Independent assurance for local councils
Clearer controls. Stronger councils.
Independent, proportionate and evidence-led assurance that strengthens governance, gives officers clarity and helps members act with confidence.
What we do
From independent audit to focused advice and training, find the support that fits your council’s needs.
Annual, interim and follow-up work with clear reporting and proportionate recommendations.
Explore internal auditFinancial investigations, analysis of records and fraud prevention shaped around specific concerns.
Explore forensic auditVetting at the heart of permanent recruitment and locum cover, including WGW’s own staff and council candidates.
Explore vetting and recruitmentSpecialist legal support for council governance, employment, property, contracts and statutory assets, coordinated through WGW.
Explore legal supportProcurement support from tender development and supplier vetting through to delivery, for larger and smaller authorities.
Explore procurement supportCrisis communications, media relations and reputation support for councils, delivered by Sugar PR.
Explore communications supportConnected audit evidence, financial monitoring and progress tracking for Clerks, RFOs and councillors.
Discover WGW CompassPractical learning for Clerks, officers and members, with courses grounded in the work of local councils.
Explore trainingEnglish-to-Welsh translation for all document types, with delivery agreed around your requirements.
Explore translationContract-specific grant identification, application and project support led by appropriate specialists.
Explore grant supportFocused health checks covering controls, risk, policies and readiness for external scrutiny.
Explore governance
Information security
WGW Online LLP holds Cyber Essentials certification and is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office.
ICO registration reference: ZC260527.
Read our privacy notice
Professional membership
All of our internal auditors are members of the Internal Audit Forum (IAF).
Visit the Internal Audit Forum
Who we are
We help Clerks, Responsible Financial Officers (RFOs) and members understand what evidence is needed, which risks matter and what action to take next.
Structured testing, independent judgement and useful recommendations designed around the realities of local council work.
Get to know WGWThe WGW difference
Defined scope, formal methodology, evidence based opinions and recommendations for success.
Local council governance, finance and accountability are the core of our practice.
Our methodology gives every engagement a risk based approach to internal and forensic audit with evidence trails and assurance of control.
Evidence based findings written to assist officers and members to plan their improvement strategy.
WGW’s action plan provides the strategy for improvement to be implemented prior to the following year’s audit.
WGW’s unique client internal audit portal provides 360 degree transparency of the audit process between the client, internal and external auditor.
National coverage. Country-specific expertise.
WGW is remote-first rather than remote-only. Targeted site attendance may be appropriate where scope, evidence or risk makes it useful.
Wales
Specialist assurance aligned to the Welsh methodology, accountability framework and governance context.
Explore internal audit in WalesEngland
Risk-based internal audit supporting AGAR, proper practices and proportionate assurance across England.
Explore internal audit in EnglandSpecialist local council internal audit.
The WGW audit framework and sector knowledge.
Real-time audit visibility.
Your audit journey
We agree the route with your council, keep requests visible and explain findings before the final report lands.
Agree scope, timing, access and the council’s current risks.
Provide requested evidence securely through the agreed channel.
We test records, controls and compliance against the agreed programme.
Queries and emerging findings are clarified with the right people.
Receive a clear report, opinion and proportionate recommendations.
Progress is revisited so agreed improvements remain visible.
WGW Compass
WGW Compass brings real-time financial monitoring, internal-control evidence and peer benchmarking into one connected view for Clerks, RFOs and councillors.
Illustrative portal preview in English, with example data.
People behind the assurance
Every audit depends on careful conversations, experienced interpretation and people who understand how councils really work.
The WGW methodology
A consistent core, tailored to each council’s activities, scale, statutory context and areas of greatest risk.
Protected methodologyWGW’s proprietary working papers and detailed audit procedures remain confidential.
Multi-year assurance
Continuity helps us follow recommendations, recognise recurring issues and adapt testing as your council changes. The sequence below illustrates how that understanding can develop; scope and appointment terms are agreed with your council.
Understand the control environment, agree priorities and create a reliable starting point.
Confirm progress, deepen testing and focus attention where the first year identified risk.
Look across results to distinguish isolated issues from recurring or emerging themes.
Use the longer view to support proportionate testing, governance improvement and informed oversight.
Independent recommendations
Services we trust can support councils. WGW receives no commission or referral fees and remains independent in its audit work.
What we think
Practical briefings shaped by evidence, professional scepticism and experience of the systems local councils rely on.
Asset management
How connected asset records, inspections and maintenance can support council oversight and a clearer audit trail.
Read insightAudit readiness
The records that help an audit move efficiently—and how to organise them around the council’s normal processes.
Read insight
Financial control
A proportionate approach to authorisation, separation, evidence and oversight in smaller authorities.
Read insight
