PAPER B

Committee : EXECUTIVE

Date : 27 JUNE 2002

Title : CORPORATE SELF ASSESSMENT

THE LEADER OF THE COUNCIL

BACKGROUND

1. The Government has decided to assess the performance of all Unitary and County Councils between April and September 2002 and the Audit Commission will carry out this work, aided by others. Inspectors will draw on existing inspection evidence of service provision and carry out additional inspection of some service areas. In addition, they will draw on evidence provided by the District Auditor who routinely carries out reviews of aspects of work across the Council.

2. A completely new activity, and the central plank of this Comprehensive Performance Assessment will be an inspection of ‘Corporate Governance’. Our inspection will take place during the period 15 – 26 July when five inspectors will be on site. They will talk to Councillors, staff and external partners as well as join a range of meetings. More of this when we get the details.

3. A crucial pre-inspection task for the council is to write and submit a “Self-Assessment Document” before 3 July. This document will be used by the inspectors to guide their inspection activity during the two week visit. It is, therefore, vitally important. Above all else, it must be an honest appraisal of our strengths and weaknesses and has to be ‘signed off’ by the Leader and Head of Paid Service.

4. On 12 July the inspectors make this first visit to us for a ‘Round Table Discussion’ with the Executive and Directors. This discussion will focus on the Self Assessment Document we have submitted.

THE SELF ASSESSMENT DOCUMENT

5. The Self-Assessment Document we need to submit is strictly circumscribed: it must be limited to 21 pages of A4 with the number of pages for each section specified.

6. The first section must outline the context of the Island, particularly as it relates to the issues which face the Island. (Maximum four sides A4). The next section has to answer four questions, (4 sides for each answer):

· What is the Council trying to achieve?

· How has the Council set about delivering its priorities for improvement?

· What has the Council achieved/not achieved to date?

· What has the Council learnt and what does it plan to do next?

The final section is a summary action plan of what the Council will do over the next three years as a result of this self-assessment (limited to one page of A4).

7. Attached to this report is the latest draft of our Self Assessment document for comment and discussion. It will be particularly valuable for Members to indicate:

· whether they feel the analysis is honest and accurate

· whether anything of significance is missing (recognising that space is extremely limited)

8. The views expressed at this meeting will be carefully considered and account taken of them in the final re-draft of the document. It must be submitted before 3 July.

Contact point: Alan Kaye 823400

A1010

ALAN KAYE Head Of Paid Service

S M SMART Leader of the Council