1. Comprehensive Area Assessment
Charles Marshall, Audit Commission
April 2008

2. Outline What is CAA? Scope of CAA Issues around area assessment
Points raised in consultation
Further development
Questions and (?) answers

3. What is CAA?
The new joint assessment framework for local services from 2009
A catalyst for further improvement in the quality of life for citizens, the experience of people who use services and value for money for tax payers
A source of independent information and assurance about local services for citizens, people who use services, tax payers and central government
A mechanism for coordinating and rationalising inspection, improvement support and intervention and targeting them where they are most needed

4. What is CAA? – key components
For areas: annual area “risk” assessment by inspectorates jointly; and performance on the new national indicator set
For councils: annual use of resources judgement (by appointed auditor with input from other inspectorates) and annual direction of travel assessment (by inspectorates jointly)
Use of resources judgements also for NHS bodies (not Foundation Trusts), police authorities and fire and rescue authorities

5. Scope of CAA
Focus is on those outcomes which are the responsibility of the local authority either alone or working in partnership with other public, voluntary or private bodies
So relevant to all the activities of the LSP: health and well-being, community safety, sustainable communities, economic development, housing strategy, children’s services, etc.
Other service-specific performance frameworks will continue, but will need to fit with CAA (health and social care, police & community safety etc) and not duplicate each other

7. Area Assessment: what area?
The “footprint” is the area covered by the LAA, but…
Need to reflect both local and regional context
Particular issues in two-tier Counties

8. Area Assessment: what risk?
Problems with the vocabulary of risk
Focus on outcomes for local people
Issues around vulnerability

9. Area Assessment: key question -
ARE IMPROVED OUTCOMES LIKELY TO BE ACHIEVED?
How well does the partnership understand and assess the needs of its communities, now and in the future?
Use this understanding to inform its local priorities?
these priorities?
Secure effective arrangements to identify and manage the risks to achieving successful outcomes?

10. Area risk assessment: a different style
Lighter touch – relying on information the partnership needs to produce for its own purposes.
Not an inspection event – ongoing dialogue, evidence gathered throughout the year.
More contextual – less about processes and more about what partners are trying to achieve
Less emphasis on scores and more on improvement

11. Further development Four action learning sites already engaged
Responses to initial consultation analyzed
More action learning sites being identified
Final consultation later this year

12. Questions?