Too much regeneration cash wasted - Davey

Commenting on a damning NAO report on New Deal for Communities, Edward Davey MP, Liberal Democrat Local Government spokesman, said:

"If a local council had been damned for its accounts in this way, Ministers would be sending in hit squads.

"By setting up such Whitehall-led schemes and quangos, the Government is wasting huge amounts on bureaucracy, yet has no idea if the regeneration is value for money.

"The Government should review all its Area-Based Initiatives like New Deal for Communities, before even more cash is wasted, and even more deprived areas lose out."