Council assessment framework unveiled

The Audit Commission has unveiled its framework for assessing
single-tier and county councils under the Comprehensive Performance
Assessment process.

The final framework, based on consultation with stakeholders
including the Local Government Association, gives greater weight to
education and social services than had initially been proposed. It
has also removed the double jeopardy rule that would have penalised
councils that scored badly in children’s or adult services. Under
original plans, a council that scored well in one but badly in the
other would immediately have been prevented from getting an
excellent rating overall.

The commission is now consulting on its audit and inspection fees
and is proposing a radical reduction for excellent and good
authorities.

Audit Commission controller Sir Andrew Foster said: “The onus will
be on councils to use this information to make their performance
and the service they deliver better.”