220410 area assessment · 4.4 no “red flags” were raised against service delivery issues in the...

Agenda Item 7 - page 1

AGENDA ITEM NO. 7TITLE: COMPREHENSIVE AREA ASSESSMENT – AREA ASSESSMENT

FEEDBACK

Committee: External Partnerships Review Committee

Date: 22nd April, 2010

Author: Head of Policy and Performance[J396]

1 ISSUE

1.1 In December 2009, the first Comprehensive Area Assessments forCambridgeshire were published on the Audit Commission “One Place”website. This report summarises the main points raised in the AreaAssessment.

2 RECOMMENDATION(S)

2.1 That Members note the Area Assessment findings for Cambridgeshire.

2.2 That Members note the Audit Commission Areas of Focus that will form thebasis for the 2010 Area Self Assessment.

3 BACKGROUND/OPTIONS

3.1 Comprehensive Area Assessment replaced Comprehensive PerformanceAssessment as the standard inspection methodology for local government inApril 2009.

3.2 Comprehensive Area Assessment examines public services in the Area, andis based primarily on the commitments given by partners in the Local AreaAgreement.

3.3 For the purposes of this paper, CAA comprises two main areas of work for theinspectorates involved in delivering CAA:Organisational Assessments – for individual Councils and partner

organisations, combining the Use of Resources Assessment, PerformanceManagement assessment and a joint inspectorate examination of serviceperformance, based on the national indicators. The results of the Council’sown organisational assessment have previously been reported to InternalOverview and Scrutiny Committee (29th March).

Area Assessment – at County level, examining how well public servicesare delivering better results for local people across the whole area,focusing on agreed priorities (as identified in the Local Area Agreement)and prospects for future improvement. The full Area Assessment report isincluded as Appendix A. A key part of the Area Assessment process is the


development of an area self-assessment by the public service partners inthe county. This Committee considered the 2009 Area Self Assessment atits meeting of 16th July 2009.

3.4 This report summarises the key findings of the CAA process for the County asan area.

3.5 The documents provided at Appendix A represents the publicly availableassessments of Cambridgeshire’s standing against the requirements of theComprehensive Area Assessment.

3.6 Appendix B shows the areas identified by the Audit Commission (as leadinspection body for CAA) as requiring continued focus by the CambridgeshireTogether partners. Also shown for each area is the partnership that isresponsible for responding to the issue. These areas will form a specificfocus for the 2010 Area Self-Assessment.

4 AREA ASSESSMENT FINDINGS

4.1 The Comprehensive Area Assessment uses the Local Area Agreement as thestarting point for examining the performance of public services in the County.This means, therefore, that the extent and quality of partnership working isone of the main focuses of the assessment process. From this point of view,the Cambridgeshire Together partnership is viewed as central to many of theachievements so far and to the future resolution of many issues identified inthe assessment.

4.2 The findings are presented under each of the headings of the Local AreaAgreement:

Economic Prosperityo Although the County’s economy is strong, some areas have less well

paid employment, and difficulty in accessing better paid employmentelsewhere.

o Public service organisations have responded well to the recession,supporting local people and businesses in the areas most affected.

o Education results are generally good, but children from poorer familiesdo less well and are less likely to move into further and highereducation.

Environmental Sustainabilityo Good partnership working has reduced waste, with over 50% of

collected waste going to recycling. There is good work to educateindividuals and businesses in the benefits of waste reduction andrecycling.

o Air quality is improving, but partners recognise that much more needsto be done to tackle climate change.


Equality and Inclusiono General good health, high incomes and good educational attainment

mask “pockets” of deprivation in these areas.o Public service organisations are committed to directing resources to

the areas that suffer problems, directed by proper research such as theJoint Strategic Needs Assessment.

Managing Growtho Partners are working well to manage challenging population and

housing growth.o Affordable housing remains a key issue for the County.o Traffic congestion requires long-term solutions that are not yet in

place.o Partners must ensure that the benefits of growth accrue across the

County and not just in high growth areas.

Safer and Stronger Communitieso Crime is higher in Cambridgeshire than in comparable areas, but

partners are taking action to address acquisitive crime and violentcrime.

o Although over ¾ of residents feel that people from differentbackgrounds get on well together, this varies across the county andpartners need to address particular areas where residents do notshare this view.

4.3 In addition, Cambridgeshire received a “green flag” denoting significant goodpractice in the area of waste management.

4.4 No “red flags” were raised against service delivery issues in the County.

5 FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

5.1 There are no financial implications associated with the preparation of thisreport.

5.2 There are significant financial implications associated with responding to theissues highlighted in the Comprehensive Area Assessment, both for theCambridgeshire Together partnership and for the constituent organisations.These financial implications will be dealt with through the regular serviceplanning processes of both partnerships and individual organisationsoperating in the area.

6 CONCLUSIONS

6.1 The Comprehensive Area Assessment provides an easily accessibledescription of the issues facing Cambridgeshire as a County.


6.2 The assessment document provides a starting point for the consideration ofpartnership work to address these issues.

6.3 Consideration of the issues raised in this process will further inform the LocalArea Agreement and any work undertaken by Cambridgeshire Together.

7 APPENDICES

7.1 Appendix A – CAA Area Assessment – Full Report7.2 Appendix B – CAA Self Assessment – Areas of Focus for 2010

Background Documents

Comprehensive AreaAssessment – SelfAssessment Documents;External PartnershipsReview Committee,16/07/2009

Location

Room FF103,The Grange,Ely

Contact Officer

Ste ThornleyHead of Policy and Performance(01353) 616374E-mail:[email protected]

4

CambridgeshireArea AssessmentDated 9 December 2009

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Agenda Item 7 – page 6

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7 Cambridgeshire


The Local Area

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Area Assessment Focus Areas

General

Economic Prosperity ﴾supporting the role of Cambridgeshire as a centre of knowledge and innovation, especially in low carbon technologies﴿

How have we continued our initial good response to the recession, andcontinued to target support to the most affected areas?

EconomicProsperity/GCP

Our target percentage of 16-18 year olds in education, employment ortraining was not met. Have we improved?

CYPSP

Have we taken any new steps to improve results for children and youngpeople from low-income families?

CYPSP

The number of young people in education in Fenland was increasing –has this trend continued?

CYPSP;FenlandStrategicPartnership

The percentage of young offenders in education, employment or traininghad fallen to well below the national average. Is this still the case?

EconomicProsperity/GCP;Safer andStronger

Specific efforts to raise aspirations and educational results have beenmade in Wisbech and Cambridge. This was planned to be extended toMarch and Chatteris – did this happen?

CYPSP; FSP

The area assessment noted unemployment has risen, the number of jobvacancies has fallen by 20-35%, there are more applications pervacancy and fewer chances of casual employment. Has this trendcontinued and what steps have partners taken to address this?


Youth unemployment has been rising, particularly in Huntingdonshire.What steps have been taken to address this?


People in some areas do not have the same chances as in more wealthyareas – jobs are less well paid and transport links are not as good. Whatsteps have been taken to improve this?


Environmental Sustainability ﴾meeting the challenges of climate change while maintaining a high quality environment﴿

We were praised for some good examples of redirecting resource to theareas of greatest need. Have we done this any further?

CambridgeshireTogether

How will Making Cambridgeshire Count help to improve outcomes? CambridgeshireTogether

What improvements have been made in reducing domestic violence andalcohol related crime?

Safer andStronger

How have we involved local people in decision making to a greaterextent?


Partnership working is improving – Horizons, RECAP and the Children’sand Young People’s Strategic Partnership are good examples.


It was noted that we had an agreement to work better with the voluntarysector and work is increasingly businesslike. Have we continued theseimprovements?


APPENDIX B


Equality and Inclusion ﴾supporting vulnerable groups and enabling them to participate fully in community life, and encouraging healthier and moresustainable lifestyles﴿

FENLANDWhat work is being carried out to improve outcomes in Fenland? FSPPeople in Fenland are more likely to suffer from heart disease, strokeand diabetes.

FSP;CommunityWellbeing

Babies born in Fenland are more likely to have a low birth weight. FSP;CommunityWellbeing

Fenland does not have sufficient transport links to enable people tocommute to work.

FSP;EnvironmentalSustainability

People In Fenland are less likely to agree that people from differentbackgrounds get on well.

FSP; Safer andStronger

People in Fenland have a lower life expectancy and a higher number ofearly deaths when compared with the rest of the county.


Fenland has a lower level of exercise, higher level of smoking, poorerdiets and a high level of road traffic accidents.


The rate of teenage pregnancy is higher in Fenland than elsewhere inthe county. Sexual Health teams have been working in the locality to

FSP;Community

Good work was noted on increasing recycling and reducing the amountof waste created. Has this trend continued?

EnvironmentalSustainabilityPartnership

Education on recycling was given to local people and businesses. Is thisprogramme continuing?

EnvironmentalSustainability

Air quality has improved – buses are cleaner and the use of publictransport has increased. Has this continued?


100 households in Huntingdonshire reduced their energy use by 22%. Has anyfollow up work been done?


Council houses had been made more energy efficient. Has thiscontinued?


A green flag was awarded for the waste partnership’s success inreducing waste.


Year on year improvements have been made in recycling. EnvironmentalSustainability

One partner has not yet exceeded the national target of 40% forrecycling and composting. Has this been addressed?


A wall insulation project in Fenland and a project on making energysavings at home in Huntingdonshire were noted by inspectors. Havethese projects continued?


Plans were in place to create a new environmental education centre.How have these progressed?


How has the Flood Management Programme progressed? EnvironmentalSustainability

Protection of local natural areas has been addressed by the Great FenProject. How has this progressed?



address this – has this had an effect? WellbeingRaising skill levels and attracting higher skilled jobs is key to improvingoutcomes in Fenland.

FSP; EconomicProsperity/GCP

CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLEWhat action is being taken to improve exam results for young people inpoorer areas and some minority groups, and ensure they remain ineducation?

CYPSP

There have been improvements in the mental health services provided tochildren and young people. Have these continued?

CYPSP;CommunityWellbeing

Few children’s homes are judged to be good or better. How will this beaddressed?

CYPSP

The number of children who are overweight at ages 5 and 11 isincreasing. What steps are being taken to address this?


Less than half of young people are satisfied with local parks and playareas. How is this being addressed?

CYPSP;EnvironmentalSustainability

The parents of children with special educational needs are generallysatisfied with local services.


Mental health services for vulnerable young people are not as good asthose in similar areas. There are no clear actions or targets to driveimprovement.


INEQUALITIESLast year, it was noted that partners are aware of the differences acrossthe county and services are being put in place to address these. Has thiscontinued?


Money has been redirected from more to less wealthy areas. More mustbe done around this still.


What plans are in place for a countywide approach to preventing oraddressing homelessness?

LSPs, Saferand Stronger;

What is being done to reduce the number of adults with noqualifications?

GCP

Health improvement programmes in Fenland, Huntingdon and the northof Cambridge City have shown good early results. Are there anyupdates?

CommunityWellbeing

Challenges around the aging population lie ahead, as the proportion ofpeople over 85 is increasing faster in Cambridgeshire than in other partsof the country. How are we addressing this?

CommunityWellbeing

GYPSIES AND TRAVELLERSThere is no common approach to tackling the problems experienced bygypsies and travellers. There is a need to improve health, education andopportunities for this community.

Safer andStronger

Plans were put in place to support the health needs of travellers,gypsies, migrant workers, children in care and youth offenders.

Safer andStronger;CommunityWellbeing

More gypsy and traveller sites are needed in South Cambridgeshire andFenland. The area is not on track to meet the target of 233 for the

Safer andStronger;


number of sites provided. HorizonsGypsies and travellers are affected by serious health problems, pooreducational results, racism, isolation, a loss of identity and drugproblems than other Cambridgeshire residents.


Fenland District Council has been particularly successful in working withgypsies and travellers.

Safer andStronger; FSP

South Cambridgeshire and Cambridge City have implemented travellers’health projects.


Partnership work in this area has improved but there is more to be done. Safer andStronger

OLDER PEOPLEThe needs of older, vulnerable and disabled people are understood bypartners. They have spoken to members of the public and voluntaryorganisations to see what is important to them. This has led to newtargets being set and changes to the way money is spent, for example,to supportpeople with dementia.

CommunityWellbeing

Auditors noted that fewer people now have to stay in hospital when theyare ready to go home. Is performance here still improving?

CommunityWellbeing

The auditors note that challenges lie ahead in supporting older,vulnerable and disabled people, with the proportion of people who areover 85 increasing faster in Cambridgeshire than in other parts of thecountry. A new plan is referenced, what progress has their been indelivering this?

CommunityWellbeing

Managing Growth ﴾providing affordable housing and creating successful communities﴿

It was noted that partners are working well to manage housing andpopulation growth. Has this work continued?

ManagingGrowth /Horizons

Some local people struggle to afford houses. 3 quarters of City residentscannot afford to buy starter homes. Even where prices are lower, in EastCambridgeshire and Fenland, over half of residents cannot afford to buy.What is being done to improve access to and supply of affordablehousing?


Are partners continuing to make sure that facilities are in place for newcommunities?


How have we continued to involve local people in the creation of newcommunities?


How are we attracting businesses to poorer areas? EconomicProsperity/GCP

Parts of Cambridgeshire suffer from traffic problems. No long-term solutionis in place yet. Are we developing one?


Partners have successfully encouraged people to cycle or use publictransport. Has this continued?


Satisfaction with local bus services and information has fallen. Do we Environmental


know why this is, and what have we done to reverse the trend? SustainabilityThere is no certainty over whether the planned rail station at Chestertonwill go ahead. Is there any update on this?

ManagingGrowth /Horizons;EnvironmentalSustainability

The condition of major roads has improved but smaller roads andfootways have not improved as planned. How has this changed?


Safer and Stronger Communities

Crime is higher in Cambridgeshire than in other similar areas. What isbeing done to address this?

Safer andStronger

Vehicle crime is down. Has this continued? Safer andStronger

Domestic burglary was up by a quarter overall. The City hasexperienced the greatest increase in burglary (an increase of almost50%). There have been increases in Huntingdonshire and SouthCambridgeshire also. How is this being addressed?

Safer andStronger

Violent crime has increased, although this is thought to be partially dueto the success of partners in encouraging the reporting of domesticabuse. Can we confirm this, and are we improving here?

Safer andStronger

Domestic abuse is the most common form of violence in rural areas.How is it being addressed?

Safer andStronger

Police and partners have set up a violent crimes task group, engaged inmedia campaigns and set up a street pastor scheme to tackle alcoholrelated violence. What effect is this having?

Safer andStronger

Police and partners have reduced re-offending by young people to levelscomparable with other similar areas.

Safer andStronger

Many projects have been set up to support young offenders but, by mostmeasures, the Youth Offending team perform less well than in similarareas.

Safer andStronger

Alcohol and drugs are a local problem in certain areas - particularlyFenland. How is this being addressed?


Good work around alcohol education has reduced crime and anti-socialbehaviour in St Neots. This may be rolled out to other districts. Has thishappened?

Safer andStronger

People in East Cambridgeshire and Fenland are not confident that policeand partners are successfully dealing with crime and anti-socialbehaviour. What steps are being taken to improve this perception?

Safer andStronger; FSP;East CambsLSP

There has been work undertaken in Cambridge City to address anti-social behaviour. The CrimeBUSter project in Fenland and targetedleisure activities in Wisbech have reduced anti-social behaviour and thefear of this behaviour. Has this continued?

Safer andStronger

Targeted work on bogus callers, crime prevention and home securityhas helped older people to feel safer at home. Police have prioritizeddealing with offenders.

Safer andStronger

The number of people killed or injured on the roads has fallen but is stillcomparatively high. Research on waterside accidents is being carriedout to address road accident deaths in Fenland.

Safer andStronger

People in Fenland are not confident that people from differentbackgrounds get along well together. How is this being improved?



Whilst councils encourage local resident involvement in decision making,the extent to which people feel they can make a difference varies andcivic participation is generally low. How is this being addressed?

Safer andStronger

Partners need to work together better to ensure that people do not haveto stay in hospital longer than necessary. Is this happening?

Safer andStronger

Services were being put in place to improve physical activity, healthyeating, smoking and sexual health. Are these in place and effective?

CYPSP,CommunityWellbeing