Service Review Inspections

Introduction

The Audit Commission is an independent public body responsible for ensuring that public money is spent economically, efficiently, and effectively in the areas of local government. Through inspections of local services it assesses their quality and cost effectiveness, and helps local authorities to continually improve. councils are required to provide inspectors with a self-assessment document, together with supporting evidence, charting the council’s progress in the service areas being inspected. The inspection involves an on-site appraisal of the service, as well as a series of interviews with officers, members and other stakeholders. A report will then produced by the inspectors based on their findings.

Shepway District Council, as well as undergoing CPA inspections, has undergone several service inspections over the past few years. The results of these inspections can be found below:

Culture and Community Safety Inspection

A culture and community safety inspection is planned for January 2010.

Access to Services Inspection

The council's "Access to Services" has been graded as a 1-star FAIR service with uncertain prospects for improvement as a result of the independent inspection of the services in March 2007.

The final inspection report is available here: ShepwayDC Access to Services Inspection report 

Street Scene Services Inspection

The council's Street Scene services have been graded as a 1-star FAIR service with promising prospects for improvement as a result of the independent inspection of the services in December 2006.

The final inspection report is available here: Street Scene services report

Landlord Services Inspection

The Council's Landlord services have been graded a 1-star FAIR service with promising prospects for improvement as a result of the independent inspection of the services in January 2006.

The final inspection report is available here: Landlord Services Report

Homelessness and Housing Allocations Inspection

Shepway Homelessness and Housing Allocations Services have been graded a 1-star FAIR service with uncertain prospects for improvement as a result of the independent re-inspection of the services in March 2003.

The final inspection report is available here:  The final inspection Report

Opportunity and Regeneration Inspection

Opportunity and Regeneration Services have been graded a 2-star GOOD service with uncertain prospects for improvement as a result of the independent inspection of the services in January 2003.

The final inspection report is available here: Opportunity and Regeneration Report

Annual Audit and Inspection Letters

As well as inspecting service areas, the Audit Commission carries out an annual assessment of councils' progress over the past year, their rate of improvement and how well they manage their finances. This assessment is based on an independent audit of the Council as well as the results of any service inspections that are carried out during the year. The Audit Commission's findings are then summarised in either an Annual Audit and Inspection Letter ("AAIL") or a Progress Assessment. Please find below Shepway District Council's latest AAIL as well those from previous years -

annual-audit-inspection-letter-2007-08

Annual Audit and Inspection Letter March 2007

Annual Audit and Inspection Letter May 2006

Progress_Assessment_March_2006(1)

Progress_Assessment_June_2005

For further information on this review please contact the Policy and Performance Team:
 policy@shepway.gov.uk