Twenty-eighth Report Adapting Institutions to Climate Change Cm ...

their LAA targets. Making use of qualitative, quantitative, contextual and comparative data,
local authorities are asked to track and report performance on all NIs. The NIs replace all other
existing sets of indicators such as the ‘Best Value Performance Indicators’ and the ‘Performance
Assessment Framework’. Performance against each of the indicators will be published annually by
the Audit Commission as part of the Comprehensive Area Assessment process.
3.25 Local Strategic Partnerships (LSPs) have been given greater control over their priorities and
targets, each being allowed to select up to 35 NIs as designated improvement targets for inclusion
within their LAAs. Several of these indicators are related to progress on climate change, with
NI188 relating specifically to planning for adaptation to climate change. Unlike the outcomebased
indicators designed to cover climate mitigation actions (NI185 and NI186), where reporting
on carbon dioxide emission reductions is required, NI188 is a process-driven indicator developed
in consultation with the UK Climate Impacts Programme (UKCIP), the Local Government
Association (LGA), the Environment Agency and the Audit Commission. NI188 was designed
to measure progress in preparedness in assessing and addressing the risks and opportunities of a
changing climate. The aim is to embed the management of climate risks and opportunities across
all levels of services, plans and estates. It will gauge progress of a local area in:
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3.27
assessing the climate-related risks and opportunities comprehensively across the area;
taking action in any identified priority areas;
developing an adaptation strategy and action plan setting out the risk assessment, where the
priority areas are (where necessary in consultation and exhibiting leadership of local partners),
what action is being taken to address these, and how risks will be continually assessed and
monitored in the future; and
implementing, assessing and monitoring the actions on an ongoing basis.
All authorities are expected to make an assessment of their performance across all indicators, but
they select only a number of indicators to report on as part of their LAAs. Only about 35% have
to date chosen to include NI188 in their reporting; and although this puts it among the top third
of indicators in terms of popularity for selection, it does raise questions about relying on NI188
as the central reporting mechanism on adaptation for local authorities.
Local authorities are required to report on progress against national indicators through a process of
self-assessment; the Audit Commission audits the assessments made. Local authorities are required
to grade progress against their targets according to a five-point scale. Level 0 is ‘getting started’;
Level 1 requires ‘public commitment and impacts assessments’; Level 2 requires a ‘comprehensive
risk assessment’; Level 3 requires a ‘comprehensive action plan’; and Level 4 requires ‘implementation,
monitoring and continuous review’ to be in place. An analysis of the first round of reporting
shows that 75% of those authority areas which adopted NI188 in their LAAs reported that they
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Chapter 3