ITEM CA5
CABINET – 20 MAY 2008
OXFORDSHIRE’S NEW LOCAL AREA AGREEMENT (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 consultation exercise, starting in April 2007, resulted in the Oxfordshire Partnership agreeing 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 · Tackling inequalities and breaking the cycle of deprivation
3. The Oxfordshire Partnership selected 35 indicators from the National Indicator Set to measure improvement against these priorities in the new Local Area Agreement with Government for the period 2008 to 2011. These 35 indicators were agreed by the Cabinet, as the lead authority, at their meeting on 18 March 2008.
4. The agreed list of 35 indicators was submitted to GOSE on 31 March 2008.
5. There are also 16 statutory children & young people’s target related to educational attainment.
How the Partnership arrived at the Improvement Targets
6. In January 2008, a long list of indicators was submitted to GOSE, and partnerships and organisations were commissioned to produce proposals for delivering improvements against each. For an indicator to be included in the short list for the new Local Area Agreement it needed to be supported by a proposal that:
(a) supported Oxfordshire 2030 strategic priorities; (b) had the potential to focus on groups (people) or localities (places) of greatest need; (c) required partnership working; and (d) was fully funded for three years.
7. The proposals that supported each of the 35 chosen indicators have formed the basis for negotiations with GOSE regarding the level of improvement or “stretch” that needs to be achieved by the end of the new Local Area Agreement in March 2011.
8. Discussions on target levels with GOSE started after the submission of the target list on 31 March 2008, and will continue until 16 May 2008.
9. The list of draft targets and levels, so far as is known, is set out in Annex 1 (download as .xls file). The final outcomes of the discussions with GOSE will be reported to the Cabinet as part of the schedule of addenda.
10. The submission date for the final draft of the Local Area Agreement to GOSE is 30 May 2008. By that date, agreement needs to have been reached on as many of the targets as possible. Out of the 35 indicators chosen for Oxfordshire, there will be eight where the level of improvement will be agreed during the first year of the agreement rather than by 31 May 2008.
11. In one case (domestic violence) the final definition of the indicator from the Government will not be completed until after the submission date. The Oxfordshire Partnership will reserve the right to withdraw this indicator if any changes to the definitions mean that proposals submitted would no longer be viable.
12. In the remainder of cases baselines (on which to base the amount of proposed improvement) do not yet exist because the data has not previously been collected. This is a national issue affecting all local authorities.
13. Regardless of whether a target is set or not by 30 May 2008, those responsible for delivering improvements for the chosen indicators have already commenced work, in April 2008, to meet its broad aims.
Implications
14. Corporate Polices, Financial and Legal implications: The County Council has a duty to develop and lead the Oxfordshire Partnership; 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 targets agreed are fully resourced.
15. Equality and inclusion: a number of the proposed targets are aimed at improving equality and breaking the cycle of deprivation.
16. Sustainability: The Local Area Agreement targets contribute to the county’s sustainable community strategy.
17. 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
18. The agreed list of all 35 chosen indicators will be submitted to GOSE by the 30 May 2008 along with the 16 mandatory targets. Of the 35 chosen indicators, 27 will have had baselines established and targets set. For the remaining eight, baselines will be established and two-year targets will be set during 2008/09.
19. GOSE will discuss Oxfordshire’s Local Area Agreement with central government and negotiate final targets up to June 2008.
20. Oxfordshire’s Local Area Agreement 2008-11 is to be agreed with Government and confirmed by Oxfordshire County Council in June 2008.
RECOMMENDATION
21. The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:
(a) agree the targets for 27 of the 35 indicators recommended by the Oxfordshire Partnership for inclusion in the new Local Area Agreement for submission to GOSE by 30 May 2008;
(b) agree that work to establish baselines and targets for the remaining eight indicators can be carried out during 2008/09;
(c) delegate responsibility to the Leader of the Council to agree any changes to these targets recommended by the Public Service Board at their meeting on 22 May 2008; and
(d) receive a further report on progress in September 2008.
STEPHEN CAPALDI Assistant Chief Executive (Strategy) Corporate Core
Background papers: Nil
Contact Officer: Jayne Dunn, LAA2 Project Manager, Tel: (01865) 816330
May 2008
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