04 July 2008
New streamlined performance indicators for town halls mark a 'major cultural shift' in the way councils are measured and in their relationship with Whitehall, the communities and local government secretary has said.
Talking to Public Finance at the official launch of the slimmed-down Local Area Agreements, which include 35 priority areas, Hazel Blears said: 'It is significantly different from the agreements that we've had before. It's now got statutory backing and I think it's the first time we've got alignment of targets, alignment of inspection [and] alignment of budgets.'
She said the agreements marked a 'major cultural shift in the way [councils] will be measured' and a change of attitude within Whitehall departments, such as the Department for Children, Schools and Families, which were 'realising you can't just dictate from the centre'. She added: 'You have to channel people's energy from the sharp end.'
Describing the negotiations between central and local government on priorities as 'big devolution', she indicated that the success of LAAs over the next three years could determine whether there would be further devolution of responsibility.
The launch of the finalised LAA priorities took place at the Connexions centre in Lewisham High Street, in south London, on June 30, where Blears met young people who had been part of the Lewisham mayor's traineeship programme.
Speaking to PF at the launch, Local Government Association chair Sir Simon Milton said councils saw LAAs as a greater success than many people expected, while the previously high degree of disagreement and problems between the government and councils had been 'ironed out'. He added: 'I think we've gone for some very challenging targets on the difficult issues.'
The most popular priority for authorities is to reduce the number of 16–18-year-olds not in education, training or employment. Reducing the under-18 pregnancy rate comes second, with targets on providing more housing third and fourth.
Reducing the rate of 'serious acquisitive crime', such as burglary and theft, and cutting down re-offending rates both feature in the top 20 list of priorities, in line with the findings of a YouGov poll carried out for the Department for Communities and Local Government.
In the poll, 82% of respondents thought community safety was one of the most important areas for councils to take action.
PFjul2008
