About LAAs

What is a Local Area Agreement?

A Local Area Agreement (LAA) is a three-year agreement between a local area (Northamptonshire) and central government. It is designed to improve local services and increase economic prosperity for local people. The three-year ‘deal’ sets out the priorities and targets agreed by partner organisations in Northamptonshire, including the County Council, all district boroughs and councils, the Police, Health, and Voluntary sector. This will be Northamptonshire’s second Local Area Agreement (LAA2) 2008/2011.

Why do we have an LAA?

Under the Local Government and Public Improvement in Health Act 2007 all local authorities in England have a duty to work with partners to develop an LAA. In two tier areas such as Northamptonshire, the County Council is the lead authority and is accountable for the LAA, but district and borough councils must be involved at all stages. It also places a duty on specific named partners to co-operate in the preparation of the LAA and to have regard to it in their everyday functions within their own organisation.

What is in Northamptonshire’s LAA?

Northamptonshire’s Local Area Agreement reflects the issues and priority areas where we are either already performing well but want to improve even further or, where there is an evidenced need for improvement. Northamptonshire’s LAA contains 35 targets chosen from a national ‘menu’ of 197 National Indicators, as well as 18 locally developed targets which capture priority areas not in the ‘menu’ but are pertinent to Northamptonshire. It also includes 16 statutory children and early years targets which are directed by central government. The LAA is outcome based.

Outcomes include:

  • Strong, empowered and more cohesive communities
  • A strong, diverse, vibrant Third Sector and volunteer base
  • Reduced crime
  • Improved performance and management in schools
  • More people helped to live independently
  • Provision of sufficient housing which is both affordable and of a quality which meets the needs of Northamptonshire
  • Improved access to services

How do we fund LAA?

Unlike the first LAA there is no dedicated funding for LAA2. Area Based Grant which is paid directly to county and district/borough councils as single non-ring fenced amounts is part of council’s overall budget, and funding to support LAA priorities and activities will need to be determined locally. In Northamptonshire there is a commitment to collectively achieve LAA targets through pooling and aligning funds, expertise and resources.

What are the benefits of LAA?

LAAs give local areas more freedom and flexibility to work towards priorities identified by local people rather than being centrally prescribed by government. They provide a dramatic reduction in the number of performance measures against which areas are assessed (from over 1200 to approx. 200) and gives areas greater flexibility to spend money how and where it is needed locally, removing much of the red tape and commits partners to work together to improve services for their county.

What will success look like?

The Local Area Agreement itself is a written agreement. It represents the opportunity for partner organisations to work together to achieve common priorities over a three-year period. Success will not only be about achieving the targets, but making real improvements on the ground in areas that we know matter to local people.