Agenda item

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director – Corporate and Policy outlining a draft Local Area Agreement, the three-year protocol setting out the priorities for the local area.

It was advised that the Local Area Agreement had to be agreed between Central Government and the area itself, as represented by the lead local authority and other key partners through Local Strategic Partnership.

The new Local Area Agreement would be part of the whole performance systems for Local Government as set out within the Act, aiming to be far more streamlined and significantly reduce the burden on the Local Partnership. Some existing performance indicators and reporting systems had been swept away and replaced with a new, single set of indicators, limited to 198. The Local Area Agreement would include two sets of indicators and targets, which were outlined for the Board’s information. The expectation was that the totality of public funding in any area would be focused on achieving the key outcomes enshrined in the Local Area Agreement.

In Halton, partners had been working in recent weeks to produce an initial Local Area Agreement document in line with Government requirements. A copy of the narrative – “The Story of Place” – was attached at Annex 1 to the report. A series of negotiation meetings were to be held with the Government in coming months and it was important to establish a consensus within Halton about the direction and focus of the Agreement. The timetable dictated that ministers must sign off the final version by June 2008.

It was noted that, in the core of the Local Area Agreement, was the outcomes framework; a copy was attached at Annex 2 to the report. This would be the focus of the negotiation process with Government Office North West (GONW). Although the Agreement lasted for only three years, the overall ambitions for Halton were set out in the Community Strategy/Corporate Plan and consistent effort behind the priorities would be needed for 15 – 25 years for them to be realised. The Local Area Agreement formed just one part of the delivery chain for the overall priorities.

Members were requested to consider the outcomes framework on which negotiation with Government Office was to take place. The Agreement was then to be brought back in its final form to the Board for approval in May.

Reason for Decision

Under the new Local Government Act 2007, there was a statutory duty on all local authorities to produce a Local Area Agreement to the format and timetable set down by Government.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

No other options had been pursued. The agreement process was a prescriptive one and Halton had followed Government guidance.

Implementation Date

The Local Area Agreement would come into force when the Agreement in its final form was agreed and signed by the Minister for Local Government. This was expected to take place in June 2008.

RESOLVED: That

1)         the progress made to date be noted and “The Story of Place” welcomed; and

2)         the Outcomes Framework attached at Annex 1 to the report be endorsed as the starting point for negotiation with Government.