What is a Local Area Agreement?

Local Area Agreements mark a radical change in central and local relations and they deliver real benefits to communities by bringing together key local partners to improve local services.

It is intended to simplify the number of funding streams from central government and focus on a core set of outcomes.

Swindon's Local Area Agreement is a challenging and exciting process with some real rewards for all involved. Partners have agreed together an intensive partnership work programme to deliver an excellent LAA that reflects the needs of Swindon and makes a real difference to all of those who live here.

Gavin Jones
Chief Executive of Swindon Borough Council

How a Local Area Agreement Works

A Local Area Agreement (LAA) is a three year agreement that sets out the priorities for a local area agreed between central government, represented by the Government Office, and a local area, represented by the local authority and Local Strategic Partnership (LSP) and other key partners at local level.

The general principle is that LAAs are outcome based and would enable local authorities and their partners to deliver national outcomes in a way that reflects local priorities, particularly those identified in Community Strategies, which in turn reflect other strategies, such as the Local Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy, Crime and Drugs Strategies and the Children and Young People’s Plan.  

This will give local authorities and their partners the flexibility to find local solutions to local problems, and to prioritise spending to achieve the outcomes identified in a LAA.

The agreement is made up of outcomes, indicators and targets aimed at delivering a better quality of life for people through improving performance on a range of national and local priorities.

Local Area Agreement 2008-2011

Swindon's second Local Area Agreement was signed off in the month of June 2008. In selecting the priorities, contributing partners have considered how we tackle long-standing social, economic and environmental problems by working together to make our local populations lives better.  Local issues include: reducing teenage pregnancy, cutting CO2 emissions, boosting employment skills, providing more affordable homes, reducing childhood obesity rates, and tackling crime.

This new LAA contains 16 targets on education attainment, and 30 local priorities selected from the Government's 198 indicator list.  The National Indicator handbook of definitions is also available.

Swindon 2008-2011 LAA2 Booklet (909 kb)

Swindon 2008-2011 LAA2 A3 pull-out (267 kb)

Swindon Delivery Plan October 2008 (76 kb)

Swindon Delivery Plan update June 2009 (79 kb)

Swindon Local Area Agreement 2008-2011 Refresh Document March 2009

During the life of the LAA we are given the opportunity by CLG to refresh the document.  LAA2 has now been refreshed twice, the current document takes into account indicators which were adversely affected by the recession.  The updated LAA2 was signed off at the Partnership Board meeting on 2nd March 2010.. If you have any questions about this refresh document or the process please contact the Team.

Swindon Local Area Agreement 2008-2011 Refresh Document March 2010

Swindon Local Area Agreement 2008-2011 Refresh Document March 2009