Local councils secure surplus Westminster funds after overstating Covid-19 budget impact January 11, 2022 England’s local councils severely overshot the amount of money they would need to fund the fight against Covid-19, reveals a new study released today. Councils in England told central government their net spending had swelled £7.8bn as a result of the pandemic. However, analysis by the economic think tank the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) [...]
Mazars hit with £250,000 fine over audit failure January 6, 2022 One of Britain’s largest accountancy firms has been slapped with a £250,000 fine over auditing failures of a local authority’s 2019 financial statements. The Financial Reporting Council (FRC), the accounting regulator, said that Mazars’ audit of an unnamed local authority “fell far short of the applicable standards and regulations” and had the “potential to undermine [...]
Together Energy on the brink of collapse after funding bid fails January 5, 2022 Council-backed supplier Together Energy is on the brink of collapse after its last-ditch search failed to find fresh funds, according to Sky News.
Gyms plead for government aid as fitness firms feel weight of Omicron December 22, 2021 Gym bosses have pleaded for government help after Omicron has caused attendance numbers at exercise classes to plummet in recent weeks. A work from home directive and scientists’ messaging to avoid socialising in the weeks before Christmas has caused people to shun fitness firms, one boss told CityA.M. While pubs and restaurants are eligible for [...]
Former BT chief Du Plessis selected to take over as audit watchdog chair December 21, 2021 Jan du Plessis, the former Chairman of BT as well as a host of FTSE 100 companies, has been selected as chair of the UK's audit watchdog.
KPMG halts referrals to its former restructuring unit in bid to recover from Silentnight scandal December 20, 2021 KPMG will no longer refer any work to its former insolvency unit, Interpath Advisory, in a bid to mend its reputation after the scandal over the sale of bed manufacturer Silentnight to a private equity firm, according to reports. The Big Four firm was fined £13m by the UK accounting watchdog earlier this year for [...]
Businesses beware as 70 per cent Brits aren’t afraid of taking legal action December 16, 2021 Companies that break the law could find themselves facing more lawsuits from the great British public, as over 70 per cent said they would join a class action – many even against their own employer – according to a new study published today. The study, which polled members of the public on their perceptions of [...]
Government blocks reappointment of Channel 4 board members including The King’s Speech director Tom Hooper December 14, 2021 Academy Award-winning director Tom Hooper, and the board’s only person from a Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic background, Althea Efunshile, have been blocked by the UK government from re-appointment to the Channel 4 board this evening.
Gas prices rise amid escalating Russia tensions and Nord Stream 2 uncertainty December 13, 2021 Gas prices have surged amid growing tensions over Russian troops at the Ukrainian border and increased Nord Stream 2 pipeline uncertainty.
Greensill dished out a taxpayer backed Covid loan to neighbour December 13, 2021 Collapsed lender Greensill Capital gave a government backed Covid loan to the neighbour of founder Lex Greensill. Greensill is already under investigation for allegedly abusing its position while in charge of lending money under the Coronavirus Business Loan Interruption Scheme to dish out £400m to businesses linked to Sanjeev Gupta. It has now emerged that [...]