ITEM CA7
CABINET – 18 MARCH 2008
NEW LOCAL AREA AGREEMENT FOR OXFORDSHIRE (LAA2) 2008-2011
Report by Assistant Chief Executive (Strategy)
Introduction
1. Oxfordshire County Council is the lead authority responsible for developing the Local Area Agreement with the Government on behalf of the authorities and organisations involved in the Oxfordshire Partnership.
2. An extensive consultative exercise, starting in April 2007, resulted in the the Oxfordshire Partnership agreeing the following long-term priorities for the Sustainable Community Strategy – Oxfordshire 2030 (a long term vision for Oxfordshire):
· a World Class Economy; · healthy and thriving communities; · environment and climate change; and · and a cross-cutting theme of tackling inequalities and breaking the cycle of deprivation.
3. The partnership has also prioritised 35 indicators from the National Indicator Set that can be used to measure improvement against these priorities in the new Local Area Agreement with Government for the period 2008 to 2011. The National Indicator set consists of 198 indicators that central government have defined for measuring the performance of local government and its partners.)
4. From an initial list of over seventy indicators, the Public Service Board went through a process of review and priortisations and recommended a list of thirty-five indicators at their meeting on 4 March 2008. This list of thirty-five indicators, attached at Annex 1 (download as .pdf file), was recommended to the Oxfordshire Partnership for agreement at their meeting on 7 March 2008. Any amendments proposed by the Oxfordshire Partnership will be detailed in the schedule of addenda.
How the Partnership Arrived at the 35 Indicators
5. On 7 January 2008, a long-list of over 70 indicators was agreed by the Public Service Board and submitted to the Government Office for the South East (GOSE) on 15 January 2008 for initial comments. GOSE’s response was positive with many areas of agreement.
6. Partnerships and organisations were then commissioned to produce proposals for delivering improvements against each of these indicators. Further work by the LAA2 Steering Group; consisting of the County Council Assistant Chief Executive (Strategy), City Chief Executive representing all the Districts, PCT and Police; ensured that the proposals:
(a) supported Oxfordshire 2030 strategic priorities; (b) had the potential to focus on groups (people) or localities (places) of greatest need; (c) would require partnership working; and (d) could be fully funded for 3 years.
7. The proposals were reviewed at the Public Service Board (PSB) meeting on 5 February 2008; and after some further revisions, a short list of 35 indicators was agreed by the PSB on 4 March 2008.
8. The list of indicators is recommended to the Cabinet for inclusion in the new Local Area Agreement (LAA2) and outlines the relationship of the indicators to the Oxfordshire 2030 strategic priorities.
Further Development
9. All proposals require further work to set the targets for improvement for each indicator.
10. In some cases, final definitions of the indicators from the Government have not been received. The Oxfordshire Partnership will reserve the right to withdraw an indicator from the list if any changes to the definitions mean that proposals submitted would no longer be viable for us.
11. In some cases, baselines (on which to base the amount of proposed improvement) do not yet exist because the indicators are unprecedented. These will need to be determined in the first year. This does not preclude those responsible for the target from commencing work to meet its broad aims in April 2008.
12. A value for money indicator has been included as this is a key issue for local authorities.
Implications
13. Corporate Polices. Financial and Legal implications: Oxfordshire County Council has a duty to lead the Oxfordshire Partnership and to develop a Sustainable Community Strategy and the Local Area Agreement. The Local Area Agreement commits the county council and its partners to ensuring that the agreed targets are fully resourced.
14. Equality and inclusion: a number of the proposed targets are aimed at improving equality and breaking the cycle of deprivation.
15. Sustainability: The Local Area Agreement targets contribute to Oxfordshire’s Sustainable Community Strategy.
16. Risk management: all proposed targets include an assessment of risk. The Comprehensive Area Assessment will make judgements on the County Council’s ability to manage risk and deliver better outcomes by meeting targets with its partners.
Next Steps
17. The agreed list of indicators and initial targets to be submitted to GOSE by the end of March 2008.
18. GOSE to discuss Oxfordshire’s Local Area Agreement with central government and negotiate final targets up to June 2008.
19. Oxfordshire’s Local Area Agreement 2008-11 to be agreed with Government and signed off by Oxfordshire County council in June 2008.
RECOMMENDATION
20. The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:
(a) agree the list of 35 indicators as recommended by the Oxfordshire Partnership for submission to GOSE by 31 March 2008; and
(b) consider a further report on progress at the 15 July 2008 meeting of the Cabinet.
STEPHEN CAPALDI Assistant Chief Executive (Strategy) Corporate Core
Background papers: Nil
Contact Officer: Paul James, Head of Partnership Working Tel: 01865 816031 March 2008
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