Negotiating New Local Area Agreements prepared by; Matthew Beaumont Manager, Dorset Local Area Agreement ( November 2007)

Dorset’s Broad Strategic Challenges

“Local Area Agreements (LAA’s) are about improving local services and increasing economic prosperity for local people.” DCLG Guidance, September 2007

“...if we are to continue to improve public services in the way communities expect and deserve, and if we are to enable local government to live up to its full potential, Whitehall today needs to step back and give it the space to lead” Rt Hon Hazel Blears Secretary of State (Source: ‘The New Performance Framework for Local Authorities & Local Authority Partnerships’,DCLG, Oct 2007) (Source: ‘The New Performance Framework for Local Authorities & Local Authority Partnerships’,DCLG, Oct 2007)

Released with Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR07) in October 2007 Limited to 198 indicators Represent: all activities for which Local Authorities are responsible for on their own or in partnership with others the only measures on which central government will manage outcomes delivered by local government working alone or in partnerships what Government believes should be the national priorities for local government over the next three years (Source: ‘The New Performance Framework for Local Authorities & Local Authority Partnerships’, DCLG, Oct 2007) The National Indicator Set

What is the ‘new’ LAA? Three year agreements Priorities for a geographic area as agreed by all main public sector agencies operating in that area and government Agreed priorities will have been brought together under the umbrella of the ‘Local Strategic Partnership’ (LSP) and encapsulated after area based consultation in the Community Strategy for Dorset (released in June 2007). The LAA is based on the objectives of the Community Strategy and translates these into improvement targets that local people want. Government Office recognise Dorset’s Community Strategy as the basis upon which negotiation can proceed.

What is the ‘new’ LAA? New LAA’s will include ‘up to 35’ targets drawn from the national indicator set (NIS) of 198 performance indicators which local authorities and their partners negotiate with Central Government In addition to the ‘up to 35’targets – all areas will also agree 16 statutory education/early years targets ( on behalf of Department for Children, Schools and Families) – they are not to be viewed in isolation and represent, with the ‘up to 35’, a single suite of targets to drive improvement to local services and the economy

What is the ‘new’ LAA? The Partnership has the discretion to set additional targets for inclusion in the LAA. These carry NO reporting requirements, other than those established locally New LAA’s will have 4 themes to guide negotiation but funding will no longer be restricted, as previously, within these themes The thematic negotiating blocks are: –Children & Young People –Safer & Stronger Communities –Healthier Communities & Older People –Economic Development and the Environment

Negotiating the LAA Local authorities and partners will negotiate with Government Offices which indicators from the National Indicator Set (NIS) they propose should have targets set against them and these will be agreed with central Government. Local authorities with partners may also agree to include any other additional indicators and targets ( either from the NIS or otherwise) in the LAA as local priorities for implementation of the Community Strategy. These will have the same legal status as targets negotiated with Government Offices but will not need to be reported to Government

Negotiating the LAA (1) Negotiations start at the local level with the Dorset Strategic Partnership (DSP) establishing ‘the story of place’. This is a distinctive vision and ambition for an area and the evidence base which makes it clear why issues are priorities for the locality (This is our Dorset Community Strategy !!!)

Negotiating the LAA (2) First, it is critically important to establish the priorities to be tackled in the area - these can later be underpinned through the appropriate indicators from the national indicator set. –The goal is: a grouping of outcomes/performance indicators linked to a picture of what a ‘sustainable and cohesive community’ looks like for the area ensuring a coherent, cross-cutting set of indicators that are related to place, rather than in ‘indicator silos’.

Negotiating the LAA (3) Second, having agreed the local priorities that will shape the LAA, local partnerships will then identify and agree the most appropriate indicators from the NIS and supplement these with local ones where the NIS does not cover a local priority. Third, negotiate appropriate targets for each indicator with Government Office

Setting Targets Partnerships use the ‘story of place’ and the evidence base to identify the local priorities to be covered in the LAA Once established partnerships should use the National Indicator Set to establish which of the indicators best suit the priorities which have been identified locally Up to 35 targets can be set based on those national indicators that are deemed to be most relevant to the priorities agreed for the local area

The Role of Government Office South West Represent central government. Lead negotiations with local authorities and partners Government Office South West (GOSW) Regional Director is responsible for recommendation that Ministers sign up to each individual LAA. Four areas that GOSW will want to get right: 1.Gathering evidence ( Needs to be rounded, appropriate and shared ) Will be a mix of ‘soft’ intelligence and hard data 2.Challenging and stretching ambition ( what needs doing better and needs to continue to do well). Will look at all priorities in the round. 3.Developing and managing relationships 4.Reaching agreement. Agreement will be reached when the overall ‘shape’ of the LAA is right not simply meeting tick box guidelines

The Role of Central Government Central government has three ambitions for LAAs: They act as a mechanism to deliver shared priorities which support both national and local policy and locally determined priorities Local Partnerships are empowered and made accountable Stakeholders at every tier can make a contribution to support local partnership arrangements

The Role of the Local Community Partnerships Involvement of District level partners in two-tier areas should remain central to the LAA process There is an expectation that Local Community (District) Partnerships (LCP) be full partners in the county Local Strategic Partnership and thereby in the development of the LAA local narrative and priority setting process

The Role of Elected Members Local Government Public Involvement in Health Act firmly recognises the democratic and accountable leaders of the County Council and partner Local Authorities Negotiating LAAs requires: –Leaders and Cabinet Members to have a critical role in shaping priorities and articulating political ambition –Awareness of the views of the wider Council –Overview and Scrutiny Committees to provide a constructive challenge to the formulation of priorities and also ‘hold to account the implementation of the LAA

Some policies, especially around economic development, are best addressed at the sub-regional level. Government is committed to Multi Area Agreements (MAA) being flexible, voluntary and responsive to local needs Success will be dependent on partners sharing a common understanding of the priorities for the sub-region Local Area Agreements define the priorities of a local area. Their relationship with a MAA should be seen as complementary – and not hierarchical Multi Area Agreements

MAA should be more than just aggregating LAA outcomes upwards, but are seeking to deliver outcomes above what could be achieved by individual local areas Outcomes should be drawn from the National Indicator Set (198). If there are national improvement targets included in the MAA’s, these should not increase the total of thirty five which individual local authorities report against (eg..If there are 5 national targets in the MAA this reduces the LAA to a maximum of 30) Multi Area Agreements…

Questions? Contact: Matthew Beaumont Phone: Information: