3.5 The Cambridgeshire Local Area Agreement (LAA)
An LAA is a three-year agreement between the Government, a local authority and its partners setting out:-
- Targets to be achieved in the next three years.
- Partnership and performance management arrangements to achieve those targets.
The targets are based on national priorities and local priorities, as expressed in Community Strategies.
The Cambridgeshire LAA came into effect in April 2006. The Council and the South Cambs Strategic Partnership have been involved in the agreement of the LAA. The Government envisages that LSPs will undertake a major role in the development and implementation of LAAs.
The LAA has the potential to provide an effective partnership framework to deliver local and national priorities. It also provides flexibility in the use of government funding streams.
The LAA sets out targets for four blocks:-
- Children and Young People.
- Safer and Stronger Communities.
- Healthy Communities and Older People.
- Economic Development and Enterprise.
Considerable work is still required to clarify targets and how partnerships will contribute to the LAA. In addition, the LAA has identified a number of aspirations where outcomes and targets will be developed for the first annual refresh of the LAA. These will cover the following areas:-
- Transport.
- Affordable housing.
- Community cohesion.
- Sustainable communities and climate change.
- Health (including obesity and alcohol consumption).
- Economic development (including the 2012 Olympics).
The Council is represented on the LAA Board (a high level County wide group to develop and implement the LAA) and on the LAA Reference Group (a largely officer based group which supports the Board). The Council will work to contribute towards the LAA in 2006/07 through these representatives.
The Council has established an LAA Officer Group to support the Council’s input into the LAA and its future development.