Archived decisions

Agenda Item 6

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

Report

1. Purpose of Report

1.1. The purpose of the report is to inform the Policy and Resources Select Committee on the background and development of the Hampshire Local Area Agreement.

2. Contextual Information

2.1. The County Council is required to prepare a Local Area Agreement (LAA) under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Heath Act 2007. The LAA sets out targets for the local improvement priorities of residents, and reflects the longer term aims in the Sustainable Community Strategy (SCS).

2.2. The LAA is a set of targets agreed between the County Council and HM Government in relation to up to 35 indicators selected from the national indicator set. The LAA may also contain local indicators and targets. The current LAA runs from April 2008 to March 2011.

2.3. In preparing the LAA, the County Council is under a duty to consult a range of bodies prescribed in the Act. These bodies are under a duty to co-operate in agreeing the targets and must have regard to them in delivering their business.

3. Development of the Hampshire LAA

3.1. The Hampshire LAA supports the 11 SCS ambitions which have been agreed by the County Council and subsequently endorsed by the Hampshire Senate. All partners were consulted on improvement priorities and their preference of indicators. Targets for the selected indicators were negotiated with HM Government via the Government office and the LAA was finalised and approved by the Secretary of State in April 2008. The LAA targets were refreshed at the end of 08/09 when a number of technical changes were made and the targets relating to employment and affordable housing were "put on hold" by Government due to the impact of the recession.

4. Governance

4.1. Since the LAA was signed, the County Council established the Hampshire Senate as the partnership through which it will develop its community leadership role. The Hampshire Senate will support the County Council in agreeing future LAA improvement priorities and overseeing delivery.

4.2. The delivery of the LAA is co-ordinated by the Hampshire LAA Executive which meets 6 times a year and is chaired by the Chief Executive of the County Council. The Executive also comprises District Council Chief Executives, the Chief Constable, Chief Fire Officer, Director of Public Health, Director of Children's Services, Assistant Director of Adult Services and voluntary and community sector representatives.

5. Delivering the LAA

5.1. The LAA is organised under 8 themes, although issues such as alcohol and fuel poverty cut across several themes. Each LAA Theme is sponsored by a member of the LAA Executive, in turn supported by lead officers and links to thematic and local partnerships. Statutory partners have signed a delivery agreement which sets out the shared expectations in relation to the duty to have regard to the targets.

5.2. The approach is generally to ensure that LAA targets are embedded in existing service and partnership plans but also to identify and drive forward some initiatives where greater co-ordination and ambition is required. There will also be an increased focus for the remainder of the LAA period on testing how activity can better co-ordinated in "hot spot" areas of concern for a range of targets at risk. This will aim to provide stronger joint leadership and commitment from key agencies to support activity in targeted local areas.

6. Performance

6.1. Quarterly delivery and risk assessments are undertaken and reported to the LAA Executive. A year end Self Assessment has been prepared by the Executive and shared with the Hampshire Senate, leading to a Development Plan. Copies are attached. These will be updated at mid year and year end for the remainder of the LAA. As stated in the Assessment, Hampshire agreed to include within the LAA some of the most intractable problems for improvement which will require concerted partnership effort and innovation. It also includes several targets which are subject to external influence, including several which are based on perception measurement.

7. Attachments

Attached to this report for information are:

Appendix 1 - A guide to the Hampshire LAA priorities and target schedule

Appendix 2 - The LAA first year assessment and development plan

8. Conclusions

8.1. The Select Committee is asked to consider how it may wish to deal with scrutiny of the LAA, considering that many targets relate to the remit of specific scrutiny committees.

IMPACT ASSESSMENTS:

1. Equalities Impact Assessment:

Equality impact assessments are in place or under preparation for each LAA Theme

2. Impact on Crime and Disorder:

The LAA sets out the key partnership targets for reducing crime and disorder

3. Climate Change:

a) How does what is being proposed impact on our carbon footprint / energy consumption?

The LAA sets out the key partnership targets for reducing CO2

b) How does what is being proposed consider the need to adapt to climate change, and be resilient to its longer term impacts?

The LAA sets out the key partnership targets for adaptation to Climate Change