Decision details

58.1     The Cabinet considered a report by the Chief Operating Officer

58.2     It was RESOLVED to recommend the County Council to:

1.             approve that the Council opts into the national scheme for the appointment of an External Auditor to the Council for 2018/19;

2.             approve the adoption of Public Sector Audit Appointments (PSAA) as the appointing persons for the Council; and

3.             approve the inclusion of a request for a collaborative auditor appointment with Orbis partners (Surrey County Council and Brighton & Hove City Council) in the prescribed acceptance form

Reason

58.3     Opting into the national scheme is one choice open to the Council. The PSAA have the support of the LGA, which has worked to secure the option for principal local government bodies to appoint auditors through a dedicated sector-led national procurement body. Appointing an External Auditor via a national collective scheme has some clear advantages, which are outlined in paragraph 3.3 of this report. There are also benefits to the Council in requesting a collaborative auditor appointment with the other Orbis partners.