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New framework for LAAs

  • Last modified date:
    26 October 2007

A new framework for local area agreements (LAAs) has been set out in the Strong and prosperous communities White Paper, which was published by Communities and Local Government (CLG) on 26 October 2006. The White Paper looks to rebalance the relationship between central and local government.

Key elements of the new statutory framework

  •  A new duty on upper tier local authorities and authorities with upper tier responsibilities to produce a LAA in consultation with other local partners.

  •  A new duty on named partners and the local authority to co-operate with each other to agree the targets within the LAA, and to have regard to those targets in order to strengthen their delivery.

  • A duty upon local authorities to prepare the sustainable community strategy in consultation with other local partners. Key public sector agencies in the region will be involved in the planning process, ensuring that the LAA is an overarching plan for the area.

  • Opportunities for other local bodies such as those from the voluntary, community and business sector to be engaged in the process.   

Simplification of the performance framework

Local partners, including PCTs and LAs, will determine up to 35 local priorities. These will be selected from 200 outcome based indicators covering national priorities from across central government. These will be the only targets that the Government sets, however the LAA may also include additional locally agreed targets that do not need to be reported to central government.

Establishment of a new assessment regime

The Comprehensive Area Assessment (CAA) has been established to monitor, support and assess the successful delivery of the LAA. The CAA will have four key elements:

  • joint risk assessment carried out by all public services inspectorates

  • annual scored direction of travel judgement for every local authority

  • annual scored use of resources judgement for every local authority

  • assessment against national and local performance indicators.

Joint strategic needs assessment

LAs and PCTs will be required to develop a joint strategic needs assessment of the health and social care needs of their local population. This will ensure local partners have a shared understanding of the needs of their locality in order to agree effective long-term health and wellbeing priorities.

The findings of the assessment will feed into the sustainable community strategy and subsequently the targets in the LAA.

The Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill

The Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill includes provisions to deliver better local outcomes through LAAs as the delivery agreement of the Sustainable Community Strategy, and a strengthened leadership role for local authorities as place-shapers, so that local services are better co-ordinated, closer to communities and offer better value for money.

The Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill will require local authorities and the PCTs in its area to produce a joint strategic needs assessment of the health and social care needs of its local population. These will enable them jointly to agree more effective long-term health and wellbeing priorities, and help them deliver care that is more responsive to the needs of individuals and the community they serve. 

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