Thursday, January 17, 2013

Local Government Auditor General Office Now Open

Auditor General for Local Government Now Open

British Columbia’s first office of the Auditor General for Local Government (AGLG) has opened its doors, announced Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development Bill Bennett today with B.C.’s first AGLG Basia Ruta alongside.

Recommended by the five-member Audit Council that oversees the office and subsequently appointed by government, Ruta took up her position on Jan. 15. The AGLG will conduct performance audits of local government operations and provide recommendations regarding economy, efficiency and effectiveness.

The opening of the office fulfils a commitment made by Premier Christy Clark as part of her Families First agenda. It is also an example of how the government listens to British Columbians, as the idea was originally suggested by B.C. business groups to provide an additional level of accountability and transparency for taxpayers.

The first audits will begin by April 30. It will be up to the AGLG to choose what local government operations to focus on within the framework of the Auditor General for Local Government Act.

The AGLG will publish an annual service plan that will lay out the goals and objectives for the coming year and the following two years. The annual service plan will include the criteria used to determine the need for and priority of performance audits.

Bill Bennett, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development  commented;  “This office is going to make a difference for B.C. families by making sure local governments are maximizing taxpayers’ hard-earned tax dollars. The bottom line is that it’s about accountability to taxpayers. Basia Ruta is highly qualified and will be an asset for local governments. I look forward to the benefits Ms. Ruta’s work will bring to local governments and taxpayers alike.




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