Is CAA going to make a difference to local democracy?
We believe so. CAA is going to give local people more information and independent assessment on what their services actually accomplish, and how they compare with other areas: that enhances accountability. The pressure for improvement provided by public reporting has been seen in previous assessments. CAA information will help people hold their elected representatives and public bodies to account, and make the most of their opportunities to influence local decisions. It also helps local bodies challenge themselves – including providing information that elected councillors can use to scrutinise performance.
