A total of £73bn is spent on public services in the capital each year, and could probably be spent more efficiently, London Councils has claimed. The association has hired PricewaterhouseCooopers (PWC) to carry out a London-wide audit of public spending to chart the flow of taxpayers cash. The scheme will go even further than current plans for Total Place by covering all 32 London boroughs. A spokesman for London Councils said: ‘This is not just about a single local authority, this is the whole of London's public spending.' PWC will consider in detail the resources put into managing chronic care, worklessness, and the consequences of anti-social behaviour by young people. The firm will report back by the end of the year with proposals for changes to government legislation, regulation or policy. The £73bn spent includes pensions and benefits as well as cash for local authorities, the NHS, police and other bodies. Dick Sorabji, corporate director of policy and public affairs at London Councils, said: ‘We believe that by looking across all public services we can design local solutions which improve quality and value.'
