Horsham District Council

PRESS RELEASE

Horsham District Council judged to be ‘excellent’

Horsham District Council overall is ‘excellent’, according to a major report out today from the Audit Commission.

The comprehensive performance assessment (CPA) released today, is part of a rolling programme to give local people a report on how their district councils are performing corporately, and how they are serving their communities. Following today’s report Horsham District Council will plan what it needs to do to improve, with support from the Audit Commission.

CPA is the first time that people have had a single overall judgement on their council, rating each as excellent, good, fair, weak or poor. Reporting for district councils follows the 2002 CPA carried out for the 150 largest councils in England.

Horsham district council is doing well in most areas. In particular:

• Horsham is a highly ambitious council with a track record of improving local services to match.
• It provides strong community leadership, listens to the views of local people and works well in partnership with other agencies.
• The council’s financial standing is very good (rated 4 out of 4), reflecting its financial capacity and strength in setting and managing its budgets.
• The council has an impressive record of developing new community facilities, such as Pavilions leisure centre.
• Public spaces are attractive and well managed by the council and it has made a significant contribution to the regeneration ofHorsham town centre. It is also working effectively to respond to local needs for affordable homes.
  

But the assessment also found room for improvement:

• The council needs to further develop internal systems to maximise learning opportunities and manage performance.

Overall, the council is strong. Over the coming months the Audit Commission will co-ordinate discussion with the council to devise an audit and inspection programme to tackle areas that need greatest improvement.

Audit Commission senior manager Chris Westwood said:
“Horsham district council is an excellent council that benefits from strong leadership and has an impressive track record of improving services for local people. To remain excellent, Horsham will need to ensure that it continues to look ahead and adapt itself to meet future challenges and opportunities. Residents of Horsham district council will want to know what happens next. We have recommended that the council use CPA to help it work out how to build upon its many strengths and tackle its weaknesses, and would expect the council to make its improvement plans public. We will be back to report on progress. The end result should be better services for the people of Horsham district.”

Audit Commission Chairman James Strachan said:
“Comprehensive Performance Assessment is strategic regulation.  It reduces red tape and is aimed at helping improve public services. Not only is this the first comprehensive report to the public on how well councils are run - it also provides a powerful tool to make services better. The findings we have published today will form the basis for future improvement plans. The Commission will help by focusing its attention where it is necessary and most productive. The council will get maximum support without unnecessary bureaucracy.”

A summary card and full report for Horsham district council is available from the council, and also the Commissions’ main site at www.audit-commission.gov.uk/cpa

ENDS

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT THE AUDIT COMMISSION PRESS OFFICE ON 020 7396 1999

NOTES TO EDITORS

1. 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 will get a CPA report.
   
2. District CPA consists of a self-assessment carried out by the council and challenged by peers in local government, followed by an on-site visit from a team of inspectors. The team assesses the council’s performance in core services, and its ability to improve. The corporate assessment includes an auditor’s judgement, report from the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate and diagnostic assessment of how the council manages delivery of public space, and housing (either in meeting the decent homes standard, or housing markets in the area).
   
3. The Audit Commission co-ordinated CPA at 150 single tier and county councils in England in 2002, categorising each as either excellent, good, fair, weak or poor. Those councils are now planning, how to improve or continue improving their services.
   
4. The Benefit Fraud Inspectorate was one of the key regulators involved in CPA in 2002. In assessing district councils the BFI uses a questionnaire followed by an on-site visit, the length of which is determined by a risk assessment.
   
5. The Audit Commission is an independent body responsible for ensuring that public money is spent economically, efficiently and effectively, to achieve high-quality local and national services for the public. Its work covers local government, housing, health and criminal justice services. As an independent watchdog, it provides important information on the quality of public services. As a driving force for improvement in those services, it provides practical recommendations and spreads best practice. As an independent auditor, it monitors spending to ensure public services are good value for money. Further details about the Commission can be obtained from its web site - www.audit-commission.gov.uk