The Department did not act with sufficient urgency, nor has it set out an overarching plan and timetable, to address the severe and pressing problems with the local government audit market. Significantly delayed audits are a serious gap in local authorities’ accountability to taxpayers and risk undermining public confidence and trust in local government finances. Just 9% of 2020–21 local government body audits were completed in time for audited accounts to be published by the extended deadline of 30 September 2021 and too many audits for 2019–20 and 2018–19 remain outstanding, putting further pressure on the local audit system. Previously this Committee recommended the Department set out a detailed plan and timetable for getting local audit timeliness back on track. We also recommended the Department explain how it intended to work with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to set up the new system leader for local government audit, the Auditing, Reporting and Governance Authority (ARGA), and how it would address the pressing need for effective leadership while ARGA was being established. The Department agreed with our recommendations however their initial response lacked detail. While we welcome the measures to address the urgent issues in local audit the Department has recently announced these will take time to finalise and implement. Recommendation: Alongside its Treasury Minute Response, The Department should provide a detailed timetable and overarching plan that draws together the existing and recently proposed short- and long-term actions to address the problems with local government audit. This should include a clear timetable for finalising the local audit functions of ARGA, the transition arrangements and a mechanism to keep this committee updated on progress.