Commentary on Sections Studies and reports etc Section 157: Reports on English local authorities
401.This section inserts a new section 47A in the Audit Commission Act 1998. It enables the Audit Commission to produce three types of reports on English local authorities: (a) reports on the risk that authorities may fail to perform their functions; (b) reports on the rate at which authorities’ performance is improving; (c) reports on authorities’ use of resources.
402.This section includes a power to report on all English local authorities, individual authorities or groupings of authorities. By virtue of subsection (3) the report can apply to a specific function or functions. English local authorities are defined in subsection (5). This section does not confer any new information-gathering powers on the Audit Commission.
403.The Secretary of State may by order amend the list of bodies which are subject to the reporting power in this section by removing a body from the list or by adding a body which is a best value authority. The Secretary of State may not add to the list a body which is a Welsh best value authority or a police authority for a police area in Wales.