Top Award For BridgingNewcastleGateshead

Just over a year ago the National Audit Office gave the whole pathfinder programme a stinging rebuke. It's report said that that pathfinder was no more successful than doing nothing and a complete waste of money. 

In particular the report from the National Audit Office criticised all pathfinders for the methods they used to consult the public.

Fast forward to this month and BridgingNewcastleGateshead (BNG) announce to residents that they have received a top award from the Audit Commission. BNG have been rated as "performing strongly". 

The National Audit Office (NAO) are not civil servants and independent of government whereas the Audit Commission are civil servants and report to government. In fact the Audit Commission is appointed by the people who fund pathfinder  - the Department for Communities.

 

So we now know that the auditors who report to the Department of Communities have found a project funded by the Department of Communities is "performing strongly". By coincidence the Chairman of BridgingNewcastleGateshead from 2005 to the end of 2008 was Jim Coulter who also happens to be a Commissioner of the Audit Commission. Mr Coulter even declares his Chairmanship of BNG as an "interest". 

All this information was omitted from the glowing report to residents in a recent edition of "Great Places to Live" leaving the impression that there was no connection between BNG and the Audit Commission. No mention of the damning report on pathfinder by the National Audit Office either.