Benefits to councils that achieve a high CPA score
High performing councils that achieve the highest CPA star ratings are given additional freedoms and flexibilities from central government so that they can experiment using different approaches to meet the needs of citizens and service users. Councils are given the opportunity to innovate using freedoms and flexibilities without fear that they will be held to account in the short term for any temporary blip in performance that might result from the introduction of change.
What benefits do high scoring CPA councils receive in practice?
The freedoms and flexibilities agreed by government for high scoring CPA councils include:
- Exemption from the requirement to produce specific plans and strategies (including a Homelessness Strategy, Youth Justice Plan, Air Quality Plan, Conservation Reports and Joint Municipal Waste Strategy)
- Non-DfES revenue ring fencing freedoms (excluding Supporting People)
- Non-DfES capital ring fencing freedoms
- Freedom to spend Fixed Penalty Notice income from fines (from dog fouling, graffiti, fly tipping, abandoned vehicles and street parking offences)
- Power to trade with local authorities in function related activities
- Membership of the Innovation Forum
In addition to these formal arrangements a higher CPA score creates significantly higher confidence in the council. This can provide many more informal opportunities and benefits. A high scoring council is more likely to be successful in bids for funding or to take part in improvement initiatives. It can influence decisions by external stakeholders such as businesses to invest in the borough or to work in partnership with the council to deliver service improvements.
Higher performing authorities have also experienced a reduction in inspection activity from central government.
The government say that "for high achievers CPA will bring new flexibility to expand or to change the way they deliver services, and significant additional freedoms to go much further and trail blaze innovative and new practices."
"We are making it clear that 'getting by' will not be enough. There is no room for those in the middle to simply stay there. They will have to raise their game or fall behind. CPA will clearly identify the service priorities for the under performing and the corporate "obstacles" to innovation and better services. It will indicate where these councils will have to focus their efforts and where central government should be prioritising support."
Audit Commission CPA report 2007
The government is continuing to work to reduce the inspection and regulatory burden on councils and to provide them even greater flexibilities and opportunities to innovate - high scoring councils will benefit most from this work in future.
