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

Abstract

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.