News

The chairperson of the Audit Commission has pledged a commitment to a “lighter touch” form of public sector regulation, writes Katie Leason.

 

James Strachan, who described himself as “deregulatory”, said that he would have failed personally and the Audit Commission collectively if they did not succeed in rationalising the way regulators operate.

 

He told the National Social Services Conference that there were some good ones among the plethora of regulators, auditors and inspectors, but said that some were still acting in the “old style way”, and focusing on whether or not public money was being well spent rather than whether or not things were actually improving.

 

“The real test of all these initiatives is whether the person using the services has been well served and over time better served,” he said.

 

Strachan questioned whether regulatory resources had been used effectively by the inspecting of everyone every year regardless of their performance.

 

“Any business man would say that’s a lousy use of money,” he said.