The CPA is the most important external assessment that our Council receives. And it matters hugely. It shows the quality of service being provided to the people of North East Lincs, but in our case it ensures that the involvement of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) in running our Council will continue.

Star Assessments
We did not get the 0 Star assessment because of poor management years ago. We got it because of poor management by the present Tory coalition.
The Audit Commission describe clearly how and when its judgements were reached. We can see this clearly by looking at each main factor separately.

a. Corporate Assessment - 2 points (out of 4). This was made some time ago, and should have helped to give a better result, not a worse one.

b. Use of resources - 1 point. "A use of resources assessment is carried out annually"

c. Children and Young People - 1 point. "This is based on the Council's Annual Performance Assessment and a judgement on it, plus performance information".

d. Social Care (Adults) - 2 points.

Amongst the "level two" services, Housing only received 1 point, with the comment that "The Council's remaining housing function has significant weaknesses in terms of planning and delivery".
Another comment of relevance was about the Council's arrangements for performance management. "The long standing nature of these deficiencies and the Council's apparent inability to address them is a matter of some concern".

Direction of Travel i.e. Degree of Improvement
The Audit Commission are giving greater emphasis now to a measure of how much (if at all) councils have improved. The descriptions are "improving strongly", improving well", improving adequately", "not improving adequately" (or "not improving"). This is updated annually based on information gathered over the past year".

Under this assessment the North East Lincolnshire Council are judged to be "not improving adequately". When combined with the assessment of the Council as having a nought star rating, this is especially serious. It makes the North East Council not only the worst in star rating, but also the worst in the improvement category. Therefore, National government will continue to "interfere" in the running of the Council.

North East Lincs in relation to other County and Single Tier Local Authorities

Number of Councils with each star and improvement rating.

Stars			Improving
4 stars	37		strongly	8
3 stars	65		well	98
2 stars	34		adequately	33
1 star	9		not adequately	2
0 star	1

North East Lincs is the only Council in the 0 star box and one of two "not adequately" improving.