Consultation Responses

People deserve clear and impartial information on how well they are being served by their local public services, how that compares with elsewhere, and what the prospects are for the quality of life in their area. This information can help people to hold elected representatives and public bodies (such as the local council, police, fire and health services) to account for their performance and use of public money. It will help people make informed choices and influence local decisions, while reducing the current level.

Comprehensive Area Assessment (CAA) is the new way of putting this information in the hands of taxpayers, service users and citizens. For the first time, it will bring together the work of seven inspectorates to provide an overview of how successfully the local organisations are working together to improve what matters in each place. It will be linked to the streamlined assessment of these individual organisations to provide clear accountability of inspections and other demands on the time and resources of public bodies.

Following earlier consultation on the general principles and approach to CAA the Government set out proposals in more detail for consultation in summer 2008. Through consultation with local authorities across the region, the Association submitted a response.

The Government will finalise the arrangements for CAA early in 2009 and they will come into effect from April 2009, with the first public reports published in November 2009.

View the response here.