Decision details

To consider the report of the Leader of the Council seeking approval to the Southampton’s 2010 Local Area Agreement Refresh. 

Southampton's Local Area Agreement (LAA) covering the period 2008/9 to 2010/11 was developed by the City Council in conjunction with other local , regional and national partners to help improve key public services provided to local residents in the city. The Council must ensure that all of the "designated" or nationally agreed targets within the LAA are reviewed on an annual basis and that any proposed changes to these targets are negotiated and agreed with representatives from relevant government departments. The Council has a statutory duty to approve any amended "designated" targets within the LAA on behalf of all local partners to enable them to be submitted to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government for signature by the end of March.

At the Annual Council meeting in May 2008 members agreed that the approval of any changes to the LAA should be provided by the Executive rather than Full Council.  This report therefore seeks the Cabinet's endorsement of the re-negotiated economic development targets contained within Southampton's LAA to ensure they reflect changes that have occurred at both a national and local level over the past twelve months.

(i)  To approve the re-negotiated ”designated” targets set out in Appendix 1 to enable them to be formally agreed by partners and representatives of government departments for submission to the Secretary of State by the 17^th March.

(ii)  To delegate authority to the Chief Executive, following consultation and agreement with appropriate Cabinet Members, to amend the designated targets set out in Appendix 1 to reflect any feedback from stakeholders or formulae changes prior to their submission to the Secretary of State.

1. The Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act places a duty on local authorities to prepare a Local Area Agreement (LAA) for their area and a further duty on a number of specified public sector partners to co-operate with the council in its development, negotiation and subsequent delivery. The Council has a statutory duty to approve any proposed amendments to the 34 "designated" targets contained within the LAA on behalf of local partners to enable them to be formally submitted to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government for approval by the end of March.
2. At the Annual Council meeting on the 14^th May 2008 it was agreed that the approval of the targets within Southampton’s Local Area Agreement should be the responsibility of the Executive rather than Full Council.

As an “upper tier” authority the City Council is required to formally submit any proposals to refresh the improvement targets contained within the LAA that have been agreed with its partners to the Secretary of State by the 17^th March 2010.