[cma-l] Local Government Funding Through the Comprehensive Area Assessment

[CMA-L]

The new Comprehensive Area Assessment (CAA) began in April 2009 and is
currently being implemented across England, but what does it mean for
the third sector?  The Office of the Third Sector  (OTS) has published
a short briefing on the key elements of the CAA and how the third
sector should engage with the process locally.

The CAA brings a very different approach to assessing local public
services, looking at what makes a real difference to people’s lives,
assessing how well public sector organisations and their partners work
together, and focusing on outcomes.

Perhaps most importantly, it means that all areas will be assessed on
all National Indicators including NI6 (participation in volunteering)
and NI7 (environment for a thriving third sector) regardless of
whether they are included in the Local Area Agreement.

The third sector is an essential partner on Local Strategic
Partnerships and in delivering local services.  OTS has worked across
government, with the joint inspectorates, and with key third sector
partners to ensure that the role of the third sector is fully embedded
across all elements of the framework, from quality of partnership
working to key lines of enquiry on commissioning; from the framework
document itself to the guidance to inspectorate staff.

CAA can act as a lever for the third sector to hold local government
to account.  It is important for the third sector to have a
coordinated approach to engaging with the CAA locally, in order to
effectively have their voices heard and to be able to maximise the
contribution of the wider sector to the assessment process.

This short briefing sets out the key elements of the CAA framework and
why it is important to the third sector.

    * Comprehensive Area Assessment: briefing for the third sector
[PDF, 4 pages, 80KB]:

http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/media/211848/caa%20brief%20final.pdf

You can discuss your experience of the CAA so far with colleagues on
the Third Sector Indicators Community of Practice.  If you are not
already a member, joining instructions are below.

    * Community of Practice joining instructions:

http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/media/116845/cop%20joining%20instructions.pdf

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