Chair Local Audit Office

Overview

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is seeking to appoint a Chair for the Local Audit Office. Appointment details – Local Audit Office - Chair – Apply for a public appointment –

Local public bodies are at the heart of our communities. They support democracy and help deliver vital public services. The local audit system covers a wide range of public sector bodies (including local authorities, police, fire and National Health Service bodies). An effective and efficient external audit system is vital to ensure transparency and accountability for billions of pounds of public funds.

This government is delivering a major overhaul of the local audit system by leading a reform programme to modernise a broken system that has faced complexity, fragmentation and capacity challenges. The scale of the problem has included the backlog of outstanding unaudited accounts, which led to a paralysis of local audit prior to this government’s action to tackle it. The problems in local government financial reporting and the backlog in unaudited accounts contributed to the Whole of Government Accounts disclaimer for 2022/23 and 2023/24, and a general loss of public accountability and trust in the system.

As part of the overhaul, we are launching the Local Audit Office. The Local Audit Office will play a critical role in delivering reforms, strengthening accountability, securing better value for money for taxpayers, and supporting long‑term economic growth. The Office will reduce complexity, improve coordination across the system, and improve capacity and capability. Its vision is to oversee and coordinate the auditing of local public bodies to promote effective, value for money and timely local audit, and to put the system back on a secure footing, rebuilding transparency, accountability and public trust.

Its development will be iterative, with functions evolving to fulfil its long‑term vision.

The Local Audit Office's role is particularly critical during the biggest reforms to local government in a generation. The government is undertaking a historic programme of local government reorganisation across England. By ending the two‑tier system, we will set up local government to help grow the economy with new homes and infrastructure, and invest in prevention to deliver better value for money for taxpayers.

The Office will oversee the quality and timeliness of financial reporting in local government, including bodies created through reorganisation, to embed the highest standards of transparency and accountability for taxpayers.

We are looking for a charismatic and influential leader with strong strategic leadership experience to oversee the establishment of the Local Audit Office. You will lead on the establishment and strategic development of the organisation after launch, while ensuring the broader programme of audit reform for local bodies (including rebuilding assurance after the backlog) is delivered to restore accountability, transparency, and public trust.

You will provide visible, public‑facing leadership for the Local Audit Office, and play a crucial role in its development through support, challenge and advice on both immediate delivery milestones and long‑term direction. You will influence a wide range of government and sector stakeholders, build consensus and navigate complex challenges. Through collaborative leadership across organisational boundaries, you will drive forward these critical reforms.

You will be at the heart of a bold and ambitious mission to transform the local audit system. This is an opportunity to make a real impact for communities and taxpayers. If you have the experience and skills we seek, we encourage you to apply. Full details of the role, responsibilities and commitments are set out in the document. We welcome candidates from a wide range of backgrounds, including those from ethnic minority backgrounds.

For questions about the role or application process, please contact Public App

• Leadership and governance
• Operational delivery
• Strategy and vision
• Engagement

• Local Audit. A strong interest in advancing the importance of…