Devolving performance accountability to local areas
The way that local government performance is assessed has a significant impact on the priorities and actions of local government. This project is about ensuring that the performance assessment regime sticks as closely as possible to the actual priorities of the Council, is not too burdensome, and reflects the different approaches of different Councils. At the heart of this is to create a system whereby local government and local people take a much greater role in the scrutiny of local performance.
29 Articles
Elected Police and Crime Commissioners [, Jan 17, 2011]
Elected police commisioners are to be welcomed. The current system doesn’t work, policing lacks local accountability, and it’s time that local people had a real say over the policing in their area.
Trust and Transparency in Local Government [, Oct 20, 2010]
This Note follows the roundtable event on 'Trust and Transparency in Local Government' hosted by Localis in conjunction with the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea on 30th September 2010.
Economies and Efficiencies in your Area [, Mar 6, 2010]
Event is being held during the Conservative Local Government Conference this year. Hosted by: Localis & CCA. Venue: Hotel Russell, London. Date & Time: 11.35am Saturday 6th March
Scrap the CAA to revive democracy [, Feb 8, 2010]
Scrapping the inspection and the target culture in local government would improve performance and would save money in the process says the Director of Policy at Localis as he explores their latest report ‘For Good Measure’
Provide feedback on our latest report [, Feb 5, 2010]
Localis are taking part in an online 'hotseat' on the IDeA website. To offer feedback on the report and to engage in the discussion please go to the following link - http://www.communities.idea.gov.uk/c/1127925/forum/thread.do?id=3300479
What future in a World without CAA? [, Feb 3, 2010]
This is a note following a roundtable discussion hosted by Localis and IDeA looking into the need of centralised inspection and targets in local government as well as systematic changes which could be applied in the short and medium term. Sara Williams, Strategic Advisor of IDeA, introduced and co
CAA should be scrapped to save billions [, Feb 3, 2010]
The Comprehensive Area Assessment (CAA) and its predecessor have failed to improve the performance of local government and have induced a culture of compliance, according to a new report from think tank Localis
Spelman spells out regulation strategy [, Feb 3, 2010]
Shadow local government secretary Caroline Spelman has given the first indication of how the future of local government regulation may look if the Conservatives win the election
Targets 'distort' local services, report claims [, Feb 2, 2010]
A report from the think tank Localis says that compliance with the Comprehensive Area Assessment (CAA) costs £2bn a year and has called for the system to be scrapped
Call to axe services programme [, Feb 2, 2010]
The Government could save billions of pounds by scrapping a flagship programme to assess and publicise the performance of local services, a think-tank report said.
Scrap CAA to improve councils, says report [, Feb 2, 2010]
The Comprehensive Area Assessment (CAA) and its predecessor have both failed to improve local government performance leading to a ‘culture of compliance’, according to think tank Localis
Call to axe services programme [, Feb 2, 2010]
The Government could save billions of pounds by scrapping a flagship programme to assess and publicise the performance of local services, a think-tank report said.
Save billions by scrapping CAA [, Feb 2, 2010]
The Government could save billions of pounds by scrapping a flagship programme to assess and publicise the performance of local services, a think-tank report said today
Call to axe services programme [, Feb 2, 2010]
The Government could save billions of pounds by scrapping a flagship programme to assess and publicise the performance of local services, a think-tank report said.
Call to axe services programme [, Feb 2, 2010]
The Government could save billions of pounds by scrapping a flagship programme to assess and publicise the performance of local services, a think-tank report said
Call to axe services programme [, Feb 2, 2010]
The Government could save billions of pounds by scrapping a flagship programme to assess and publicise the performance of local services, a think-tank report said
Call to axe services programme [, Feb 2, 2010]
The Government could save billions of pounds by scrapping a flagship programme to assess and publicise the performance of local services, a think-tank report said
Think tank calls for scrapping of CAA [, Feb 2, 2010]
Scrapping Comprehensive Area Assessments (CAA) could save billions of pounds and boost councils' performance, according to a report by think tank Localis
Press Release: For Good Measure [, Feb 2, 2010]
Scrapping the CAA will improve local performance and could save billions, Localis report suggests. Councils should take control of performance measures, assisted by more local accountability and peer support
Scrap the CAA and save billions [, Feb 2, 2010]
Scrapping the Comprehensive Area Assessment (CAA) will improve local performance and could save billions, according to a report by the think tank Localis
Localis report on Guardian Public - Editors Picks [, Feb 2, 2010]
Our latest report, 'For Good Measure' has been selected as an Editors Pick on the Guardian Public website - http://www.guardianpublic.co.uk/. To view the report go to the Publications section on our website
Scrapping CAA 'would save billions' [, Feb 2, 2010]
Scrapping the Comprehensive Area Assessment (CAA) would save in excess of £2bn and improve council performance, according to a report from Localis
Call to axe services programme [, Feb 2, 2010]
The Government could save billions of pounds by scrapping a flagship programme to assess and publicise the performance of local services, a think-tank report said
For Good Measure [, Feb 2, 2010]
With a foreword by Sir Simon Jenkins, this is a report outlining the case for the accountability of performance and assessment of local government to be devolved to local government and local people.
Laying CAA to rest - Report Launch [, Feb 2, 2010]
Hosted by: Localis. Venue: The Ideas Space. Date & Time: 6.30pm Tuesday 2nd February. With Caroline Spelman MP
The Bottom Line [, Nov 25, 2009]
This publication from the think tank Localis suggests that councils should set self-imposed targets to reduce expenditure by around 20 per cent by 2011. They are urged to reassess their priorities against cost and innovate if they are to achieve much needed expenditure reductions.
A world without CAA? [, Nov 16, 2009]
This roundtable focussed on the merits of the current assessment regime and how we can strengthen local accountability. This discussion forms part of a larger project looking into increasing the influence of citizens in local decision making in local politics and improving the accountability of loc
Total Place [, Nov 6, 2009]
In this edition of Policy Platform we discuss how local authorities can deliver improved services around locally determined priorities. This is in the context of the ‘Total Place’ pilot initiative currently underway which is looking to examine the total spend of all agencies within an area to aim to
Assessment can be made to count [, Apr 9, 2009]
Tom Shakespeare of Localis discusses the implications of the CAA, and poses some key questions that need to be addressed if the new system is to be a success
Related Local Government News Articles
43 Related Local Government News Articles
Localism Bill will give citizens more powers to challenge councils [, Nov 9, 2010]
Details of the forthcoming Localism Bill revealed in the government's business plan for DCLG indicate that local residents will be given powers to challenge councils on a range of issues
Government scraps adult social services performance assessment [, Nov 5, 2010]
Councils' annual performance assessments (APAs) that rate adult social care are to be scrapped after this year’s ratings are announced later this month.
Burden on councils revealed [, Oct 15, 2010]
Council chiefs have made a last ditch plea for inspection to be slashed following research revealing some 74,000 pages of rules and instructions have been foisted on local government from Westminster in the past decade.
Pickles announces abolition of Local Area Agreements [, Oct 13, 2010]
Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles today announced the abolition of the 152 Local Area Agreements, first introduced in 2004.
Will social impact bonds solve society's most intractable problems? [, Oct 7, 2010]
Discusses the potential of Social Impact Bonds, which aim to attract private investment to fund solutions to previously intractable social problems
'Biggest ever' consultation on council spending launched [, Oct 1, 2010]
The Local Government Group (LGG) has launched a mass-consultation on council spending to give residents a say on how savings should be made, ahead of anticipated cuts to town hall budgets in the spending review.
NAO to oversee new audit regime [, Sep 9, 2010]
Value for money checks on local councils and other public bodies will be overseen by the National Audit Office, Eric Pickles has confirmed.
DCLG opens books to public [, Aug 12, 2010]
The Department for Communities & Local Government has published a list of every item of expenditure above £500 made in the past year.
Place Survey ditched [, Aug 10, 2010]
The Place Survey is to be scrapped as ministers make a further bid to “release councils from Whitehall control”, local government minister Grant Shapps has announced.
Councils 'encouraged' to publish spending [, Jun 7, 2010]
Councils will be “encouraged” to publish details of all spending over £500 in full and online by September, under plans outlined by Communities Secretary Eric Pickles.
Stop CAA work now, councils told [, May 28, 2010]
Local auditors are advising councils to stop all work relating to the comprehensive area assessment (CAA), with the Audit Commission set to outline on Friday how it will wind up the programme.
Calls for data improvement [, Mar 5, 2010]
The Audit Commission has called on councils to radically improve their provision of information to boost local democracy and clamp down on fraud, corruption and waste.
Plan to move to peer review [, Feb 4, 2010]
Local area agreements (LAA) will be restructured so that they no longer face major intervention from Whitehall when councils are deciding their own priorities, should the Tories win the general election.
Spelman spells out regulation strategy [, Feb 3, 2010]
Shadow local government secretary Caroline Spelman has given the first indication of how the future of local government regulation may look if the Conservatives win the election
Scrapping CAA 'would save billions' [, Feb 2, 2010]
Scrapping the Comprehensive Area Assessment (CAA) would save in excess of £2bn and improve council performance, according to a report from Localis
Call to axe services programme [, Feb 2, 2010]
The Government could save billions of pounds by scrapping a flagship programme to assess and publicise the performance of local services, a think-tank report said
How should councils cope with FoI requests? [, Jan 27, 2010]
A typical council does get hundreds of FIA requests a year and there is a cost involved. But costs could be reduced if there isn't a great effort made to come up for excuses for witholding the information but it is just handed over
Defending Freedom of Information [, Jan 25, 2010]
Mark Wallace of the Taxpayers Alliance finds a mixed picture in Town Halls when it comes to embracing Freedom of Information and strongly advocates ensuring transparency continues.
Government data project unveiled [, Jan 21, 2010]
Web founder Sir Tim Berners-Lee has unveiled his latest venture for the UK government, which offers the public better access to official data. A new website, data.gov.uk, will offer reams of public sector data.
Residents more satisfied with Conservative councils [, Jan 19, 2010]
Ipsos MORI’s latest report, entitled Mind the Gap: Frontiers of Performance V, has taken a whole range of different factors that impact on what people think about councils and looked at the Place Surveys that all English Councils undertook in 2008.
Databases opened to the public [, Jan 7, 2010]
The Greater London Authority has committed itself to publishing all centrally held data in its raw format as part of a drive to change the nature of the interaction between citizens and the state.
Audit Commission ready for change [, Jan 5, 2010]
Officials at the Audit Commission are already preparing for an alternative inspection system to the comprehensive area assessment (CAA) in case the Conservative Party wins power.
We need real information and power [, Dec 13, 2009]
Mark Wallace of the Taxpayers Alliance judges the new CAA ratings and its Oneplace website to have failed in holding Town Halls to account.The CAA replaces the old star rating system for councils
Ten more councils question CAAs [, Dec 11, 2009]
The comprehensive area assessment (CAA) system is unhelpfully judgmental and manifestly unfair, according to a report based on interviews with 'systems thinking leaders' at 10 councils.
Battle begins for future of CAA [, Dec 10, 2009]
The Audit Commission is battling to sell the Comprehensive Area Assessment (CAA) to a potential Conservative government after two flagship Tory boroughs revealed that they were “quitting” the “costly and ineffective” assessment.
Wandsworth and H&F quit CAA [, Dec 4, 2009]
Two high performing, low tax, councils have slammed the Audit Commission’s new assessment regime, which they say has proved costly and ineffective.
Total place: dig for victory [, Dec 3, 2009]
Though the pre-budget report looms, the Total Place pilots are far more focused on what happens next year, with much of the groundwork already taking place
Windsor and Maidenhead has nothing to hide [, Nov 25, 2009]
Councillor Liam Maxwell, the Lead Member for Policy and Performance, on the next stage of the transparency agenda at Windsor and Maidenhead Council.
Portsmouth puts the customer first [, Nov 25, 2009]
Inspection regimes are way down the list of priorities for one housing department determined to focus on tenants, not targets. The housing department of Portsmouth city council has opted for an approach that it believes serves its tenants well, but does not fit with either the old or the new inspec
LGA takes aim at Audit Commission [, Nov 18, 2009]
The Local Government Association has called for the government to take an axe to public sector inspectors in a bid to safeguard councils’ position ahead of the impending public spending squeeze.
Councillors ‘yet to engage’ [, Nov 12, 2009]
Concern is growing that councillors are failing to engage fully in the Total Place programme, leading to a lack of democratic input into the public spending debate.
Local authorities need to take hard decisions [, Nov 9, 2009]
Councils should set self-imposed targets to reduce expenditure by around 20 per cent by 2011, a report from Localis and KPMG recommends. Local authorities must reassess their priorities against cost and innovate if they are to achieve the expenditure reductions demanded by 2011.
Spelman: Total Place will eclipse LAAs [, Nov 9, 2009]
Shadow communities secretary Caroline Spelman has raised fundamental questions over the future of local area agreements (LAAs), after stating they “will probably be eclipsed” by the Total Place programme.
Councils to publish executive pay [, Oct 22, 2009]
Rules forcing English councils to publish chief executives' salaries are to be introduced by the end of 2009. Minister Rosie Winterton said it would affect 2,500 officials and people had the right to see the full picture.
Assessments should be intelligence rich [, Oct 15, 2009]
Assessment cannot be about collecting and shuffling data together to create a mountain of ‘information’. Assessments have to be about prioritisation, analysis and exploration of how this evidence relates to, and in practice works with strategy and policy. In short assessments need to be intelligen
New inspection model in the wings [, Oct 8, 2009]
Conservative council leaders are increasingly confident they will be able to convince a Tory government to adopt a new inspection model within its first year in power.
Watchdog seeks to save CAA [, Oct 8, 2009]
The Audit Commission is preparing a last-ditch attempt to prevent the comprehensive area assessment (CAA) from being abolished under a Conservative government.
'Billions could be saved' from Total Place [, Sep 29, 2009]
Billions of pounds could be saved if public services were rethought on the basis of themes rather than organisations, according to the findings of a scheme seeking low-pain ways to cut government spending.
Scrap quangos like the Audit Commission [, Sep 22, 2009]
'Value-for-money’ quangos like the Audit Commission and the National Audit Office should be scrapped and replaced by a single body which just measures public service performance, a report says today.
Unaffordable regulation must change [, Sep 16, 2009]
We are in a period of transition from all-encompassing external audit and inspection to a new model. We can’t tell yet what will come next but clearly much of the present settlement will be facing heavy scrutiny as a costly overhead.
Conservative shake-up planned [, Sep 13, 2009]
In Westminster and town halls across the country, revolution is brewing. It threatens riots, possibly on the streets, certainly in cyberspace. Riots of protest, perhaps, and definitely a riot of information.
New unitary has saved £30m already [, Aug 6, 2009]
The new Cheshire West and Chester Council has already saved £30m since coming into existence in April by reducing the number of management layers inherited – from the eight predecessor district authorities – from nine to five.
Cut the Audit Commission [, Jul 16, 2009]
First in David Cameron’s quango-firing line should be the Audit Commission. An instrument of the reform regime, the Audit Commission fosters compliance rather than improvement; and compliance with bad ideas to boot.
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Roundtable: The Future of the Coalition Government’s Education Policy
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[Jan 4, 2012]
- "Localis is fast gaining a reputation for pre-empting the localist agenda, producing thought provoking research and practical policy ideas"Anthony Seldon, author and political commentator
- "Localis’ commitment to decentralisation crosses party boundaries, and their research illuminates policy problems with new practical thinking"Prof George Jones, LSE
- "Localis offers a great blend of a passion for innovation, grounded practical ideas and unswerving belief in the possibilities of local governance"Derek Myers, Chief Executive, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
