THE IMPACT OF CPA ON VOTERS

Findings from the research into the impact of a council’s Audit Commission (AC) rating and election results has recently been published.

Researchers from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) measured election results in upper-tier councils over a six-year-period (2001-7) against their ratings under the AC's Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA) and found that poor performance does have an adverse impact on voting at local elections.

The research found that if a council were rated at zero or one star, the ruling party would lose three percent in electoral support.  Professor Boyne, of Cardiff University who conducted the research study said "The main aim of introducing CPA was to raise the performance of the poorest authorities. So the government will feel that it has succeeded in this respect."

The research also found that a poor CPA performance is likely to be followed by managerial change leading to a more rapid turnover among senior management - posts such as Director of Housing or of Children's Services. The exception to this rule was chief executives, who were only likely to depart if there were both a poor CPA performance and a change in the ruling party.

The study showed that management turnover led to better results if previous performance was poor, but worse results if the council had previously been doing well.  Professor Boyne said an unanticipated effect of CPA had been to create a 'transfer system' with high-performing managers being headhunted by other authorities.  Since this often breaks up strong teams, one authority's gain in efficiency can be another's loss.

Source: The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)