Audit Commission wins its appeal

The Audit Commission has won its appeal against a High Court
decision that its rule that no council can receive a comprehensive
performance assessment rating of above weak if it has a zero star
social services department was unlawful, writes Amy
Taylor.

Ealing Council would have qualified for a good CPA rating,
decided by the Audit Commission, had it not been for the zero star
rating given to its social services by the Commission for Social
Care Inspection.

Last February a High Court judge ruled that the Audit Commission
had allowed itself to be “dictated” to by the CSCI and
“fell into error” by treating the star rating as
decisive.

However, Lord Justice Keene, sitting at the Appeal Court,
overturned the ruling and said that the commission had lawfully
decided to “adopt certain principles” when assessing
the performance of local authorities.