All local authorities have a statutory duty to produce a Sustainable Community Strategy (SCS), which sets out the long term vision and priorities for the area; the Local Area Agreement (LAA) is a three year delivery plan for the SCS.  Whilst the duty for producing the SCS and LAA lies with the local authority, the Local Strategic Partnership (LSP) is expected to have a key role in developing both documents and delivering LAA targets.

Following the publication in 2006 of Strong and Prosperous Communities - the Local Government White Paper central government introduced several changes designed to increase flexibility for local authorities and LSPs in identifying and responding to local priorities in the SCS and LAA.  Changes include a new performance framework based on a national set of 198 indicators (reduced from over 1,200) and pooling of a number of statutory funding streams into a single, non ring fenced fund called the Area Based Grant (ABG).

The ABG is allocated for three years and includes the Working Neighbourhoods Fund (WNF), the replacement for the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund (NRF).  The WNF has a much narrower focus than the NRF and will be used to fund interventions which address worklessness in disadvantaged communities.

Newcastle's SCS and LAA 2008-11 was signed off in 2008.  The SCS identifies five big challenges for the city:

• Driving economic competitiveness and enabling all communities to participate in the economy

• Long term demographic change and health

• Creating opportunities from climate change

• Housing and communities

• Addressing the causes and symptoms of child poverty

The SCS goes on to set out six themes that will enable the Newcastle Partnership to begin addressing the 5 challenges

• Better economy

• Better health

• Better environment

• Better places to live

• Safe, strong communities

• More for young people

Objectives drawn from the six themes, in turn, inform the indictors and targets of the LAA.

A full copy of Newcastle Partnership’s Sustainable Community Strategy and Local Area Agreement 2008–11, as well as a summary document, can be downloaded from www.newcastlepartnership.org.uk/local-area-agreement-laa-sustainable-community-strategy-scs

To keep up with the latest LSP and LAA developments and opportunities for the voluntary sector, remember to read re:gen, the quarterly newsletter for the Regen Forum.

For more information about what is happening locally, email Martin Gollan at NCVS or phone him on 0191 232 7445.

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