Newcastle's Local Area Agreement (LAA) & Sustainable Community Strategy (SCS)

What’s a Local Area Agreement (LAA)?
Local Area Agreements (LAAs) set out the priorities for a local area (Newcastle) agreed between Central Government, the Local Strategic Partnership, the Local Authority and other key partners within the local area. 

LAAs simplify some central funding, help join up public services more effectively and allow greater flexibility for local solutions to local circumstances. 

What’s a Sustainable Community Strategy (SCS)?
All local authorities have a duty to work with partner organisations to produce a Sustainable Community Strategy. The strategy shows how local organisations will work together to improve the economic, social and environmental well-being of the people in their area.

The aim of the strategy is not to provide a comprehensive list of all the different activities going on to improve the city, but rather to set out the key priorities for change and actions to deliver them.

During 2009 we undertook a consultation to review and update our SCS in response to the changing economic conditions. The updated SCS was agreed in March 2010 and included the following changes:

  • Extended the timeframe to 2030 in line with the LDF (currently being developed)
  • Inclusion of a clearer definition of "sustainable communities"
  • Inclusion of proposed long term targets to the year 2030
  • Narrative summarised for ease of reading and to reduce the overall length
  • References to the Partnership's approach in responding to the economic downturn and the effects of the recession
  • More emphasis on the approach to regenerating neighbourhoods
  • The six theme chapters have also been updated

Newcastle's Sustainable Community Strategy March 2010

Newcastle's Sustainable Community Strategy Appendices

Following the first review and refresh of the LAA targets, the following revised targets have now been agreed for 2008-11 - please see following link
Newcastle's LAA refreshed targets

The SCS contains some references to the LDF (Local Development Framework) - please see the following link for an introduction to the Local Development Framework

Newcastle and Gateshead will be preparing a joint Core Strategy – One Core Strategy NewcastleGateshead 2030 over the next few years that will be the key Development Plan Document in both Newcastle’s and Gateshead’s Local Development Framework (LDF) for both Councils. Click here for further information.

If you would like any further information on the LAA, please contact Phil Hunter (tel: 0191 2777802 or email philip.hunter@newcastle.gov.uk).