UNPRECEDENTED TOP SCORE FOR CAMDEN - CPA RESULT ANNOUNCED

6 May 2008

Camden Council has become the first to achieve the top possible rating in the ‘harder test’ corporate performance assessment, it was announced today, Tuesday 6 May.

The council has been given a score of four out of a possible four in all areas of inspection - ambition, prioritisation, capacity, performance management and achievement.

The team of Audit Commission inspectors probed the council’s work in December 2007. They looked at performance results over the past four years as well as meeting residents face to face to get their view of the council’s services.

Inspectors praised the council’s ambitions in a challenging inner-city borough and excellent understanding of the social, economic, and environmental challenges faced by its communities.

Councillors and officers were described as ‘high calibre’ and ‘provide visible, strong leadership’.

Specific achievements include:

• saving £17.5 million through a new efficiency programme
• securing thousands of jobs and homes and negotiating for sustainable regeneration with developers in the King’s Cross re-development
• reducing crime and anti-social behaviour, while retaining the value and colour of parts of the borough such as Camden Town
• a high performance culture where underperformance is tackled quickly.

Leader of the Council, Cllr Keith Moffitt (Liberal Democrat) said: “This is an exceptional result for Camden. However, what matters most to us as councillors, of course, is what residents experience and getting it right for everyone that uses our services. Almost eight in ten think we’re doing a good job now. We’ll keep listening and innovating until we have the top possible score from residents, as well as the Audit Commission.”

Cllr Andrew Marshall, Deputy Leader (Conservative) added: “The inspectors praised everyone on the council – staff and councillors from all parties - for ambition and drive. We’ll keep driving quality up and costs down to make sure we stay the best in the country for all those who live in and come to Camden.”

Leader of the Opposition, Cllr Anna Stewart (Labour) added: “This is a four year assessment of Camden's performance. Camden has long been viewed as one of the highest performing councils in the country. This is due to long-term decisions that looked beyond raw government targets to face the day-to-day challenges experienced by local people. In particular the ground breaking work initiated on anti-social behaviour, to give our local neighbourhoods a stronger voice."

Moira Gibb, Chief Executive added: “Camden was rated excellent when I joined it in 2003. It has improved every year since. This fantastic result demonstrates the level of progress and is a real tribute to our ‘can do’ staff, who have never become complacent. In fact we remain as ambitious as ever to deliver further improvements for residents and councillors.”

The borough’s services for children were also given the top rating in their most thorough inspection ever.

A comprehensive two-week external review of all children’s services provided by Camden Council, health services, police and probation services and public funded services provided by voluntary bodies, rated them “outstanding” with four out of a maximum of four stars.

The Joint Area Review was part of a new external inspection system which evaluates how all children’s services in an area are working together and how they are contributing to the well-being of children and young people.

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