Comprehensive Area Assessment

A new approach to public service improvement and

assessment

Kevin SutchAudit Commission

Comprehensive Area Assessment

The new joint inspectorate assessment framework for local services from 2009

CAA is about places and people

CAA will give people a snapshot of life in their local area each year

CAA will be a catalyst for further improvement

in quality of life and local services

CAA will provide an independent view of

whether people are getting value for

money from their local services

CAA will be a mechanism for

coordinating and rationalising inspection

What do we mean by

comprehensive?

The inter-relationship between local services

CAA and the other performance frameworks

What do we mean by area?

Area• Start with the LAA

• Look at each objective

• And key services

• Some issues about specific users, groups, neighbourhoods and communities

• Some issues wider and beyond – eg MAAs, transport, regeneration

What do we mean by assessment?

What is CAA? Key components • National indicator set for areas and

public bodies• Joint risk assessment for areas• Use of resources for councils, fire &

rescue authorities, police authorities, primary care trusts

• Direction of travel for councils (a joint inspectorate judgement), fire & rescue authorities

For areas

1. Annual area risk assessment

Prospects for the area and the quality of life for local people

2. Analysis of performance against the 198 national indicators

Undertaken by inspectorates jointly

For councils and fire authorities

3. Annual direction of travel assessment - by inspectorates jointly for councils

For Councils, Fire and Rescue Authorities, Primary Care Trusts and Police Authorities

4. Annual use of resources judgement - by appointed auditor with input from other inspectorates for councils

Value for money in the use of resources

What CAA will report

What CAA will report

ARA

NIS

UoR

DoTUo

RDoT Uo

R

UoR(PCTs)

Ofstedreports

Assessments reported:ARA - Area Risk AssessmentNIS - National Indicator SetUoR - Use of ResourcesDoT - Direction of Travel

Area based reportsOrganisation based reports

AC/ Oftenant reports

• More focus on outcomes and places• More forward-looking• More focus on local priorities• Joint assessments and judgements by inspectorates, not just an assembly of separate assessments

• Joint planning and targeting of inspection with fewer rolling programmes

Key differences from now

Action LearningA new joint approach to development• CAA

– Hampshire – Thurrock

• CAA excluding use of resources– Tees Valley Partnership – covering

the areas of Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland and Stockton on Tees.

– Barking and Dagenham

Timetable

Feb 2008

Feb 2008

Apr 2008

Jun 2008

Summer 2008

Summer 2008

Late 2008 / early 2009

Jan/Feb 2009

Oct/Nov 2009

CPA results for 2007 published

First joint CAA consultation closes

AC CAA Leads appointed

New-style LAAs agreed

Further joint consultation on CAA published

Second round of action learning

CAA framework published

Final set of CPA results

First round of CAA reporting

Quote from the Audit Commission CEO

‘This merger strengthens the Audit Commission’s ability to ensure that the right people get the right benefits at the right time. It is vital that Housing and Council Tax Benefit Services are delivered to a high standard. In addition, the detection and prevention of fraud must remain high on council agendas to save tax payers’ money in a climate where directors of finance are looking for savings.’

Steve Bundred (Chief Executive, Audit Commission) – 1 April 2008

See it from their side

What is a benefit service? a vital contribution to social and economic wellbeing a significant contribution to councils’ strategies

to address poverty, deprivation, homelessness, or worklessness

an enabler to fairer access to decent homes a gateway to better health a key source of income to the most vulnerable groups paying the right people, the right benefit at the right time

Implications: benefit services

• Look at the service in wider context

• Focus on user and citizen experience

Benefit assessments in context

• Challenges– amount of fraud and error– under-claiming

• Changes– Local Housing Allowance– Reduction in subsidy and CSR07– Welfare Reform Act

• Perceptions: process, back office• Performance indicators – use, quality,

credibility

Any questions?