Ministers' decision to outsource the Audit Commission's local public audit work to the private sector has brought much-needed clarity to the sector, the watchdog's chairman has said.

On 28 July, the communities secretary, Eric Pickles, announced that allowing ‘a wide range of bidders, whether a mutual or private sector accountancy firm, to compete for the commission's audit business' would offer taxpayers the best value for money'. Commission chairman Michael O'Higgins praised the move: ‘[This] announcement brings welcome clarity about the future of our audit work.