Local Area Agreement:

Part One

POLICY PROFILE
A Camden Black and Minority Ethnic Alliance, Policy Publication

SPECIAL EDITION: Part 1 of 4 Part Series
September 2005

Understanding Local Area Agreement
1. Focus on the LAA Themes

Summary

This briefing paper focuses on the four local area agreement (LAA) priority themes. It describes the priority themes in detail and the role of partners in developing local outcomes for each theme. This briefing also makes clear that:

□ Priority themes provide a framework and context for agreeing local outcomes and objectives
□ Priority themes relate to a specific policy context, drawn from a national policy context
□ Government expects VCS organisations to play a key role in shaping the development of each of the four priority themes and to take part in discussion regarding the identification of specific outcomes and the proposal of measures and targets
□ The development of the priority themes is essentially the first step in the development of the LAA - we decide what we want to achieve first - then we identify appropriate funding

Background and Context

In October 2004, the Government announced 21 areas (boroughs) to participate in a pilot initiative called LAA. In this initial roll out of LAA, areas chosen were only asked to develop agreements based around three priority themes:

□ Children and young people
□ Safer and stronger communities
□ Healthier communities and older people

However, as part of the announcement of the second round of LAAs, to a further 66 areas, a fourth theme (economic development and enterprise) was added.

The four priority themes are based on national policy issues and provide the basic framework for LAA development. For their part, areas are required to identify specific outcomes, under each theme, and then select the performance indicators and targets, by which their success will be measured. In several instances, Government guidance actually mandates that specific outcomes, indicators and targets must be included in agreements. Arrangements for the priority themes are explained in more detail under the sub headers below.

Children and young peoples theme

The five 'every child matters' outcomes (be healthy, stay safe, enjoy and achieve, make a positive contribution, and achieve economic well being) underpin this priority theme. In developing its LAA, an area should reflect upon how its objectives give expression to these outcomes. The policy framework for 'every child matters' has 40 performance indicators attached to it, from which an area can select. BME groups have real scope to explore outcomes within this priority theme.

An example of how outcomes, indicators and targets could be described, in relation to the 'enjoy and achieve' outcome, is set out in the box below:

Children and Young Peoples Theme
Enjoy and Achieve (every child matters outcome)
Contributing outcome (suggested) Measures of success (suggested)
Increase pupil attainment at key stage 4 GCSE overall and reduce the differential between BMEs attaining 5 GCSEs at A*-C Grades and non-BMEs
a) To increase the number of pupils achieving 5 GCSEs at key stage 4 from xx to xx

b) To reduce the differential between BMEs attaining 5 GCSEs at A*-C Grades and non BMEs from xx to xx

Safer and stronger communities theme

‘Safer and stronger communities’ is the most crosscutting of the four themes. It is also the one with the greatest level of prescription (ie: areas are mandated to include specific outcomes, indicators whether they want to or not). The policy framework around safer and stronger communities is built around four national outcomes.

□ To reduce crime, the fear of crime, the harm caused by illegal drugs, and reassure the public, reducing the fear of crime and anti-social behaviour (mandatory)

□ To empower local people to have a greater voice and influence over local decision making and the delivery of services (mandatory)

□ To have cleaner, greener safer public space (mandatory for areas who want to include liveability funding and targeted neighbourhood funding in their agreements)

□ To improve the quality of life for people in the most disadvantaged neighbourhoods and ensure service providers are more responsive to neighbourhood needs and improve their delivery (mandatory where areas wish to include targeted neighbourhood funding in their agreements)

Each of the above national outcomes is supported by several performance indicators.

The expectation is that the VCS will help identify local outcomes and indicators alongside the national ones. For BME groups, in particular, there is real scope for developing conversations across the above-mentioned 'empower local people' outcome. The events of 7/7 for example, mean that there is impetus behind strengthening work on the social cohesion agenda. An example of how indicators and targets could be described in relation to the 'empower local people' outcome is set out in the box below:

Safer and Stronger Communities Theme
National Outcome (mandatory) Measures of success (mandatory)
To empower local people to have a greater voice and influence over local decision making and the delivery of services (mandatory)
a) To increase the overall number of voluntary organisations involved in the delivery of local services from xx to xx

b) To increase the number of BME organisations from xx to xx

Healthier communities and older people theme

The Government's 'choosing health' white paper and Independence and Well Being Strategies provide the basic policy framework here. Government wants to see outcomes, for this theme, address health inequality and improve the quality of life for the most disadvantaged groups and those living in the most disadvantaged areas. For BME groups there is real scope for developing the discussion regarding reducing health inequalities between the BMEs and the rest of the Camden population.

An example of how ambitions could be described for Camden and its BME population in the 'healthier communities and older people' theme is set out below:

Healthier Communities and Older People Theme
Outcome (suggested) Measures of success (suggested)
Increase life expectancy and reduce health inequalities
a) To reduce mortality rates overall from xx to xx

b) To reduce mortality rates for BMEs from xx to xx

Guidance proposes a number of additional performance outcomes for this priority theme and these appear at the attached Appendix.

Economic development and enterprise theme

The principal policy driver for this priority theme is the Treasury publication on 'productivity in the UK: the local dimension.' The focus of that document in relation to employment, enterprise skills, innovation and investment, are reflected in the objectives of this priority theme. There is a set of mandated outcomes for this theme attached to a funding stream known as the Local Enterprise Growth Initiative (LEGI). These outcomes have to be included in the LAA (but only if an area is successful in its application for LEGI funding).

As with other priority themes, there is no reason why BME groups cannot help develop discussions around additional outcomes and indicators for inclusion. The growth of social enterprise is one such example, where outcomes can be identified. Others could explore innovative outcomes focused on public interest partnership opportunities between the VCS and private sector in Camden.

An example of how ambitions could be described for Camden and its BME population in the 'healthier communities and older people' theme is set out below:

Economic Development and Enterprise Theme
Outcome (suggested) Measures of success (suggested)
To increase social enterprise growth in Camden overall and in across the BME sector in particular
a) To increase social enterprise growth in Camden overall from xx to xx

b) To increase social enterprise growth across the BME sector in particular from xx to xx

To increase the number of BME owned businesses in Camden
To increase the number of BME owned businesses in Camden from xx to xx

Guidance proposes a number of additional performance outcomes for this priority theme and these appear at the attached Appendix.

Implications for CBMEA Members

Clearly, LAA policy is still being developed and will continue to be fluid for some time until learning from successful discussions, implementation and evaluation begins to point to a model LAA approach. This is therefore perfect time for BME groups to be engaged in the LAA conversation as it affects their areas.

The four priority themes, that underpin LAA, reflect areas that profoundly affect BME communities. Let us be in no doubt about the fact that LAA clearly points to a policy led budgeting approach, where outcomes identified and agreed will determine how funding is allocated and directed. BME organisations should therefore, be fully engaged in the LAA debate and play an active role in shaping the policy.

Support for CBMEA Members

This briefing paper clearly describes the priority theme framework and suggests how CBMEA members can develop discussions locally. To support members in this effort, CBMEA will be undertaking the following steps:

□ Make representation to LB Camden to determine how the BME sector will be engaged in the shaping of priority theme outcomes and objectives

□ Organise seminars and events on LAAs and invite keynote speakers to address members
□ Liaise with other boroughs to determine how the BME sector has or is being engaged in the development of LAA, with a view to importing any best practice into Camden

□ Provide further updates and briefings on the LAA initiative

Contacts

This policy briefing was prepared by:
Monica Olusola, Director of Camden BME Alliance (CBMEA)

For further information about this briefing, in particular, or CBMEA in general, our details are as follows:

Address:
44 Hampstead Road
London NW1 2PY

Tel: 020 7388 6030
Fax: 020 7388 6040

Email: director@cbmea.org.uk
Website: www.camdenbmealliance.org.uk

Sources

The following source documentation was used in the preparation of this briefing

1. Local Area Agreements Guidance - Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, June 2005
2. Every Child Matters: Change for Children – DfES, 2004
3. The Safer and Stronger Communities Fund Implementation Guidance – ODPM/ Home Office, January 2005
4. Choosing health: making choices easier – DoH, November 2004
5. Productivity in the UK 4: The Local Dimension – HM Treasury, July 2003

Appendix: Priority Themes and Outcomes

Priority Theme National Outcomes
Children and Young People  Stay safe
 Be healthy
 Enjoy and achieve
 Achieve economic well being
 Make a positive contribution
 NRF outcome on education (mandatory for areas receiving NRF)
Safer and stronger communities  Reduce crime, the harm caused by illegal drugs and to reassure the public, reducing the fear of crime and anti social behaviour
 Empower local people to have a greater voice and influence over local decision making and the delivery of services
 Cleaner greener and safer public space (mandatory for areas receiving liveability funding)
 Improve the quality of life for people in the most disadvantaged neighbourhoods and ensure service providers are more responsive to neighbourhood needs and improve their delivery
 NRF outcomes on crime, housing and liveability (mandatory for areas receiving NRF)
Health and older people  Improved health of the population: increased life expectancy and reduced health inequalities
 Improve quality of life and independence for older people
 Increase the number of people who are productively engaged (including those that are hard to reach) in the process of development and design of services that meet their needs and aspirations
 Achieve higher employment rates overall and greater flexibility for over 50s in continuing careers, managing any health conditions and combining work and family (and other) commitments. Improve information and advice to change attitudes amongst employees and employers
 NRF outcome on health (mandatory for areas receiving NRF)
Economic development and enterprise  NRF outcome on worklessness (mandatory for areas receiving NRF)
 Increase total entrepreneurial activity amongst local population (mandatory for areas receiving LEGI)
 Support the sustainable growth, and reduce the unnecessary failure of locally owned business (mandatory for areas receiving LEGI)
 Attract appropriate inward investors, making use of local labour resources (mandatory for areas receiving LEGI)

Revised on 2 Apr 2007