly reflected and represented.52 45 Qq 22, 23 evidence session of 20 May 2021 46 Q 6 evidence session of 20 May 2021, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Local authority financial reporting and external audit: Spring update, 19 May 2021, paragraph 77 47 Qq 6, 40 evidence session of 20 May 2021 48 Q 21 evidence session of 20 May 2021 49 Q 22 evidence session of 20 May 2021 50 Q 70 evidence session of 20 May 2021 51 Qq 25–27 evidence session of 20 May 2021 52 Q 23 evidence session of 20 May 2021 Local auditor reporting on local government in England 15 2 Stabilising the local authority audit market The crisis in the local authority audit market