Accountability and control of local spending

Abstract

Though often accused of seeking to extend its control over local authorities, this Government has in fact put forward a series of measures designed to restore control of council spending to the local electorate. These include the recent reform of rate support grant, the ill‐fated proposal that authorities should seek approval, via a referendum, for additional revenue‐raising, and the creation of a new Audit Commission. But such measures do not in fact tackle the major obstacles to the control of expenditure through an effective system of local accountability.