13 February 2009
By Vivienne Russell
The local government watchdog has said its new inspection regime will take the effects of the recession into account.
However, the Audit Commission warned this did not mean councils should stop striving to improve social outcomes.
The commission this week published final details of Comprehensive Area Assessments, which will come into effect from April. It promises an annual snapshot of how well councils and their partners are working together as well as judgements on an individual authority's stewardships of its resources.
Gareth Davies, managing director for local government at the Audit Commission, said the recession had thrown a different light on the introduction of the CAA. But he added it had not necessitated a complete rethink of the inspection framework, which was sufficiently flexible to support a change in emphasis.
'We need to demonstrate that we understand that and we're not going to blindly stick to judging people against targets that have been strongly affected by what's going on,' Davies said.
'But neither is it a blanket excuse for failure to improve important social outcomes locally. There are good local responses and poor local responses. We want to be able to help people identify where it's working well so they can learn from those,' he said.
But there was cold comfort for any councils that might have hoped the recession would delay the introduction of the CAA altogether.
Audit Commission chief executive Steve Bundred said: 'Councils should be careful what they wish for. They're not the only audience for CAA because it will also give ministers information that they need in order to know whether national priorities are being delivered and that's particularly important during a recession.
'If CAA were to be delayed for any reason, ministers would find it necessary to invent other mechanisms to obtain the assurance they need, which I think councils would probably not welcome.'
The framework, published on February 10, confirmed that the area assessment would not be scored. However, a system of red and green flags will be employed to highlight areas either of significant concern or exceptional performance.
The Local Government Association said it was sceptical that the CAA would help councils to improve. It called on the Audit Commission to ensure inspection was clearly focused and light-touch.
David Parsons, chair of the LGA Improvement Board, said: 'The overall pattern of inspection and assessment activity in each area needs to be properly co-ordinated. There is little evidence as yet that the inspectorates are fully signed up to this new approach, and we will be looking to the Audit Commission to adopt a robust approach to its gate-keeping activity.'
Communities Secretary Hazel Blears said: 'The new assessment approach will give councils room to plan for the future and adapt to difficult times with a common sense approach that recognises that every area in England has individual needs and priorities that matter to their communities.
'Those areas doing well will feel the freedom of less inspection, and struggling councils will receive the help they need to improve.'
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