Audit Commission

Charnwood Borough Council is 'fair', according to a new report released today by the independent Audit Commission.

The Council's comprehensive performance assessment (CPA) rating stayed the same as its 2004 score following an inspection of its performance by the Commission. The corporate assessment looked at the Council's ambitions, its ability to improve its services and what it has achieved since the last assessment.

Audit Commission senior manager Mary Perry said:
'Charnwood has improved its services in the last few years. Streets are cleaner, crime has fallen as a result of working with partner organisations and fewer people are homeless. All of this is improving life for today's residents. But there is a need to strengthen the Council's leadership. The Council is failing to communicate clearly the improvements it wants to bring to the whole area over the next 10 years. Nor does it lead its own staff and other local organisations in delivering these ambitions. Without this there is a risk that major improvements will not be made for the future.'

Strengths include:

• Some services have improved. For example, there are cleaner streets, good recycling and waste collection, and fewer people becoming homeless.
• Services in the most disadvantaged neighbourhoods are now better coordinated with partner organisations. This has led to improvements in the quality of life for residents.

Areas for improvement include:

• There is a need to strengthen leadership within the Council, and in work with partners, to deliver the long-term improvements that Charnwood needs.
• The Council needs clearer and more specific priorities that are well communicated to staff and partners, and used effectively to focus activity.
• There are some weaker service areas, such as housing landlord services.
• The Council lacks a full understanding of, and a consistent approach to meeting, the needs of the diverse population of Charnwood.
• Better workforce planning, and staff learning and development, are required to make sure staff have the skills to deliver what is needed.

Following today's report Charnwood District Council will plan what it has to do to improve the way it works to meet the changing needs of its residents.

Notes to editors

1. CPA provides a simple report in a straightforward way about how well each council is performing. It encourages councils to focus on continuous improvement and provides a robust independent challenge to stimulate positive change. Ultimately it is about working to improve the quality of services councils provide to local people.
2. District councils in England were first assessed for CPA between June 2003 and December 2004 and given a rating of poor, weak, fair, good or excellent. Those councils that have shown evidence of significant improvement or deterioration since then are undergoing a new corporate assessment as part of a rolling programme through to 2009.
3. From April 2009, Comprehensive Area Assessment (CAA) will replace CPA, a significant change for which the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act (2007) was the catalyst. CPA focused only on services provided by local authorities. CAA will look at the public services in an area that are delivered by councils and their partners, including the private and voluntary sectors.
4. CAA will provide, in a single source, information on how well-run local public services are, and how effectively they use taxpayers' money. It will be more relevant to local people by focusing on issues that are important to them and their communities. A more joined-up and proportionate approach to public service regulation across England, CAA is a partnership of seven inspectorates, offering a shared view about the challenges facing any area - such as crime, community cohesion, environmental sustainability and public health issues.
5. The Audit Commission is an independent watchdog, driving economy, efficiency and effectiveness in local public services to deliver better outcomes for everyone.
6. Our work across local government, health, housing, community safety and fire and rescue services means that we have a unique perspective. We promote value for money for taxpayers, auditing the £200 billion spent by 11,000 local public bodies.
7. As a force for improvement, we work in partnership to assess local public services and make practical recommendations for promoting a better quality of life for local people.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Eric Ludlow, Regional Communications Manager (Central) Tel: 0116 250 4183