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Comprehensive Performance Assessment for district councils was developed by the Audit Commission with help from local government.  Between July 2003 and September 2004 all 238 district councils in England had a CPA report.

The purpose of the assessment is to judge how well the Council is delivering services such as planning, waste management, environmental health, housing and benefits.  It also examines how well the council is run, as this has an impact on how services are delivered.  Councils are rated as excellent, good, fair, weak or poor.

Each CPA assessment involved a number of stages (see links in right hand pane):

• A self-assessment
• A peer challenge.  This was carried out in October 2003 by a team from SOLACE Enterprises 
• Examination by the Audit Commission of key Council documents and plans
• An on-site inspection carried out in February 2004 by a team of four inspectors from the Audit Commission 
• Specific assessments of balancing housing markets and public open space, which are covered in the CPA report
• An assessment by the Benefits Fraud Inspectorate of the Council’s benefits service
• Preparation of a CPA report by the inspection team 
• Preparation of an improvement plan to address any areas of weakness identified during the assessment. 

CPA 2007

As a result of our CPA 2007 assessment, the Audit Commission rated us an 'excellent' council.

In 2006, we were one of seven district councils nationally selected by the Audit Commission to pilot its new CPA methodology.  Our request for recategorisation was successful, and in 2007 we submitted a self assessment (see the menu on the right). 

On 9 October 2007, the Audit Commission announced that the Council has been awarded an 'excellent' rating - the first of the five district councils in Oxfordshire to have this prestigious rating.  Only 36 of the 238 district councils are 'excellent'.  For further information, see the Audit Commission's report (available for download from the menu on the right) and press release, and our own press release announcing the new rating.

The rating as an excellent council comes after a rigorous assessment by the Audit Commission, which paid particular attention to the quality of services and value for money provided by the Council.  In its report, the Audit Commission highlights the clear ambition that the Council has on behalf of its local community, particularly to improve and develop Didcot.  It congratulates the Council for the way it acts as a community leader and the way that it works in partnership with others.  Particular praise is given for the way the Council manages its resources, so that it is able to do more for less.

On service delivery, the Audit Commission draws attention to the achievements of the Council in delivering affordable housing; working with Thames Valley Police and others to improve community safety; investment in leisure to encourage healthier lifestyles; high rates of recycling; clean streets; and an improving planning service.  But, it reserves particular praise for what the Council has achieved, and is still achieving, in Didcot, especially the new town centre.

The Council is now looking to the future.  The pace of change in local government is enormous and we must keep up with that.  What has made us an excellent council in 2007 stands us in good stead for the challenges ahead, especially in further improving services to residents and in meeting the challenge of the Audit Commission's new Comprehensive Area Assessment, which will replace CPA in 2009.