Local Audit Office

Local Audit Office
Agency overview
TypeExecutive non-departmental public body
JurisdictionEngland
Parent department
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Websitehttps://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/local-audit-office

The Local Audit Office (LAO) is a planned statutory body of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government in the UK Government, to oversee the auditing of local government in England.

Background

The Labour government published a consultation on 18 December 2024 entitled Local audit reform: a strategy for overhauling the local audit system in England. The consultation paper proposed the creation of a new public body called the Local Audit Office. The reform was supported by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. Provisions to establish the LAO are found in part 4 of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026.

Operations

The LAO will be a statutory and independent arm’s-length body of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

The first chair was Bill Butler, former chair of the Public Sector Audit Appointments. The first Controller of Local Audit was Adrian Crompton, a former Auditor General for Wales, appointed on an interim basis.

See also

References

Citations

  1. ↑ Topham, Elliot (26 May 2026). "PSAA chair named top candidate for Local Audit Office". Local Government Chronicle. OCLC 64222139. Retrieved 1 June 2026.
  2. ↑ Weakley, Kirsty (9 April 2025). "Local Audit Office to 'oversee an inspection programme'". Local Government Chronicle. Archived from the original on 25 July 2025. Retrieved 2 August 2026.
  3. ↑ Sandford 2025, p. 29.
  4. ↑ Sandford 2025, p. 30.
  5. ↑ "Government paves way for much-needed Local Audit Office". Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. 11 July 2025. Archived from the original on 1 June 2026. Retrieved 1 June 2026.
  6. ↑ https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2026/23/part/4/enacted [bare URL]
  7. ↑ Sandford 2025, p. 31.
  8. ↑ Dunton, Jim (1 June 2026). "MHCLG reveals preferred candidate to chair Local Audit Office". Civil Service World. Retrieved 13 November 2026.
  9. ↑ Weakley, Kirsty (4 November 2026). "Interim head of Local Audit Office named". Local Government Chronicle. Retrieved 13 November 2026.

Bibliography