Comprehensive Area Assessment

CAA was the national inspection regime for local government between April 2009 and May 2010.  Its purpose was to look at the public services in an area delivered by councils and their partners including the private and voluntary sectors. It contained two elements - an Organisational Assessment and an Area Assessment.

Organisational Assessment

This assessment of the council, carried out by the Audit Commission, focused on:
- managing performance
- use of resources, which consists of three themes: managing finances, governing the business, and managing resources.

The council scored 3 out of 4 and was described as "performing well".  The Audit Commission said:

"Overall, South Oxfordshire District Council performs well. It is improving services that are important to local people. It has the highest rating in Oxfordshire of people satisfied with their local area as a place to live and 78 per cent are satisfied with their local services. The streets are clean and levels of graffiti and flytipping are low. Satisfaction with waste collection and recycling has improved and many services are now easier to use online.

"The council scores 3 out of 4 for managing performance. It works well with the local community and other local providers to deliver better services. It successfully supports voluntary and community organisations, such as the Citizen's Advice Bureau. It has pooled funding with the police and community safety partnership for a joint antisocial behaviour team and works in partnership with other districts within Oxfordshire and the County Council.

"The Council scores 3 out of 4 for use of resources. The council is well led and well managed. Overall, costs are low and performance good. The council is working to maintain and improve services and at the same time reduce costs by around £900,000 each year over three years. A joint financial contract with Vale of White Horse District Council has produced combined annual savings of £400,000. Overall, the council is providing good value for money to local people and service users.

"Councillors and officers work together effectively. The council has good internal governance and performance management, clear plans and strategies and manages its resources well. Councillors get good information to help them make decisions and integration of service and financial planning ensures that council priorities, staff and budgets are joined up. The council plans and manages its staff well to support its aims. Its shared management structure and sharing of some services with the Vale of White Horse District Council means the council is continuing to deliver front-line services while reducing management and council running costs."

You can download the full Organisational Assessment at the link on the right.

Area Assessment

The other part of CAA was an area assessment looking at the whole of Oxfordshire and all the public service providers, posing the questions:
- how well do local priorities express community needs and aspirations?
- how well are outcomes and improvements being delivered?
- what are the prospects for the future?

The Audit Commission's Area Assessment report shows how South Oxfordshire District Council contributes to the success and quality of life in Oxfordshire.

You can download the full Area Assessment at the link on the right.

Comprehensive Performance Assessment

The predecessor to CAA was CPA prior to 2009. This focused on:
- ambition for the community
- prioritisation
- capacity
- performance management
- achievement of improvement.

In October 2007, the Audit Commission awarded the council its top rating of excellent, in common with only 36 of the 238 district councils.

The rating as an excellent council came after a rigorous assessment by the Audit Commission, which paid particular attention to the quality of services and value for money provided by the council.  In its report, the Audit Commission highlights the clear ambition that the council has on behalf of its local community, particularly to improve and develop Didcot.  It congratulates the Council for the way it acts as a community leader and the way that it works in partnership with others.  Particular praise is given for the way the Council manages its resources, so that it is able to do more for less.

On service delivery, the Audit Commission draws attention to the achievements of the Council in delivering affordable housing; working with Thames Valley Police and others to improve community safety; investment in leisure to encourage healthier lifestyles; high rates of recycling; clean streets; and an improving planning service.  But, it reserves particular praise for what the Council has achieved, and is still achieving, in Didcot, especially the new town centre.

You can download the full report at the link on the right.