Authority welcomes auditors’ report

Grant Thornton, the independent auditors for the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, have today, in a new report, closed the remaining statutory and key recommendations carried forward from their 2023/24 review.

The independent report found that “the authority has made great progress in overcoming legacy challenges in governance”; significantly strengthened governance arrangements to support informed, transparent decision making; and demonstrated effective financial management in its core budgets, with a balanced budget.

It goes on to note continued work with the Best Value Notice Independent Improvement Panel, the ongoing Organisational Improvement Plan, and plans to accelerate delivery of transport capital investment.

Stephen Peacock, the Chief Executive of the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, said:

“We welcome this report from the independent auditors, as we continue our organisational improvement journey. Their analysis confirms that historic issues have been appropriately addressed, with significant progress in relationships between officers and leaders.

“The strengthened governance now in place demonstrates why the Best Value Notice was lifted by Government earlier this year. While there is still more work to do to get to where we want to be, the combined authority is now better placed to support the Mayor and Committee’s ambitions for the region.”

The report from Grant Thornton highlights the “opportunity presented by the arrival of the new Mayor and the effort from all parties to move away from a legacy of poor relationships that has hampered progress in the past”.

Helen Godwin, the Mayor of the West of England, said:

“In this new chapter for the West of England, we have turned the page on the problems of the past.

“This report highlights some of the combined authority’s work in catching up with other city-regions, and sets out further reforms to help the organisation deliver what people across our area deserve.

“Together with council leaders from across the West, we are focused on the future.”

Grant Thornton’s Interim Auditor’s Annual Report for the year ending 31 March 2025 will come before the regional authority’s Audit Committee, made up of councillors from Bath & North East Somerset, Bristol, and South Gloucestershire councils and three independent members, on Monday 15 September. The report and all papers for that meeting are published here.