Comprehensive Area Assessment, or CAA, is a new way of assessing local public services in England. It examines how well councils are working together with other public bodies to meet the needs of the people they serve.
It's a joint assessment made by a group of six independent watchdogs, including HMIC. Assessments will be made publicly available every year and will provide an annual snapshot of quality of life in the area. The first results can be found on Oneplace, a new website that was launched on 10 December 2009.
For more information on CAA, please visit the Audit Commission website. The CAA framework document sets out how CAA will be delivered.