Seven multi-area agreements signed

Sir Jeremy councils can 'challenge the artificial limits of boundaries'.

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Seven councils have officially signed up to multi-area agreements (MAAs).

Dubbed a "new-style conversation" between central and local government, the councils and local partners have written bespoke MAAs on issues such as improve housing and tackling worklessness or skills gaps.

Communities secretary Hazel Blears said: "Some issues that make the biggest difference to local people don't respect local boundaries."

She added: "If they want to make a big difference, councils need to come together. 

"Co-ordinating efforts can achieve better outcomes for local people and businesses. Local areas will work shoulder-to-shoulder to boost economic growth, tackle entrenched pockets of deprivation and unlock their residents' potential across the area – helping places to catch up economically."

Stepping stone to devolution

Local Government Association vice chairman Sir Jeremy Beecham (Lab) said:
"MAAs have the potential to be a stepping stone to genuine devolution of powers and funding. They will allow councils, local partners and government agencies to work together to challenge the artificial limits of boundaries.

"The diversity of the issues tackled in the first MAAs reflect the critical importance of local priorities.

"The challenge now is to turn the commitments in these first MAAs into action and to work with other areas interested in developing their own agreements. Other areas will be encouraged by the potential benefits for local people that these first agreements set out to achieve."

The seven MAAs signed today cover authorities in Tees Valley, Greater Manchester, South Yorkshire, Leeds and South Hampshire. The other two are Tyne & Wear and Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole.