Michael O'Higgins, ex chairman of the Audit Commission, is to give evidence to the ad hoc committee on the draft local audit bill. One can only hope that he will be asked to explain why for years the Audit Commission has been providing false information to local council audit teams to the effect that if a person is receiving a single person discount when more than one adult is on the electoral register either the register or the discount is being wrongly claimed, and why the NFI appears unable to grasp the contents of the Audit Commission Legal Services legal briefing on council tax administrative law.
Will they ask him if he saw the letter from Bob Neill, alleged by the DCLG to have been sent to the Commission and (probably to the chair?) and whether or not he agrees with what Bob Neill said in it?
Also giving evidence is a person linked with Hackney.
Hackney appear to be trying to maintain a council tax register and provide confusing information about what you have to tell the council, including if any person turns 18. Not necessarily true but they tell you to tell them.
The reason appears to be that this is another council which believes that there is a single person discount and also a number of different 'disregard discounts'.
Not much hope there then. A person from a council getting it wrong is unlikely to be able to explain how it should be done to the ad hoc sub committee
