The government has announced that Comprehensive Area Assessment is to be abolished. The details and timing are yet to be announced.
We assess the ability of the Fire and Rescue Service to deliver its services to the community economically with efficiency and effectiveness, reducing risk at the same time. Assessments will look at the fire and rescue service operationally, providing an emergency response in times of greatest need and as a partner with other emergency responders. Partnerships are recognised as an ever more important way of delivering community benefit. Partnership performance will be viewed across all remits; assessing the risks, preparing for response, preventing the need for a response and when one is needed, improving the recovery by minimising the impacts of a situation on and to the community. The CAA area assessment will be an important feature in this.
The partner inspectorates responsible for developing Comprehensive Area Assessment (CAA) have published the CAA framework. The framework sets out what CAA is and how it will be delivered from 1 April 2009.
The Audit Commission has published the Fire and Rescue Service framework which sets out how fire and rescue services will be assessed under CAA.