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The Local Government White Paper, Strong Local Leadership - Quality
Public Services tasked the Audit Commission with carrying out Comprehensive
Performance Assessments (CPAs) for councils in England. These assessments
will, for the first time, bring together a wide range of performance
information to deliver an overall judgement based on the delivery
of core services and the corporate strength of each council. Local
government delivers key public services and has a wide-ranging interaction
across a number of different central government departments. This
is reflected in the overall CPA judgement which draws information
from range of Government inspectors reports, performance indicators,
audits, and assessments of service plans across the following council
functions:
- Education
- Social services
- Environment (including waste, transport and planning)
- Housing
- Libraries and leisure
- Benefits
- Resources
Information on the CPA methodology and the results of CPA for London
boroughs, unitary, metropolitan and county councils in England can
be found on the Audit Commission website - www.audit-commission.gov.uk/cpa/index.asp.
CPA will be a catalyst for central and local government to work
together to achieve genuine and long-lasting improvements to the
services delivered by councils. The aim is progressive improvement
in authorities' performance, and the Government has set out proposals
for responding to the outcome of CPA to deliver this. These proposals
include devolving power to all councils, with radical freedoms for
the very best performers, additional support where it is needed
and effective action to tackle failure.
Further information on CPA and the Government's response can be
found on the web site of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
www.local-regions.odpm.gov.uk/cpa/index.htm.
Defra's specific interests
The Audit Commission's environment service assessment considers
the council’s performance in three areas: transport, waste
management and planning. Further information is available via the
Audit
Commission website.
Ministerial statement
Further information is available in the Ministerial
statement issued on 12 December 2002.
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