Each area across England has been independently assessed by six inspectorates. We’ve looked at how well local public services are tackling the major issues in their area. We’ve reported what we found here in Oneplace. These assessments say how well local public services are delivering results for local people and how likely these are to improve in future. If, and only if, our assessment shows that the following special circumstances are met in relation to a major issue, we use flags to highlight our judgements.
- We use a green flag to show outstanding achievements or improvements, or an innovation that we think is likely to be successful. This will help other areas to learn from them.
- We use a red flag to highlight where we have major concerns about problems in the area and not enough is being done to tackle the concern. This means that local partners need to do something more or different to make improvements.
- Most of the information we are reporting will not be part of a green or red flag. The other information explains the key issues that local public services are tackling, our views on their progress and likely improvement in the future.
The assessments of areas and organisations found on Oneplace form part of a formal assessment process called Comprehensive Area Assessment (CAA). This has been developed and consulted upon over time to produce published methodology (the CAA Framework (external site)).
Green and red flags
Area assessments do not have an overall score or rating. To provide a clear indication of either significant concerns about future improvement or to highlight exceptional performance or improvement, we have used red and green flags. Feedback from the public, government and others has welcomed these clear statements of our views on our most significant judgments in each place. They signal where extra support or inspection may be needed and where organisations may learn from the success of others.
Because each area is different and has its own priorities, there is no set list against which outcomes may be flagged. Flags may be reported regarding particular Local Area Agreement (LAA) (external site) or statutory targets, groups of cross-cutting or linked indicators or wider themes. There are no quotas for the number of flags across areas or nationally.
Green flags represent exceptional performance or outstanding improvement which is resulting in proven delivery of better outcomes for local people that are sustainable and which we consider others could learn from. Good or very good practice is not sufficient. Nor is rapid improvement that we are not confident can be sustained. We will also use green flags to highlight innovative practice that has promising prospects of improving outcomes for local people that we consider others can learn from.
Red flags are found where there are significant concerns about outcomes and future prospects for outcomes, which are not being tackled adequately. A red flag means that inspectorates have jointly judged that something different or additional needs to happen to improve outcomes.
Red flags are likely to be reported where one or more of the following applies and where not enough is being done to tackle the concern:
- performance is poor, slipping or not improving
- service or outcome standards are unacceptable
- improvement is not on track to achieve a target
- locally agreed priorities do not reflect evident and pressing need
- insufficient account is being taken of inequality
- insufficient account is being taken of people whose circumstances make them vulnerable or who are at risk of avoidable harm
Because a red flag reflects significant concerns about the prospects for improvement, not current performance, before awarding one we will consider whether:
- the local partnership is aware of the concern
- plans to improve the areas of weakness are robust and if there is evidence of improvement
- significant weaknesses or failings, such as poor governance, are likely to prevent sustained improvement
It is important to note that a deteriorating outcome will not necessarily trigger a red flag. For example, if in our view a local partnership or the accountable partner body is taking effective action to mitigate the impact of the economic downturn (perhaps helping to keep the local increase in worklessness below the level being experienced in similar places elsewhere), a red flag would not be reported.
Red and green flags are not the opposite of each other. They each have their own distinct purpose and criteria.
Oneplace will build a fuller picture of each area over time and we will not cover everything each year. Red and green flags will be kept under review and will be removed from our reports when they are no longer relevant, normally when we publicly report again.