Jobs cut as Audit Commission scrapped
The watchdog which scrutinises if local councils are delivering value for money is to be scrapped. A total of 2,000 jobs are set to be lost across the country by 2012.
It includes staff in offices in Leicester and Solihull. The other offices are based in Bolton, Leeds, London, Stevenage, Gateshead and Exeter.
Local government secretary Eric Pickles said the Audit Commission had "lost its way" and would be disbanded.
The National Audit Office is now set to carry out the commission's inspection duties and its in-house audit practice will be transferred to the private sector.
Pickles said: "The corporate centre of the Audit Commission has lost its way. Rather than being a watchdog that champions taxpayers' interests, it has become the creature of the Whitehall state.
"We need to redress this balance. Audit should remain to ensure taxpayers' money is properly spent but this can be done in a competitive environment, drawing on professional audit expertise across the country. I want to see the commission's auditing function become independent of government, competing for future audit business from the public and private sector."
It is hoped the move will save £50m a year.
