England’s public spending watchdog the Audit Commission, which employs 2,000 people, is to be scrapped. The announcement today came “completely out of the blue”.

• The Audit Commission for Local Authorities in England and Wales was established in 1983
• It is an independent watchdog “driving economy, efficiency and effectiveness” in local public services
• The commission assumed auditing responsibility for the National Health Service in 1980
• Functions were extended to fire and rescue services in 2004
• Its remit in Wales was transferred to the auditor general for Wales, also in 2004
• The commission now covers local government, health, housing, community safety and fire brigades
• It audits £200bn spent by 11,000 local public bodies

The body, which looks for savings and efficiencies in local government, has offices in London, Bristol, Leicester, Solihull, Stevenage, Bolton, Gateshead, Leeds and Exeter.

In a press statement, Mr Pickles said the commission’s research functions would stop and councils would be able to ask private companies to carry out audits. There would also be a “new audit framework” for local health services.

Source: BBC News