CCA joint working group: meeting minutes
The CCA working group was set up to undertake a review of contract compliance audit (CCA) processes. Read the final report and a summary of the meetings below.
Final report from the CCA Working Group
The group made good progress and secured some significant changes to the CCA process, including:
- No recoupment on 1-2 files which are nil-assessed
- Firms which score well ('A1' firms) on CCA will be removed from the random audit sample (the 'pool') for the following year
- Guidance will be re-written to clarify the key issues examined on audit
- Letters to firms will be re-written to include timescales for the Legal Services Commission to take various actions.
Read the final report (PDF, 494kb)
Summary of meetings
19 August 2008
The practitioner sub-group meeting looked at the detail of the guidance for auditors and practitioners, and made a number of suggested amendments. The tone and content of the letters from the LSC to practitioners were also discussed, and it was agreed that timescales for the LSC to complete actions should be specified as well as those for firms.
Read the minutes (PDF, 68kb)
28 July 2008
This meeting discussed file review and the provision of ex-post facto evidence on files. An update was provided as to what had been discussed at the first sub-group meeting. The group also discussed file selection and rights of appeal.
Read the minutes (PDF, 60kb)
24 June 2008
This meeting discussed the remit and objectives of the Guidance and Process subgroup, consisting of practitioners nominated by the Law Society and Advice Services Alliance. This subgroup will be looking at existing CCA guidance and re-drafting it to make it clearer.
Read the minutes (PDF, 41kb)
29 May 2008
This meeting focused on the audit process, and how this could be made clearer for practitioners and less onerous for firms.
Read the minutes (PDF, 45kb)
12 May 2008
This initial meeting looked at the terms of reference of the CCA group, and its aims as set out in the deed of settlement. Practitioner representatives set out some of their key concerns with the current process, including the lack of clarity as to what the LSC is actually looking for on audits.
Read the minutes (PDF, 37kb)