With an impeccable sense of timing for the half-term holidays, spending watchdogs the National Audit Office have just issued its overview report into the performance of the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG).
As a synopsis of what has transpired over the last four years, it could not really be bettered. Candidates wishing to put them in the running to succeed Sir Bob Kerslake upon his retirement early next year would do well to study this report.
The NAO report showed just how the overall DCLG budget has reduced substantially over the course of this parliament. It is now £33.2bn for 20141/5 and is expected to decrease in real terms from £40.1bn in 2011/11 to £28.5bn in 2015/16 – a fall of 29%.
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