Comprehensive Area Assessment

Comprehensive Area Assessment, or CAA, is a new way of assessing local public services in England that was introduced by the Government in April 2009. It examines how well councils and other public bodies work together to meet the needs of the people they serve.

Every year six independent inspectorates will provide a joint assessment of what it is like to live in each area of England, and assess the prospects for sustainable improvement in the future. The inspectorates involved in CAA are the Audit Commission, Ofsted, Care Quality Commission and Her Majesty’s Inspectorates of Constabulary, Prisons and Probation.

The results of these assessments will be available to the public from 10 December 2009 on a new website called Oneplace.

Through CAA, local public services – including councils, health bodies, police forces, fire and rescue services - will be held collectively to account for their impact on improving quality of life for residents.

CAA focuses on what is preventing improvement, and identifying success and innovation that others can learn. CAA looks at what matters locally, covering issues like 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.

Further information about CAA can be found here. [1]

External links

• CAA Homepage
• Audit Commission Homepage