Press releases and statements
This section contains the Audit Commission’s press releases and statements since April 2012. Earlier information is available on the National Archive website (external link).
Audit Commission continues drive to reduce audit costs
The Audit Commission has today announced that it will retender audit contracts worth £25.2 million a year. The contracts currently held by audit firms were initially awarded in 2006 and 2007 and extended in 2010.
£1 billion of fraud, found!
The National Fraud Initiative (NFI), established in 1996, this week confirmed it has now helped identify over £1 billion potentially lost to fraud, overpayment or error, across the UK. The outcomes include the prevention and detection of 15,000 cases of pension overpayments worth £450 million and almost 100,000 cases of incorrect awarded council tax single person discounts, worth £160 million.
Audit firms PKF (UK) LLP and BDO LLP to merge
The partners of PKF (UK) LLP and BDO LLP have agreed a merger of the two firms, which will take effect on 28 March 2013. PKF currently has a contract with the Audit Commission to supply audit and related services until the end of the 2016/17 financial year in the Eastern and South East areas.
2013 electronic annual returns (eAR)
Electronic annual return forms for the year ended 31 March 2013 are now available. The forms are for use by local councils (parish and town councils and parish meetings) and internal drainage boards in England. Other small local public bodies in England preparing accounts subject to Audit Commission limited assurance audit may also use the eAR.
New Commissioners appointed to the Board
I am delighted to confirm that the Department for Communities and Local Government has appointed four new Commissioners to the Audit Commission’s Board: Councillor Adrian Collett; Nicola Scrivings; Andrea Sutcliffe; and Ruth Thompson.