Audit Scotland

As Scotland's local councils face acute challenges, with budgets and workforce stretched to the limit, reform has become increasingly urgent, warns Audit Scotland's Accounts Commission.

Audit Scotland's board has appointed Chartered Accountant Colin Crosby OBE as its new chair. Mr Crosby joined the board as an independent non-executive director in 2020. He has significant leadership experience across the public, private and third sectors, and was formerly CEO of a subsidiary of Abe

Scotland's colleges face mounting financial pressure, with a 17% real-terms funding cut since 2021/22 and a further £32.7 million reduction this fiscal year, Audit Scotland has revealed. The public auditing body's report shows cash balances held by colleges are also forecast to fall. Under the

Public sector fraud in Scotland has risen by almost 50% according to Audit Scotland. A data matching exercise, part of the UK-wide National Fraud Initiative (NFI), detected £21.5 million worth of fraud and payment errors across the Scottish public sector.

Malcolm Bell, member of the Accounts Commission, discusses the challenges facing local councils in Scotland, including financial pressures, increasing demand, and the need for transformation in service delivery, and how they can be addressed through effective leadership, collaboration, and community

As Scotland's councils are increasingly faced with tough budget decisions, the role of the chief financial officer (CFO) is critical in ensuring financial sustainability and stability in local government, writes Jo Armstrong – chair of Audit Scotland's Accounts Commission. Our Spring budget br

Jo Armstrong has been appointed as the new chair of the Accounts Commission. Ronnie Hinds, who has been acting as interim chair of the Accounts Commission since May 2023, is stepping down at the end of January.

The Scottish water regulator's chief, Alan Sutherland, has resigned following a scathing report by Audit Scotland, which highlighted "unacceptable" financial practices at the Water Industry Commission for Scotland (WICS). The report revealed unauthorised spending, including £77,350 for a Harva

Scottish Canals, the public body overseeing Scotland's historic waterways and attractions, has come under fire from auditors for failing to accurately value its extensive asset portfolio.

Concerns have been raised by Audit Scotland over the final costs and completion dates of two delayed lifeline ferries, Glen Sannox (801) and vessel 802 as well as over the payment of performance bonuses to senior managers at Ferguson Marine Port Glasgow. In total, the two vessels are currently estim

Audit Scotland and the Accounts Commission have published their latest report on the public sector gender pay gap setting out to highlight good practice and areas where further action is needed.

Faster reform of Scotland’s public sector is needed to protect services in the long term and improve people’s lives, according to Audit Scotland. The public body has said that the Scottish Government is facing increased costs, including a higher public sector wage bill, while the cost-of

Gemma Diamond, audit director at Audit Scotland, discusses how data is often seen as a burden for public bodies, rather than the key to better policy decisions, and the action needed to build data as a national asset. Scotland is facing enormous challenges. Inequality is on the rise, an ageing popul

The Scottish Government has asked Scotland's Auditor General to launch an investigation into the awarding of the £97m Scottish ferries contract. The request comes after suggestions from a documentary arose that the process of awarding the contract have been rigged as successful bidder Fer

The National Fraud Initiative (NFI) has published its latest report which has identified £14.9 million of public sector fraud in 2020/21.