What we did
We carried out inspections and assessments of local public services from 1999 to 2011. Inspection and assessment proved to be a powerful catalyst for the improvement of local public services. Through our inspections and assessments, we highlighted:
- strengths in service outcomes and what was working well;
- weaknesses in services outcomes and what needed to be improved; and
- what could be done to bring about the improvements needed.
Our reports provided clear information for the public on how well they were served. For services that have a major impact on the quality of life for people who need them most, inspection provided assurance and evidence to support further improvement. It also gave a voice to those who were least able to speak up for themselves. Our inspections and assessments also helped to identify ways of providing better value for money and improving services while reducing costs.
How we did it
We continuously updated our approach to reflect:
- changing legislative and national policy frameworks;
- feedback from the organisations we assessed and inspected; and
- our own learning about what worked and what didn’t work.
We also changed our approach to:
- focus our work on organisations and areas that needed the most help;
- carry out our work in a more efficient and flexible way;
- co-ordinate our work with that of other inspectorates;
- Place more emphasis on local priorities and outcomes; and
- maximise the impact and minimise the burden of our work.
We consulted extensively with the organisations we assessed and inspected and other interested organisations before making changes and adjusted our plans in response to the feedback we received.
Find out more
Find out more about the approach we took in different sectors.
Our work with other inspectorates
The Audit Commission is responsible for co-ordinating all inspections of local government services including inspections carried out by: