Audit Commission

What we did

Following on from the successful introduction of Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA) in local government in 2002, the government’s 2003 Fire and Rescue White Paper set out its intention to develop a similar performance framework for fire and rescue authorities.

CPA in 2005

In 2005 we carried out assessments of 46 fire and rescue services in England (the assessment of the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority had already been undertaken as part of an assessment of the Greater London Authority group). We based our assessments on the Fire and Rescue National Framework. We assessed fire and rescue authorities on their corporate management, achievements, community fire safety and how they planned to respond to incidents through their Integrated Risk Management Plan. Each fire and rescue authority was categorised as ‘excellent’, ‘good’, ‘fair’, ‘weak’ or ‘poor’ based on the results of this assessment.

CPA in 2006/7

In 2006/7 we introduced a new CPA performance framework based on three elements:

• A use of resources assessment.
• An assessment of improvement or deterioration in performance, measured through a scored direction of travel assessment.
• A scored service assessment which had an emphasis on service delivery and included a performance information element and assessment of operational service delivery (provided by DCLG).

For more information see:

Fire and rescue performance framework 2006/7 ( PDF, 120kb )

CPA in 2007 - 2009

We published a revised CPA performance framework for the period 2007 to 2009.This set out the criteria for recategorisation of corporate assessments carried out in 2005. Recategorisation was only considered in the following circumstances:

• Where an authority requested re-categorisation and was able to demonstrate significant evidence of improvement.
• Where the Commission identified evidence of significant deterioration.

Where one of these criteria was met, we carried out another corporate assessment to decide where the authority’s performance should be re-categorised.

For more information, see:

Fire and rescue performance assessment 2007 to 2009 ( PDF, 94kb )

Guidance for authorities ( PDF, 155kb )

Guidance for corporate assessment selection panel ( PDF, 182kb )

Technical guidance for assessment teams ( PDF, 176kb )

Key lines of enquiry ( PDF, 217kb )

Guide to direction of travel assessments 2008 ( PDF, 287kb )

Guide to service assessment ( PDF, 100kb )

Results of CPA for fire and rescue services

Fire and rescue performance assessment 2008 scores and analysis report (published February 2009) ( PDF, 922kb )

Fire and rescue performance assessment 2007 scores and analysis report (published January 2008) ( PDF, 392kb )

Fire and rescue performance assessment 2006 scores and analysis report (published April 2007) ( PDF, 321kb )

What we learnt

Through our CPA assessments we identified and published examples of innovation, good practice and case studies. This encouraged learning right across the sector and helped practitioners drive up the quality and efficiency of local services.

In January 2006 we published a national report on our findings from CPA for the fire and rescue service.

Get free PDF Reader from Adobe