MPs warn on reckless spending

The cross-party public accounts committee said systems for keeping tabs on taxpayers' cash when services are "decentralised" lack "clarity and consistency."

The Con-Dems are chucking money at key areas of the public sector being removed from central accountability under the government's localism drive.

And the committee issued a warning that current monitoring arrangements do not provide the "necessary assurance on either probity or value for money."

Committee chairwoman Margaret Hodge said: "The government is implementing its localism agenda across public services with, for instance, foundation trusts, academies and free schools, and elected police authorities.

"However, it is critical that Parliament and taxpayers are able to follow the taxpayer's pound to ensure probity and value for money.

"To date, the arrangements which reconcile accountability and localism do not provide the necessary assurance on either probity or value for money.

"They lack clarity, consistency and completeness."

In their Accountability for Public Money progress report the MPs raised fears about the quality and availability of data in some sectors, criticising the lack of comparability and consistency of records.

The committee said it had "particular concerns" about the way education information is documented, warning there is not enough emphasis on achieving value for money.

It also found that incomplete and inconsistent data made it difficult to compare all schools on their academic performance and use of resources.

Mrs Hodge said: "In education, for example, Ofsted focuses on teaching standards, the Department for Education on distributing resources, and parents on children's outcomes.

"It is not clear who will be responsible for value for money."

A Department for Communities and Local Government spokeswoman said: "The government is committed to strengthening accountability to local people and service users, and reducing bureaucratic central controls.

"Transparency is key to strengthening accountability, and that's why the government has made great progress in opening up local data, for instance the publication of spending by local councils over £500."

tonyp@peoples-press.com