Local Audit (Public Access to Documents) Bill

Debate between Antoinette Sandbach and Marcus Jones

2nd reading: House of Commons
Friday 25th November 2016 Commons Chamber

[Antoinette Sandbach]

rose—

[Mr Jones]

I shall make some progress, if I may.

This provision might make local public bodies think more carefully about high levels of expenditure on certain items and how it might look to the general public during periods of financial constraint and reduced public spending.

I should also point out that the 2014 Act includes an explicit power for auditors to refuse to consider vexatious objections, and even if several electors were to ask the same question or make the same objection, the auditor need undertake only one investigation, although a reply to each individual with the outcome might be necessary. The auditor is able to recover any reasonable costs of carrying out this work from the authority concerned. However, if the work results in increased costs, it could be argued that that might cause the authority to consider its future expenditure more carefully.