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A ‘panoptical’ or ‘synoptical’ approach to monitoring performance? Local public services in England and the widening accountability gap

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  • Eckersley, Peter
  • Ferry, Laurence
  • Zakaria, Zamzulaila

Abstract

This article highlights how recent reforms to the auditing and assessment of local public services in England suggest there will be a shift from panoptical to ‘synoptical’ monitoring approaches. This is because the UK Government has abolished its centralised monitoring regime and instead required local authorities to publish a range of financial and performance datasets online, ostensibly so that citizens can hold organisations to account directly. However, the complexity and raw nature of these data, along with the sidelining of professional auditors, will result in most citizens being either unable or unwilling to undertake this task. As such, the proposed ‘synoptical’ approach will not materialise. Indeed, other legislative changes will mean that outsourcing firms effectively become the new, unaccountable observers of local public sector bodies within an enduring panoptical system. In many cases these companies will then assume responsibility for delivering the same services that they have assessed.

Suggested Citation

  • Eckersley, Peter & Ferry, Laurence & Zakaria, Zamzulaila, 2014. "A ‘panoptical’ or ‘synoptical’ approach to monitoring performance? Local public services in England and the widening accountability gap," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 25(6), pages 529-538.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:crpeac:v:25:y:2014:i:6:p:529-538
    DOI: 10.1016/j.cpa.2013.03.003
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    2. Ferry, Laurence & Zakaria, Zamzulaila & Zakaria, Zarina & Slack, Richard, 2018. "Framing public governance in Malaysia: Rhetorical appeals through accrual accounting," Accounting forum, Elsevier, vol. 42(2), pages 170-183.
    3. Laurence Ferry & Peter Eckersley, 2015. "Budgeting and governing for deficit reduction in the UK public sector: act three 'accountability and audit arrangements'," Public Money & Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 35(3), pages 203-210, May.
    4. Aziza Laguecir & Bernard Leca, 2018. "Strategies of visibility in contemporary surveillance settings: Insights from misconduct concealment in financial markets, Critical Perspectives on Accounting," Post-Print hal-01914996, HAL.
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    7. Aránzazu Guillán Montero & David Le Blanc, 2019. "The role of external audits in enhancing transparency and accountability for the Sustainable Development Goals," Working Papers 157, United Nations, Department of Economics and Social Affairs.
    8. Laguecir, Aziza & Leca, Bernard, 2019. "Strategies of visibility in contemporary surveillance settings: Insights from misconduct concealment in financial markets," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 39-58.

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