Citizens' right to inspect council finances to be spotlighted

Open book government!?

THE GOVERNMENT is to introduce new transparency rules which will require councils to publicise to the press and public the "little-known rights" to inspect councils' detailed financial accounts, ledgers and records.

This move, announced by the Communities and Local Government Department yesterday, is designed to increase scrutiny of councils' spending decisions by armchair auditors and local investigative journalists.

Every year councils are required to open their accounting records for public inspection and challenge over a set time period. Yet the public often do not realise that these citizens' rights include checking not just the accounts but also "all books, deeds, contracts, bills, vouchers and receipts related to them". These rights allow the public to check any spending under the £500 online transparency thresholds.

Councils will have to publicise these rights and where and when they can be carried out - and where on Council websites the relevant information is.

Eric Pickles MP, DCLG Secretary of State said:

"An open Government is vital for good democracy and that's why councils have to open their ledgers to the public - everyone has a right to know how their taxes are spent. But it's not enough to just publish them quietly, armchair auditors and local journalists need to know exactly where to find that information and these new changes will make sure they are not just out in the open but under the spotlight too."

Read the full press release on the DCLG website.