Comprehensive Performance Assessment

The Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA) is a national process designed to categorise local authorities according to their relative performance. The process involves an intensive investigation by officers from the Audit Commission on behalf of the Government into the strengths and weaknesses of local authorities. The results of these inspections are translated into ratings of 'excellent' down to 'poor'. 'Excellent' authorities are granted extra freedoms and flexibilities by central government and 'poor' authorities receive the help and advice they need to improve.

Mid Beds has received a ‘Good’ rating  July 2007

Mid Beds has received a ‘Good’ rating from the Audit Commission, following our CPA re-assessment in April.  We scored 39 points, which puts us clearly into the ‘Good’ category (which runs from 36-44). Most important to our success, has been the sustained hard work by everyone in the council to deliver services. The inspection examined the outcome of the years of effort that have made Mid Beds a "Good" council. 

The Scoring

The purpose of the Corporate Assessment is to answer three headline questions:

  • What is the council trying to achieve?
  • Does the council have the capacity to deliver its ambitions?
  • What has been achieved so far?

These are divided into five specific themes; Ambition; Prioritisation; Capacity; Performance Management; Achievement and Improvement. Each of these themes receiving a score, which is then also given a weighting. Achievement and Improvement received the highest weighting in the assessment and therefore had the biggest impact on our score. Below is just some of the feedback from the inspectors’ final report:

  • Mid Beds District Council has a strong focus on meeting its customers' needs and succeeds in delivering good value for money to local council taxpayers.
  • Overall service performance is significantly better than average.
  • The calibre and capability of councillors and staff are sound, and internal relationships throughout the organisation are good.
  • Appropriate systems and processes are in place to ensure the effective management of resources, and there are sufficient financial resources
    available to deliver priorities.
  • Information Communication Technology capacity is very good and is now starting to be used to make a real difference to service delivery.
  • Performance in delivering value for money is particularly strong and local council taxpayers are well served.
  • There have been some good outcomes from partnership working particularly in waste management and in improving health.
  • Arrangements for performance management have made very significant progress since the council’s last CPA in 2004.
  • Work with partners in improving the health of local people is good. There is good joint working with NHS partners and a range of local schemes have been developed. For example leisure facilities across the district are good and participation rates for local people are well above average.
  • Performance with partners on waste management is good and improving. The volume of waste collected at 405 kilograms per head is better than average.
  • The Council has been successful in securing section 106 funds beyond planned targets and since 2004/05 the Council have secured £97m in planning agreements. This has secured a range of new community facilities that improve both the local environment and the health and well-being of local people.  

Chief Executive, Jaki Salisbury, said:
“Providing good services and excellent value for money for our residents has always been at the forefront of everything we do. It’s good that all the hard work of all staff and Councillors has now been formally recognised.”
 
Deputy Leader, Ken Matthews said:
“I am pleased that Mid Beds has received the result it thoroughly deserves. We won’t rest on our laurels though. The Inspectors have hi-lighted some areas for improvement (see below) and we will address these and others in our CPA Improvement Plan, which will go to Overview Committee and the Executive for their agreement in September.”
  
CPA Full Inspection Report 2007 available to down or view in pdf format.

Background to CPA inspection 2007

On the 20 November 2006, Mid Beds received confirmation that a CPA reassessment would take place between 16-20 April 2007.
A regional panel from the Audit Commission considered the evidence of improvement at Mid Beds District Council and determined that it has made sufficient improvement to warrant a potential change in category. The panel considered that Mid Beds has achieved a strong set of performance indicators demonstrating good improvement.

How does the inspection work?

The CPA inspectors follow five key lines of enquiry (KLOEs) - asking 12 questions relating to these themes. The final score is a combination of the scores they award on the basis of strengths and weaknesses they identify. To reach these scores the inspectors look at the authority as a whole and take into account audited performance indicators and various audits, inspectors reports and assessments.

The inspectors are interested in what people inside and outside the authority think of our performance and will seek the views of our partners and stakeholders via an e-survey, which was sent out in February. In addition the inspectors undertook an in-depth on-site inspection between 16-20 April, and received a virtual tour of the district. The inspectors will have been particularly focused on finding clear evidence of our achievements.

As part of the CPA process, Mid Beds District Council produced a CPA self-assessment, in which we took a long hard look at how we organise ourselves and manage our priorities. When the Audit Commission Inspectors visited they will have measured what they actually saw against what we have put in our self-assessment.

The following documents are available to download:
2007 Self-Assessment (pdf 539kb)
Case Studies supporting our Self-Assessment (pdf 296kb)
Staff focus group comments (pdf 35kb)
CPA - Interviewee Briefing Pack (pdf 86kb)

To view information on our previous 2004 CPA assessment.

Looking Good - is the CPA newsletter for Staff, Members and other interested parties by Mid Beds District Council's CPA Project team.

Corporate Improvement Plan

The aim of the CPA process is to provide a sound basis for future improvement planning. Any areas of weakness identified by the Audit Commission following our reassessment will be incorporated into future Corporate Improvement Plans. To view our current Corporate Improvement Plan.

If you require further information on our Comprehensive Performance Assessment please email the Policy Team by clicking here or telephone David Moores, Corporate Policy Manager on 01462 611213.

Linked documents:

* Download CPA final report July 2007 (application/pdf; 125kb)

* Download CPA Self Assessment 2007 Final (application/pdf; 552kb)