Chairing a conference on local government audit last week was an interesting experience. Traditionally, of course, the focus has been on inspection – with audit lagging behind as the rather less glamorous bit of the Audit Commission.

While the big news was the revelation that the Government would consider a mini Audit Commission to take over when the real watchdog finally gets sent to the great red-taped doghouse in the sky (see page one), it was Clive Betts MP who stole the show. The chair of the CLG select committee claimed communities secretary, Eric Pickles, was ‘a bit naughty' when he scrapped the commission out of the blue.