‘A failure of collective responsibility’ was the verdict of Max Caller’s report into Northamptonshire CC. Its historic issuing of two Section 114 notices, in combination with more recent delays to audit reporting across the sector, have called into question the ability of some councils to effectively manage their finances.

Government responded to this challenge with Sir Tony Redmond’s review into local audits. While the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) anticipates Sir Tony’s report in 2020 and will remain involved in its progress, action is needed now. Thankfully, CIPFA has been working on this issue for some time.