Responses to the consultation should be sent to the ODPM by 3 March 2006 and a summary of responses will be published by 1 June. The local services inspectorate will be established by 2008.
Part of this work involves the development of a new performance framework to drive the delivery of continuously improving outcomes for all people and all places - better balancing national, top-down pressures and priorities with stronger local accountability and partnership delivery.
The consultation paper starts a debate on the role of local services inspection including the Audit Commission beyond 2008, when a number of existing programmes come to an end. This takes forward the commitment to refocus inspection and reduce its cost and burden on public bodies made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown, in the 2005 Budget Report. It seeks to build on the successes of inspection and reflect the significant improvements already secured in local authorities and local services more widely. It also highlights the need to consider alternative forms of external challenge - involving users, peers or partners.
At the CIPFA-hosted conference at which he launched the consultation paper, Phil Woolas said: "Today's consultation document invites discussion on the future role inspection should play within this more flexible framework. Our proposals will reform inspection, making it more proportionate, risk-based and effective. They aim to free-up councils, giving them further freedoms to deliver services that are tailored to local circumstances. This is another significant step towards bolstering public services."
"Giving people more power and control over their lives and ensuring the delivery of high quality services are at the heart of this Government's agenda. This is why my Department launched the local:vision discussion document earlier this year, entitled 'Securing better outcomes: developing a new performance framework'. This set out the Government's vision for delivering continuous improvement for people and places, through a framework which places the views of service users and local people at its core."
The Chancellor's 2005 Budget Report also announced the rationalisation of inspectorates from 11 to 4. This consultation paper therefore also sets out proposals for one of these - the new local services inspectorate. This inspectorate will bring together the functions of the Audit Commission and the local authority inspection responsibilities of the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate. It is proposed that it will be created by amending the existing Audit Commission, rather than abolishing it to create a new body.
The Audit Commission's current remit, powers and duties will be amended to enable it to take on the role of the local services inspectorate. It will undertake any inspection activity that is required on a range of local services, except on those that are specifically covered by the remits of other inspectorates. It will be responsible for ensuring the burden inspection places on local authorities is reduced - not least by co-ordinating with other inspectorates and regulators, and by acting as a gatekeeper for all inspection proposals affecting local authorities.
This inspection reform agenda will enable better co-ordination and less duplication between inspectorates and better planning, prioritisation and use of resources within larger institutions. It will also deliver a more risk-based, proportionate approach to inspection, which will lead to better use of resources, both for inspectorates and for inspected bodies.
Inspection has proved a powerful tool in helping to secure improvements in local service delivery. The introduction of Comprehensive Performance Assessment is acknowledged by local authority officers as a key driver of improvements. A recent MORI survey on behalf of the Local Government Association (LGA) showed that over 60% of councils believe that inspection sharpens their focus and three in four, while agreeing they often dislike inspection, believe it can - when used effectively - drive improvement. However, the success of inspection has also led to a significant increase in the amount of inspection - and pressures for more. The Devolving Decision-Making Review in 2004 recognised that the balance between centrally-driven or top-down tools to drive improvement and the freedom of local deliverers to manage their business effectively was not right. In line with this review and the wider public sector reform agenda, the Chancellor announced in the Budget in March 2005 a rationalisation, refocusing and reduction of inspection.
The Office of Criminal Justice Reform has consulted on proposals for its new inspectorate and issued a document entitled "Inspection Reform: Establishing an Inspectorate for Justice, Community Safety and Custody Policy Statement" on 21 November 2005. The consultation on a single inspectorate for children and learners by the Department for Education and Skills closed on 4 November. The Department of Health consultation, entitled "Proposed changes to the regulatory framework for adult social care service" was launched on 14 October and closes on 14 January 2006.
Quelle: Publictechnology, 29.11.2005
