What is the LAA?

Local Area Agreement (LAA) is a way for local authorities and partner agencies to work together to improve services in the area.

Partnership working through LAAs was emphasized in the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, however Cambridgeshire agreed its first LAA in 2006.
The LAA is a three year agreement between Central Government – represented by the regional Government Office – and a local area – represented by local authorities, Local Strategic Partnerships (LSPs) and other key partners. The primary objective of an LAA is to set out the key principles for the area and deliver better outcomes for local people.

The Partnership of key stakeholder agencies delivering on LAA priorities in Cambridgeshire is called Cambridgeshire Together (please, see links on the right side). A reference group of officers supports the Board. These groups emphasise the importance of joint multi-agency working in implementing the LAA's actions and improving service delivery.

Why have an LAA?

It improves co-ordination between central government, local authorities and partner agencies working through partnerships. This is particularly important given the challenges and opportunities of the county faces.

It brings together targets from key plans and strategies.

How does it work?

It is the place where the local area negotiates improvement targets with the central government. The long term priorities for Cambridgeshire are identified in the Sustainable Community Strategy (Cambridgshire Vision 2007-2021); the LAA is the three year action plan to deliver the Vision.
 
Cambridgeshire's LAA action planning

Objectives, performance indicators and targets are grouped under the following priority themes:

• Managing Growth
• Economic Prosperity
• Environmental Sustainability
• Equality and Inclusion
• Safer and Stronger Communities
• Educational Attainment (Economic Prosperity & Equality and Inlcusion)

Cambridgeshire's LAA has a total of 55 targets. You can find a copy of the LAA document among the publications on the right side.

Draft action plans for each of the LAA indicators are available under priority area subpages that are linked on the left side or you can find them listed in the file 'Index of LAA action plans' on the right side of this page.

Work to develop drafts is ongoing. If your organisation is undertaking work contributing towards an indicator, which is not yet recorded in the action plan, please contact Daniel Buckridge, LAA Partnerships Officer, 01223 699237