What is Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA)?

Kirklees is one of the top performing Council’s in the country as judged by the public watchdog the Audit Commission’s Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA). It aims to measure how well councils are delivering services for local people and communities. CPA has been in operation since 2002 but from 2005 the bar was raised and renamed as the ‘harder test’. The new-style inspection regime gave more focus on outcomes for local people and value for money.
 
CPA is not one inspection.  It brings together, into one framework, a range of individual service assessments conducted annually by Commission plus the Office for Standards in Education (OFSTED), the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) and the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate (BFI).

Based on a national formula, these service assessment scores added to a ‘Corporate Assessment’ score gives an overall CPA score and Direction of Travel statement for each Council.  This score is refreshed in December each year.

Categorisation

Either: 4 stars (the highest level), 3 stars, 2 stars, 1 star and 0 stars

Plus: a Direction of Travel statement:

Improving strongly
Improving well
Improving adequately
Not improving adequately
Not improving

What is a Corporate Assessment?

The inspectors assess how the Council is run, the Audit Commission considers what the Council, together with its partners, is trying to achieve; what the capacity of the Council, including its work with partners, is to deliver what it is trying to achieve; and what has been achieved?

The Corporate Assessment focuses on the following areas:

Our Ambition (Diverse, Young, Green and Economically Strong);
How well we Prioritise;
Our Capacity to improve;
Performance Management and
Our Achievement and investment in:

• Safer and Stronger Communities
• Sustainable Communities and Transport
• Healthier Communities
• Children and Young People (linked to JAR)
• Older People

What is JAR?

A JAR is an inspection which will look at publicly funded services for children and young people across Kirklees, with its primary focus on the most vulnerable children and young people, and a greater emphasis on partnership working.

Along with Kirklees, every Children's Service in England and Wales will be inspected against the five 'Every Child Matters' outcomes, which are:

• Being healthy
• Staying safe
• Enjoying and achieving
• Making a positive contribution
• Achieving economic well-being

Corporate Area Assessment

From 2009 the CPA framework will change and become a CAA (Corporate Area Assessment). You can find out more about the CAA on the Audit Commission website: