Meeting documents

This report covers the second draft of Bath & North East Somerset's Local Area Agreement and recommends a process for finalisation and signature of the agreement.

The Council Executive is asked to agree that:

2.1 Appendix One be adopted as the second draft of Bath & North East Somerset's Local Area Agreement and that the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Council Leader, be authorised to finalise the agreement document and make arrangements for signature

2.2 The implications for Council services of targets contained in the agreement be incorporated into the Council's service planning arrangements, and be approved through this process and reported through the Council's performance management systems

2.3 The financial implications for the Council of the agreement, including pooled and aligned funding, performance reward and pump-priming arrangements be incorporated into the Council's Financial Plan and its budget, and be approved through this process

2.4 A further report be prepared which sets out options and proposals for use of the Pump-Priming funding which would follow from agreeing the final LAA document

Bath & North East Somerset's first Local Public Service Agreement (LPSA) attracted £920,000 in pump-priming funds into the area and it is expected that significant performance reward grant will also be gained. Similar sums will potentially be available through the LAA, now that the "reward" element has been incorporated into the LAA process. The Council Executive has earmarked £50,000 from PSA1 performance reward grant to `pump-prime' the development of the LAA. The Local Area Agreement provides an opportunity to pool and align resource streams to improve outcomes, and the LAA contains a number of examples of where this approach is being adopted.

Promoting a 'sense of place' so people identify with and take pride in our communities

Celebrating the contributions people from different backgrounds and with different experiences can make, and promoting equality of opportunity

Sharing resources, working together, and finding new ways of doing things

Building communities where people feel safe and secure

Taking responsibility for our environment and natural resources now and over the long term

Improving our local transport

Improving our housing situation for local people

Improving local opportunities for learning and gaining skills

Improving our local economy

Improving our local environment

Improving our local health and social care

Reducing fear of crime

Promoting independence of older people

Improving life chances for disadvantaged teenagers

Improving the environment for learning

Cultural Development

Reducing Landfill

Increase in Affordable Housing

Improving the Quality of Public Transport/Roads/Pavements and easing congestion

Developing a sustainable economy

Improving the public realm

Improving customer satisfaction

The LAA blocks contribute significantly to the CPA key lines of inquiry set out below:

Ambition for the community - i.e. What the council, together with its partners, is trying to achieve - the LAA outcome framework is driven by Community Strategy ambitions

Prioritisation of ambitions- work on stretch targets is based on the prioritisation of ambitions

Increasing capacity of the council to deliver ambition for the Community to ensure we achieve what we say we will- the LAA focuses on building capacity in particular under the stronger communities theme

Managing performance of community ambition to ensure we achieve what we say we will- the LAA will be subject to clear performance management

Creating and developing a better quality of life for the area through

Improving engagement with and a range of services for Older People and Children and Young People (This outcome is set out under the relevant blocks)

The Council Executive at its meeting in October received a first draft Local Area Agreement and resolved that officers negotiate with GOSW to achieve the best possible outcomes for the local area, based on the proposed stretch targets and other indicators set out in the draft. The Council Executive at its meeting of 6th December further resolved that the second draft should identify pooled and aligned resources to help deliver the LAA, including work on resources for improving the quality of the local environment and tackling climate change.

The detailed work requested by the Council Executive has now been undertaken, leading to a second draft of the LAA document which was discussed in detail at a joint meeting of the LSP and LAA Project Board on December 15th. Detailed negotiations with GOSW, particularly on the "stretch" targets, have also now taken place.

The second draft of the LAA resulting from this work is attached at Appendix One. This, along with any detailed changes arising from completing the negotiations with GOSW, will form the document which the Council, partners and Government are currently timetabled to sign in February 2007. The LAA is also subject to an annual refresh process, although once agreed stretch targets cannot be renegotiated.

As well as setting out the detailed LAA outcomes and indicators, the attached draft also identifies:

A7 Pooled and aligned funding streams- including funding streams for the quality of the local environment and for tackling climate change as requested by the Council Executive

A7 Partnerships and other bodies who will work together to deliver the agreement

A7 Stretch targets which have been negotiated with GOSW so far through the LAA process. 14 areas for stretch targets were proposed at the start of the LAA negotiations. For the proposed target relating to reductions in bullying, useful discussions have taken place with GOSW but it has not been possible to develop indicators which would be suitable for 93stretch94. Similarly, GOSW have not agreed the proposed stretch target on involving young people in decision-making. However, each of these aspects has been incorporated as 93non-stretch94 targets within the LAA. In addition, as the negotiations have progressed, new areas for potential stretch have also arisen, including reducing the numbers of 16-18 year-olds not in education, employment or training. The stretch targets which have either been agreed or which are still under discussion with GOSW are:

A7 Reduce the harm caused by excessive alcohol consumption

A7 Reduce crime related to the night-time economy

A7 Increase community confidence by working with communities to improve the quality of local public spaces

A7 Empower local people to have a greater choice and influence over local decision-making and a greater role in public service delivery

A7 Increase volunteering in a way that improves local services and strengthens communities

A7 Reduce financial exclusion by helping to address debt problems and increase benefit take-up

A7 Increase sustainable housing choices for vulnerable people

A7 Improve local public and community transport

A7 Increase the number of Healthy Schools

A7 Improve health and reduce health inequalities within the local area (including targets on smoking cessation)

A7 Improve the health and well-being of older people and help them to live more independently at home

A7 Increase the numbers of people physically active

A7 Reduce the number of 16-18 year-olds not in education, employment or training

A7 Improve outcomes for Early Years Foundation Stage children so that they are ready for the National Curriculum in Key Stage 1

A7 Support growth and productivity in specific local business sectors of importance and in vulnerable areas within the district

A7 Increase the number of children completing the Summer Reading Challenge

A7 Improving the educational attainment of looked after children, black and minority ethnic children and low attaining boys

It is now proposed that the work contained in the agreement be integrated into the Council's financial and service planning processes. Further work is also underway on the best use of the pump-priming funding that would come into the LAA in order to meet agreed 93stretch94 targets. In addition to the indicators set out in the document, local area specific proposals that will help deliver the broader outcomes have also been developed. These include sub-indicators which reflect work in Bath City Centre, Keynsham (including work on the town centre and neighbourhoods), Midsomer Norton, Radstock and the surrounding area and South Bath. Due to their large number, they have not been referenced in this document. When they are fully developed they will be highlighted in associated action plans. Links will also be made to the development of Parish Plans.

The report author and Lead Executive member have fully reviewed the risk assessment related to the issue and recommendations, in compliance with the Council's decision making risk management guidance. The LAA Project has been subject to risk assessment procedures and the proposed stretch targets have also been subject to risk assessment processes.

The negotiations between GOSW and the Council, working with its partners, are now near to completion and it is considered appropriate that the Executive agrees at this stage the process for finalising agreement of the document.

None

Select from: Ward Councillor; Executive Councillor; Parish Council; Town Council; Trades Unions; Overview & Scrutiny Panel; Other B&NES Services; Service Users; Local Residents; Community Interest Groups; Youth Council; Stakeholders/Partners; Other Public Sector Bodies; Section 151 Finance Officer; Chief Executive; Monitoring Officer

A wide range of consultations have taken place on the Local Area Agreement, and a detailed statement of how the community has been involved in its development has been prepared. The first draft of the LAA was reported to each Overview and Scrutiny Panel in the November cycle, and extracts from the draft minutes of these meetings are attached at Appendix 2. The comments of these panels have been fed into the process of developing the agreement. In addition, three workshops for elected members were held in November and early December 2006, which provided an opportunity to discuss in detail the content of the LAA, including stretch targets.

Select from: Social Inclusion; Customer Focus; Sustainability; Human Resources; Property; Young People; Equality (age, race, disability, religion/belief, gender, sexual orientation); Human Rights; Corporate; Health & Safety; Impact on Staff; Other Legal Considerations

The Council's Monitoring Officer (Council Solicitor) and Section 151 Officer (Strategic Director - Support Services) have had the opportunity to input to this report and have cleared it for publication.