Petition Prevent the abolition of the Audit Commission

In August 2010, the coalition government announced plans to close the Audit Commission, the body responsible for auditing the accounts of local councils and NHS primary care trusts. They claim that this will save £50 million a year, but this figure is misleading and it is likely that the closure of the Audit Commission will cost the taxpayer more money, while at the same time reducing the oversight of public spending.

The Audit Commission is a very efficient organisation that provides fantastic value for money. The government plans to outsource the Commission's role to the private sector, yet private sector audit firms charge significantly higher fees than the Commission, increasing the burden of costs borne by the British taxpayer. Furthermore, the private sector will be less able to review public sector efficiency as a whole, a function of the Commission that is of vital importance in light of the current government spending cuts.