Inspection should increasingly cross public sector boundaries as Local Area Agreements become more established and councils become commissioners of services.

That's the view of the ~Audit Commission~ in its strategic plan 2006, published last week. But it warns councils ‘must deliver better value for money to the taxpayer', while also improving services. It says growing investment in public services ‘is coming to an end' and there will be downward pressure both on spending and the need to improve.