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How to identify the key influencers and shapers of Local Area Agreements

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1. Identify who the ‘lead’ authority is and whether the Local Area Agreement involves a single local authority or several local authorities.

There are nineteen designated authorities with responsibility for developing LAAs in the South East. Twelve unitary councils are designated as the ‘lead’ authority. They will be the only local authority involved in the development of the LAA, unless cross boundary partnerships or multi area agreements are developed. These are:
  • Bracknell Forest Borough Council
  • Brighton & Hove City Council
  • Isle of Wight Council
  • Medway Council
  • Milton Keynes Council
  • Portsmouth City Council
  • Reading Borough Council
  • Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead
  • Slough Borough Council
  • Southampton City Council
  • West Berkshire Council
  • Wokingham District Council

The remaining seven designated ‘lead’ authorities are county councils. They are required to work with the district councils in their county to develop the LAA.
  • Buckinghamshire County Council
  • East Sussex County Council
  • Hampshire County Council
  • Kent County Council
  • Oxfordshire County Council
  • Surrey County Council
  • West Sussex County Council


2. Talk to the Local Area Agreement officer(s) within the lead local authority, and where relevant in the other authorities involved.

In each lead authority there will normally be at least one officer who has overall responsibility for the LAA process and production of the drafts. This officer is usually located within the corporate or policy team. Each district council is also likely to have a nominated senior officer with responsibility for the LAA.

Ask the officer in the lead authority responsible for the LAA:
  • Who will be representing the authority and its partners in the LAA discussions
  • Who that authority considers its key partners to be

Where applicable, ask the same questions of the lead officer in one or more of the district councils.

If you don’t know who the LAA lead officer is, phone or e-mail the authority’s information centre or switchboard. To find local authority websites and contact details click here.



3. Look at the current Sustainable Community Strategy and previous Local Area Agreement to find the key partners involved. To find local authority websites and contact details click here

The Sustainable Community Strategy (SCS) and previous LAAs will indicate the key partners the authority has been working with. Copies of the SCS are normally available on the local authority website and/or the website of the Local Strategic Partnership (LSP). In Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Hampshire, Kent, Oxfordshire, Surrey and West Sussex there may be a SCS at both county and district council levels.

Previous LAAs, including any updates, are normally available on the local authority website. They can also be viewed on the Improvement and Development Agency’s website.




4. Find out who is represented on the Local Strategic Partnership/Public Service Board and any related partnerships or sub-committees.

Find out who sits on the Local Strategic Partnership (LSP)/Public Service Board and any related partnerships or sub-committees including the Crime and Disorder Partnership, Cultural Partnership and Health Improvement Group. This information will normally be available on the local authority or LSP website. Alternatively information may be contained in strategic plans or documents available at the local library.

In areas where the county and district councils are involved in the LAA, consider information related to the LSPs of both the lead authority and the districts.



5. Confirm the organisations that have a ‘duty to cooperate’ with the lead local authority on the development of a Local Area Agreement. Identify those most likely to be influential in your area given local priorities and politics.

The following organisations have a ‘duty to cooperate’ with the lead local authority on the development of a LAA:
  • Unitary and county authorities
  • District authorities (in two tier areas only)
  • The Environment Agency
  • Natural England
  • The Broads Authority
  • National Park Authorities
  • Fire and rescue authorities
  • Jobcentre Plus
  • The Health and Safety Executive
  • Youth Offending Teams
  • Police authorities
  • Chief Officer of Police
  • Local Probation Boards
  • Primary Care Trusts
  • NHS Trusts
  • Foundation Trusts
  • Joint Waste Disposal Authorities
  • Regional Development Agencies
  • The Learning and Skills Council
  • Sport England
  • English Heritage
  • Arts Council England
  • Museums, Libraries and Archives Council
  • Highways Agency
  • Metropolitan Passenger
  • Transport Authorities
  • Transport for London

Identify those most likely to be influential in your area given local priorities and politics.



6. Look at recent publications produced by the local authority and its partners setting out their future plans and priorities.

Review resident’s newspapers and magazines, corporate documents and websites that have recently been published by the local authority and its partners. These will often help to identify the ‘big issues’ that are likely to be picked up within the LAA. They will also indicate who the authority is currently working with.



To see the full guidance on ‘How to identify the key influencers and shapers of Local Area Agreements’ click here.

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