The Accounts Commission is looking for feedback on its future performance audit work programme.

The Commission wants to know what’s important to all stakeholders, including communities across Scotland, to ensure its resources are used in a way that meets the needs of people across Scotland. This helps to maintain trust and confidence in the work of the Commission.

Your views can influence how the Commission supports improvement and continues to hold those who spend public money to account.

Lews Castle College’s accounts have been qualified by auditors for failing to follow accounting standards around its stake in a Gaelic heritage venue.

Lews Castle partnered with Gaelic arts organisation Ceòlas Uibhist in 2019 to establish Cnoc Soilleir Ltd (CSL), a charitable venture that promotes the Gaelic language, heritage, music and culture.

East Lothian Council must make significant progress in changing how it delivers public services as it addresses significant demographic challenges, with rapidly expanding younger and older populations.

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Accounts Commission
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Audit Scotland’s John Cornett has today (Monday, 16 June) been confirmed as the new President of The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) Scotland.

The Executive Director of Audit Services has been Senior Vice President for the past two years and succeeds Joanne Brown as President. He will serve a two-year term, bringing with him a wealth of experience and a strong commitment to public service and professional excellence.

John said:

Renfrewshire Council has a strong commitment to improving, including creating a positive culture, supporting its staff to develop as leaders, and focusing on engaging with residents. It must now talk to them about tough spending decisions that lie ahead.

In its latest report on the council, the Accounts Commission recognises the good progress made to address improvement actions in recent reports on the provision of school accommodation in Dargavel Village.

NHS Scotland’s governance arrangements need to be strengthened to deliver the scale of reform needed across the health service.

NHS Scotland comprises 22 NHS boards, with oversight provided by the Scottish Government. A range of governance groups are in place across NHS Scotland but there are weaknesses within the scrutiny and assurance processes at the Scottish Government level. This risk could be reduced by making greater use of non-executive directors to provide more challenge.

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Accounts Commission
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Forth Valley College has improved its project management arrangements after a series of failings related to a net-zero project.

The college received over £1 million of public funding between 2020 and 2023 for the Fuel Change project. Auditors qualified the college’s 2022/23 accounts due to a procurement breach which primarily related to failures by the college to:

Mounting pressures from inflation, increasing costs and demand are exceeding the Scottish Government’s additional investment in Scotland’s councils. In 2025/26 councils received over £15 billion in government funding, with more money set to be raised from council tax and charges for some services. With communities paying more for services, their expectations are increasing.

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