We asked the Department why it was confident that performance on audit timeliness would improve and what signs of improvement it would be looking for. The Department described its particular focus on valuation issues which it told us has been of increasing concern to auditors and councils. In December 2022 it amended accounting regulations to allow short-term flexibility around the valuation of infrastructure assets (for example, roads, street lighting and flood or coastal defences), and expects to see this used to 10 C&AG’s Report, Para 1.3, Figure 2 11 C&AG’s Report, Paras 2.5 and 2.8 12 C&AG’s Report, Para 2.15 13 C&AG’s Report, Para 2.9 14 Qq 2, 3 15 Q 18 16 Qq 16, 41 17 Q 11 10 Timeliness of local auditor reporting unblock delays in lots of cases.18 The Department later expressed its confidence that the contractual obligations of audit providers remain a key incentive in ensuring outstanding audits would be delivered, although the Society of County Treasurers cautions that its members are already reporting reducing levels of engagement from auditors who are leaving the market.19