The Board of the Audit Commission has appointed Gareth Davies as Managing Director of its Audit Practice. Gareth will lead the Commission's audit staff as they prepare to compete in an open market for local public audit, potentially as an employee-owned business.
On 13 August Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Eric Pickles announced the abolition of the Audit Commission, saying that: 'Audit functions will be moved to the private sector. Councils will be free to appoint their own, independent external auditors from a more competitive and open market.' Ministers have also expressed their interest in an employee-owned or mutual audit organisation emerging from the Commission to serve the new market.
Gareth, who has 23 years' experience of public audit, was the Commission's MD for Local Government, Housing and Community Safety since 2007. He starts work straight away on preparing the organisation for this major transition.
He says: 'I want to do the job because I believe strongly in the ethos and practice of local public audit and the value it has added to public services throughout the Commission's existence, and before that in the District Audit Service.'
He says: 'We want to ensure that councils, foundation trusts and other local public services are offered a distinctive alternative to the major audit firms. Our experience of competing successfully for foundation trust audits since 2005 shows that there is a strong demand for unrivalled specialist sector expertise at a competitive price.
In the meantime, audit staff will be focused on their current work. Gareth says: 'The top priority as always is delivering an excellent service to our clients for the rest of this audit year and the next. That's the single most effective investment in any future we might have.'
Notes to editors
- Before becoming MD for Local Government, Housing and Community Safety in 2007 Gareth Davies was Regional Director for the Audit Commission's Northern Region.
- Prior to this he was a District Auditor with a portfolio of audits in Yorkshire, including large local authorities and NHS bodies. His public audit career has also included assignments in London and the South East.
- In recent years he has led the Commission's work with local government, including the delivery of Comprehensive Performance Assessment and Comprehensive Area Assessment.
- Gareth is a CIPFA member. He is also a trustee and Honorary Treasurer of Oxfam GB, in which role he chairs the charity's Audit Committee.
For further information please contact:
Mark Nicholson
Media Relations Manager, Audit Commission
Millbank Tower, London SW1P 4HQ
Direct line 0844 798 2135 / 0207 166 2135
24hr Press line 0844 798 2128 Mobile 07813 038132
E-mail m-nicholson@audit-commission.gov.uk