Archived decisions

Robert Ormerod, ext 5122, email: [email protected]

1. Background

1.1 The County Council has been invited to work with partners across the County to develop a Local Area Agreement (LAA) with the Government. The LAA will be one of 66 second round pilots, building on the 20 first year pilots signed earlier this year. It is intended that these be rolled out across the country from 2007. The LAA provides an opportunity to agree with Government on the main national and local targets, and to tackle barriers to their achievement, including through a more flexible management of a range of funding streams. It also provides an opportunity to build on partner commitments through alignment of mainstream budgets. The LAA Guidelines relate to four main blocks:

· Children and Young People

· Healthier Communities and Older People

· Safe and Strong Communities

· Economic Development and Enterprise

1.2 However, Hampshire's LAA is one of eleven "single pot" pilots which presents further opportunities for flexible and cross cutting ways of working.

2. Progress to date

2.1 In order to develop the LAA, a consultation exercise was undertaken on appropriate governance arrangements. This has culminated in the establishment of a small Member-level Board and Chief Officer-level Executive, each being cross-sectoral. The Hampshire Strategic Partnership also has a key role, working with the eleven Local Strategic Partnerships, to ensure that the LAA supports the statutory Community Strategies across the County. The County Council is the financially accountable body for the LAA.

2.2 An initial consultation draft of the LAA has been prepared following work undertaken by "Block Leads" from key partner agencies and a workshop with around 85 partner delegates. The feedback received to date, supported by the views of the LAA Executive, is that the LAA should be framed around a small number of Priority Areas for Action which cut-across the LAA Blocks.

2.3 The initial consultation draft is presented at Appendix A. At this stage, the draft invites comments on a number of suggested priority areas for action which cut across the traditional LAA Block. They are seen as having the potential to significantly impact on the outcomes which partners are collectively trying to achieve to improve the quality of life and promote sustainable communities in Hampshire.

2.4 This initial draft was approved by the LAA Member-level Board on the 5^th September and is currently out for consultation with a wide range of partner organisations. Comments are sought by the 29^th October with initial feedback invited by the 23^rd September. The HSP is organising a wide ranging stakeholder event as part of the consultation on the 12 October. The initial draft will be submitted to GOSE at the end of September.

2.5 In the meantime, more detail will continue to added to the draft in preparation for negotiations which will continue up to Christmas. Ministerial sign-off is expected early in the New Year for the LAA to take effect by April 06.

Recommendation:

That Cabinet agree, on behalf of the County Council as a major partner, the outcomes and priority areas for action set out in the consultation draft- `Hampshire LAA - promoting sustainable communities', for further development.