By Anthony Brand

This publication from the New Local Government Network calls for councils to be handed greater responsibility and more incentives to drive forward Local Area Agreements and argues that the current system is still too inflexible for many local authorities. In an evaluation of the latest wave of Local Area Agreements, NLGN highlights significant achievements through the process, including a more joined-up policy framework. It also warns that significant logjams are preventing the system working more effectively.

The NLGN argues that national indicators remain too ill-defined and top-down to support Local Area Agreements that are truly locally relevant and evidence-based. It also claims that some Government departments have not offered sufficient flexibility to their local arms to allow them to play a significant role in Local Area Agreement delivery. Without significant and transparent incentives or penalties, accountability for LAA success is obscure.

Published by NLGN. ISBN: 978 1 903 447 74 1. 15 pounds.