New Auditor General for Local Government not living up to expectations: critics

WATCH: Two years after the province established an Auditor General for Local Government, it’s being held up as an example of the kind of extreme government waste it’s supposed to help eliminate. Ted Chernecki reports.

Two years after the province established an Auditor General for Local Government (AGLG), it’s being held up as an example of the kind of government waste it’s supposed to help eliminate.

The B.C. government expected 18 reports from the office of the AGLG in its first year alone, and it has produced just one.

The AGLG has an annual budget of $2.6 million, but two years and $.5.2 million later, the new auditor has produced one report on the town of Rossland, which found, among other things, a lack of management controls and monitoring of capital project procurement.

“At $5.2 million, this has got to be the most expensive report British Columbians have ever paid for,” said Michelle Mungall, MLA for Nelson-Creston, in legislature Tuesday.

“We are always looking for ways that we can support local governments with efficiencies and accountability,” said Coralee Oakes, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development. “Ultimately, all B.C. residents stand to benefit from the work of the Auditor General for Local Government as it identifies ways to help local communities deliver effective, efficient and economical services to taxpayers.”

Apparently, reviewing municipal spending is proving far more difficult than the auditor general planned.

“There’s quite a bit of diversity in how local governments actually conduct business, and so the processes they have, they’re quite individualized,” says Auditor General for Local Government Basia Ruta. “A lot of the efficiencies…did not manifest themselves.”

BC Premier Christy Clark said, “I would have hoped that there was more than one audit out the door by now.”

The Auditor General has up to 18 audits underway, and says at least three of them–a follow-up to the Rossland report, as well as reports on Delta and Sechelt– will be released over the next two months.

-with files from Ted Chernecki