Hundreds of thousands of innocent people subjected to fraud investigations on the say so of a National Audit Body which could not even get council tax law right, and what do they find to talk about at the ad hoc sub committee on the draft local audit bill: wheelie bins? There was a sense not of 'populism' but of trivialization here, I felt.
And yes, they alleged that this was all the fault of the Audit Commission, bullying councils into fortnightly collections. Councils are, it was implied, scared of the Audit Commission. Interesting twist on things. Politics, I suppose.
But as it happens, this is just how the Audit Commission bullies councils into subjecting innocent people to fraud investigations, a combination of threats hinting at surcharges and so on (via Clive Lewis' misguided and badly advised 'opinion' and a deluge of legally incorrect PR material).
Councils turn round and say that they have to do what the Audit Commission wants. They must take Audit Commission assertions as true.
I was concerned to hear that Ministers apparently believe people in their constituencies find it too difficult to sort themselves out for fortnightly recycling collections. Those with learning difficulties are entitled to social support after all and would get help in routine household tasks beyond their capabilities. But I have to suppose that ministers know their own 'constituency' voters' capabilities better than I do!
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