{"id":2338,"date":"2025-08-19T12:58:23","date_gmt":"2025-08-19T11:58:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dhwnews.com\/?p=2338"},"modified":"2025-08-19T12:58:23","modified_gmt":"2025-08-19T11:58:23","slug":"scrapping-of-audit-watchdog-for-english-councils-led-to-soaring-costs-and-chaos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dhwnews.com\/?p=2338","title":{"rendered":"Scrapping of audit watchdog for English councils \u2018led to soaring costs and chaos\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

This is a partial extract from The Guardian.<\/p>\n

(Richard Partington – Senior economics correspondent.
\nTue 19 Aug 2025 00.01 BST)<\/p>\n

David Cameron\u2019s \u201cbonfire of the quangos\u201d decision to abolish England\u2019s council spending watchdog has left a broken system that is costing taxpayers more money than it was promised to save.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In a highly critical report, academics at the University of Sheffield said the coalition government of the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats had promised savings of \u00a3100m a year by abolishing the Audit Commission.<\/p>\n

However, replacing the public body with a private-sector model had resulted in \u201cchaos\u201d and soaring costs to audit councils amid the financial crisis hitting England\u2019s town halls.<\/p>\n

Several councils have declared effective bankruptcy linked to years of austerity, soaring costs amid pressure on services, as well as local missteps. They include Birmingham, Nottingham and Woking.<\/p>\n

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You can find the complete Guardian article here<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n

END<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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