Local Audit Office chair: appointment letter (accessible)
Published 1 July 2026
Applies to England
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Alison McGovern MP
Minister of State for Local Government and Homelessness
2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF
Bill Butler
By email
22 June 2026
Dear Bill,
Offer of appointment: Chair of the Local Audit Office
On behalf of the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, I am pleased to confirm your provisional appointment as Chair of the Local Audit Office for a period of five years, commencing on 1 July 2026 and ending on 30 June 2031, unless terminated before that date.
Your appointment is subject to your formal recusal from all board-level and executive level matters of Public Sector Audit Appointments Limited related to the transfer of functions, transfer contract or performance issues to the Local Audit Office. A full plan setting out how this conflict of interest should be mitigated is annexed in the attached terms of appointment. Should any further potential conflict of interest arise in future, you must notify the Public Appointments Team and the Permanent Secretary in writing and be prepared to step aside from decisions on which you are conflicted.
The terms of your appointment are attached. I would be grateful if you could confirm your acceptance by signing and returning the attached Terms of Appointments to the Public Appointments Team at PublicAppointments@levellingup.gov.uk.
A copy of this letter has been sent to Chris Jones, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Senior Sponsor, for information.
This is a significant period in the establishment of the Local Audit Office. I consider your expertise and significant experience will be integral to both leading this new organisation and handling the substantial wider programme of reform to local audit. I trust that you will find the work interesting.
Best wishes,
Alison McGovern MP
Minister of State for Local Government and Homelessness