Comprehensive

Performance

Assessment(CPA)

General Overview

January 2003

CPA in brief

Single Tier and County Councils/ Pathfinder District Councils already undergoing CPA inspection

CPA will focus on our:

� proven capacity to improve

� ability and desire to change

� sustained improvement approach

CPA is guided by four

fundamental questions

What is the Council trying to achieve?

How has the Council set about delivering its

priorities?

What has the Council achieved/not achieved

to date?

What has the Council learnt, what does it plan

to do next?

Trying to achieve?

Key Themes: Ambition, Focus, Prioritisation

Clear & realistic shared vision and ambition

A sustained focus on community and services

Ownership of problems and willingness to change

Delivering priorities

Key Themes: Capacity, Performance Management

Capacity and systems to deliver performance improvement

Defined roles, responsibility and accountabilities

Modern structures and processes

Strong financial management

Achieved or not?

Key Themes: Achievement, Investment

Performance information

Capacity and systems to deliver performance improvement

Skills and management systems to deliver change

Effective risk management

Next Plans?

Key Themes: Learning, Future Plans

Ownership of problems and willingness to change

Improvement integrated into daily management

Effectively implement service improvements –flexibility & innovation

Capacity and systems to deliver performance improvement

A sustained focus on what matters

CPA Process

Corporate Assessment

Evidence analysis

Capacity to Improve

Governance arrangements

Self Assessment

Thematic Reviews

- Balanced Housing Market

- Clean, Green and Safe

- Housing Benefit

Use of Resources

CPA INSPECTION

Improvement Planning

CPA SCORE

Self Assessment (1)

Must “feel” like Dover District Council

Overview of the District - factors,

implications and service delivery

Honest appraisal of the Council’s

strengths and weaknesses

If seen as balanced and realistic - may

mean “lighter” on-site inspection

Self Assessment (2)

Focus on the success of community

leadership

Focus on our desire and capacity to

improve

Opportunity to demonstrate that local

government is trustworthy, capable and

can deliver joined up local services

Corporate Assessment

The method by which CPA is measured,

it comprises the following elements:

� Self Assessment

� Use of resources

� Evidence Analysis

� Capacity to improve

� Corporate Assessment Inspection

Use of Resources

Corporate capacity of the council to

achieve improvements

Corporate Leadership

Financial, Human and Asset

Management

Monitoring the effectiveness of

Corporate Governance

Evidence for CPA

Achievement and Improvements

Feedback from residents, staff, partners,

stakeholders, government

Audit Commission information, District

Audit reports & Peer reviews

“Real” improvements for our residents

Performance data (including indicators)

Council assessment in Performance Plan

CPA Inspection

Corporate Assessment

Delivery of strategic services

Overall judgement :-

� Council’s proven capacity to improve balanced against local pressures

� Audit Commission is aiming for a proportionate inspection

Timeline for Inspection

Spring

2003

October

2003

February

2004

June 04

Evidence of achievements

Interim Assessment

Evidence collected

Service Improvement Plans

Short Term Action Plan

Peer review update

Inspection Assessment

Final Assessment

Political implications of Elections has yet to be determined

Real challenge

Need to collect evidence base to support the self assessment – must be able to prove everything we do

Must score ourselves objectively

Difficulty with measuring partnerships

Scoring the Council

The maximum score is 48 points.

The 9 themes are weighted as 1 on a four point scale (a maximum of 4 points)

EXCEPT

Achievement - this is weighted as 3 on a four point scale (a maximum of 12)

Investment - this is weighted as 2 on a four point scale (a maximum of 8)

Achievement and Investment represent nearly half of all the points available to us under CPA.

Scoring Issues

Complexity of assessment programme versus simplicity of scoring� All information gathered will be distilled into a single score – league table

The score awarded will put the council into a band from Excellent down to Poor� This stands until the next CPA Inspection

Each band comes with a level either of operating / financial freedoms or restrictions� This stands until the next CPA Inspection

Our Solution

Develop a robust Corporate Plan then deliver agreed objectives

Ensure Members, staff and the public are all aware of our position and progress

Need for collective success / balanced approach

Collect evidence, highlight successes, address weaknesses

Develop our performance management systems to monitor and report on objectives, targets and improvements

Just in case you thought

this was yet another

initiative:CPA has tough rules to ensure compliance.

Hackney Borough Council� “Not a well run council, has not been for too long”

� “Depressed cynicism amongst management”

� Replace entire Management Team, refer to Secretary of State for formal intervention

Rossendale Borough Council� “Unacceptably poor services at a high cost”

� “Some of the worst services in the country”

� Replace entire Management Team, considering referral to Secretary of State for intervention

Conclusions

Process starts now

Maximum score is 48 - need a high

score in Achievement and Investment

Members and officers must have the

desire and capacity to improve

Shared accountability between

members and officers for delivering

service improvement