Corporate assessment

Corporate assessments are large scale inspections of the whole council by the Audit Commission.  These look at how well the council is run and what difference it has made to the local community.  As part of this process, inspectors review documents and plans, observe meetings and interview a lot of people during their limited time on site (including staff, managers, partners and the public).

The evidence collected allows inspectors to make judgements about the council in three key areas:

• What is the council, together with its partners, trying to achieve?  This focuses on local ambitions and priorities

• What is the capacity of the council, including its work with partners, to deliver what it is trying to achieve?  This element looks at the building blocks for delivering better outcomes for the community by assessing capacity and performance management

• What has been achieved?  The extent of improvement in five major themes for local government:
- Sustainable communities and transport
- Safer and stronger communities

- Healthier communities
- Older people
- Children and young people

 

Following each CPA assessment the Council receives a report with recommendations for improvement.  Generally this leads in an action plan to tackle issues identified in the Corporate Assessment.
 
Bury has had three corporate assessments – in 2002, 2004 and 2008.  Details of self assessments, inspection reports and Improvement Plans can be found by clicking on the appropriate link below.