Comprehensive Performance Assessment

Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA) was introduced as a result of the Local Government Act 2002 and although not replacing Best Value, its introduction has had an impact on the statutory requirements to produce a Best Value Performance Plan (see the BVPP page for further details).

CPA is a national performance framework led by the Audit Commission, but also involving other central government inspection bodies, which looks at how well councils are run, and how well they deliver their services.

The CPA framework requires all councils to undertake a self-assessment, at regular intervals, to identify areas for improvement, both at strategic 'corporate' level and within front-line services. A formal on-site inspection by the Audit Commission then provides a score and a one-word categorisation, ranging from "Poor" to "Excellent", with recommendations for improvement. Councils are required to develop and deliver local CPA Improvement Plans to address the necessary corporate and service priorities on the basis that councils should continue to deliver Best Value afor local residents and aim for excellence.

In December 2004 the Council regained its "Good" CPA rating, having achieved improvements over the course of the year in the Education, Benefits and Use of Resources core service areas.

View the 2004 CPA Scorecard by following the relevant link on the right-hand menu.

View more detailed information on the Audit Commission website by following the link on the right-hand menu.

CPA judgements are made for an authority based on:

• The quality of its local services
• Its corporate and managerial effectiveness
• Its capacity to improve local services

CPA incorporates:

• Performance information from a number of sources, to provide a "Core Services Assessment"
• A qualitative, inspection-based "Corporate Assessment", with Key Lines of Enquiry under a number of specified themes

A number of service areas were covered in the CPA framework which was used between 2002 and 2004:

• Education
• Social Care
• Benefits
• Libraries & Leisure
• Environment
• Housing
• Use of Resources

Based on learning from the first three years of CPA, the Audit Commission have recently consulted local authorities on proposals for changes to the composition of the CPA framework. The structure and detail of the new framework is intended to provide a more stringent test of councils' performance, but to reduce the burden of regulation overall, as there will be fewer inspections.

The new framework introduces a "rule-based" approach (rather than simply adding up numerical scores), in order to encourage and reward good performance across the board.

The role of Direction of Travel statements is likely to be expanded, by attaching a direction of travel 'label' to councils, within their overall category, thus taking into account the work taking place within councils towards improving performance and service delivery, even if their overall CPA category remains unchanged from one year to the next.

The proposed new list of Themes for the Corporate Assessment is as follows:

• Ambition for the community
• Prioritisation
• Capacity
• Performance management
• Achievement, incorporating:
  • Sustainable communities and transport
  • Safer and stronger communities
  • Healthier communities
  • Older people
  • Children and young people

The revised Corporate Assessment will also examine:

• The council's efforts to promote user focus and diversity
• The council's achievement against the shared priorities between central and local government
• How the council understands and meets the needs of its local communities
• How the council manages its resources and achieves value for money
• The performance of the council in leading and influencing communities, local partnerships and other local agencies, with a focus on what difference councils are making to local places and people

It is proposed that Core Services will be grouped into "Level 1" and "Level 2", with Level 1 services carrying more significance:

• Level 1 services - Use of Resources; Children and Young People; Social Care (Adults)
• Level 2 services - Housing; Environment; Culture; Benefits

 

Helplines

 

For further details or general enquiries, please contact:

Assistant Executive Head of Performance

Tel: 01226 773961

Email: councilperformance@barnsley.gov.uk

 

 

Owner Officer Contact Details

 

Assistant Chief  Executive (Policy & Performance)
Tel: 01226 773401
Email: councilperformance@barnsley.gov.uk

 

 

Related Links:

• Performance Improvement Unit homepage
• The Council's Improvement Agenda
• Best Value Performance Plan
• Audit Commission
• Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA)
• Council Performance

Last modified on 16/9/2008