Comprehensive Area Assessment (CAA)

Comprehensive Area Assessment, or CAA, is a new way of assessing local public services in England. It examines how well councils are working together with other public bodies (other councils, health bodies, police forces, fire and rescue services and others responsible for local public services) to meet the needs of the people they serve. It's a joint assessment made by a group of six independent watchdogs:

• Audit Commission (external link) 
• Care Quality Commission (external link)
• HM Inspectorate of Constabulary (external link)
• HM Inspectorate of Prisons (external link)
• HM Inspectorate of Probation (external link)
• Ofsted (external link)

CAA looks at what matters locally, reflecting the priorities of local communities, political leaders and service chiefs. It may cover issues like reducing health inequalities, increasing affordable housing, reducing the fear of crime, improving education, attracting investment or reducing the area's carbon footprint. The issues assessed in each area will reflect local priorities for improving quality of life and protecting the most vulnerable.

Assessments are made on two levels - an Area Assessment, which looks at how well organisations are working in Lancashire at securing the outcomes outlined in the Lancashire Strategic Partnership's Community Strategy and an Organisation Assessment, which assesses the individual organisations.

Assessments will be made publicly available every year and will provide an annual snapshot of quality of life in the area. The first results were published on the new oneplace website on Wednesday 9 December 2009.

The new website shows how organisations and service-providers are doing on the issues that matter most in their local area. It highlights where things are going well, where there may be problems and how councils and their partners are working together to improve quality of life for residents.