The Comprehensive Area Assessment (CAA) is the Government's assessment of how well public services are being delivered in Coventry. Rather than the previous system of agencies being inspected separately in isolation, this new approach assesses overall performance by all agencies against key issues. Organisations are still assessed, but the results feed into the overall area assessment.

The Cabinet Office commissioned a national survey of third sector organisations from MORI and the results for Coventry are now available to view on line. Nearly 50,000 organisations took part between September and December 2008 via postal and on-line surveys. Comparisons can be made against the national average and other areas.

A short and well-written Question and Answer booklet has been developed nationally for commissioners, showing how Compact principles can still be retained (and to some extent used to reinforce) procurement regulations. Procurement is governed by strict regulations aimed at maintaining a level playing field and not giving unfair competitive advantage to any one supplier over another.

The re-launch of the new national Compact has been put back to the end of this year following a number of concerns raised (including in Coventry) over the lack of relevant references to the community sector, and the proposal to drop the community groups code of practice completely. The Coventry Compact Steering Group submitted a comment to this effect.

University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) are currently in public consultation on their drive to secure Foundation Trust status, and Andy Hardy, Deputy Chief Executive and Chief Finance Officer, briefed VAC members at our Health & Social Care Forum on 29 October.

Caron Grainger, Coventry's Director of Public Health, gave VAC's Health and Social Care Forum a very focused analysis of the biggest killers for Coventry people and the likely trends as the population ages.

Brian Walsh, Coventry City Council's new Director of Community Services, gave an overview of the national debate on the future of social care to our members at our Health and Social Care Forum on 29 October.

The gap between the care that people receive from the State and what they would like to receive has been valued at £26 billion.

The Council's first budget consultation meeting with the voluntary and community sector took place on 27 October, with Cllr Foster leading the presentation, together with Brian Walsh, the new Director of Community Services and Barry Hastie, Assistant Director (Financial Management).

Switch it Off is an energy saving campaign covering Coventry, Warwickshire and Worcestershire. Its aim is simple - to show the saving that can be achieved when a lot of people turn off unwanted lights and electrical appliances that have been left on standby.