New measures of success - the Comprehensive Area Assessment

In April 2009, a new approach to assessing the success of a place, the Comprehensive Area Assessment (CAA) will be adopted. Assessments will be undertaken by a partnership of inspectorates, including the Audit Commission which has the primary responsibility for local performance in place-shaping. Other inspectorates include the Commission for Social Care Inspection, the Healthcare Commission, HM Inspectorate of Constabulary, HM Inspectorate of Prisons, HM Inspectorate of Probation, Ofsted and the Tenant Services Authority.

The CAAGlossary: Comprehensive Area Assessment reflects a shift towards 'place-shaping', and will focus on the effectiveness of the leadership role of local authorities, working with partners. Drawing on a range of evidence and information it will make rounded judgements about performance, challenges and prospects for people living within a particular geographical area. There will be a strong focus on outcomes for places - rather than on meeting targets - which should support more joined up services working towards a local vision.

The CAAGlossary: Comprehensive Area Assessment will comprise two elements:

  • an area assessment - how well public services are delivering for localities
  • an organisation assessment - focusing on use of resources and performance within organisations, and which will link to the performance frameworks of the relevant inspectorate.

CAAGlossary: Comprehensive Area Assessment will start from the LAAGlossary: Local Area Agreement (unitaryGlossary: Unitary authorities are local authorities which are responsible for all local government functions in a particular geographic area or county) level and will expand or shrink to look at the neighbourhood level and the sub regional level. There will be no inspection - instead the CAAGlossary: Comprehensive Area Assessment will mature and as further assessments take place will tell a story about the place over time. Areas (which could be geographic or service areas) that are considered to be at risk will be identified and these are likely to receive greater attention from the relevant inspectorate. In this way, CAAGlossary: Comprehensive Area Assessment will support the move to risk-based, proportionate inspection.

There will be significant focus on openness and on improvement. Information will be made widely available in a form that residents can understand. It will also be used to focus improvement on particular places and services.