“ [We are striving for] better co-ordination of service delivery on the ground, better identification and targeting of assistance to vulnerable people and more integrated strategic planning and priority setting between agencies.”

This was the goal of Leicestershire’s first local agreement signed to April 2006 to cover the period 2006-09. This period is drawing to a close with a second LAA now in place for 2008-2011.

However, the 12 three-year reward targets from LAA1 remain in place until April 2009. These targets were identified by the Council and the Government in 2005 as a priority for the county and a financial reward was offered as an incentive to encourage exceptional improvement in these areas.  

LAA1 identified seven themes - Children and Young People, Cleaner and Greener, Economic Development, Healthier Communities, Older People, Safer Communities, and Stronger Communities. Across these seven themes, Leicestershire Together has achieved some notable successes, including

• A reduction in the percentage of 16-18 year olds not in education, employment or training;  
• An increase in the percentage of school children spending a minimum of 2 hrs per week on high quality PE and school sport;
• Over 600 people registered to the Learn 2 Earn Project, predominantly claimants of Incapacity Benefit (or a related benefit);
• A drop in the smoking prevalence rate down among young people from 23.4% to 19.1%, all within one year;
• 2,134 adults completing at least 3 x 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity per week from April 2007 up until March 2008 through the Active Together programme -  exceeding the county target;
• Over 30 groups have now registered with O.P.E.N., the Older People’s Engagement Network;
• 130 frail older people are receiving a direct payment as an alternative to attending day centres by June 2008 -  the target is for 200 older people to be using Direct Payments for this by 2009;
• Over 4090 older people have claimed Attendance Allowance  - 2182 of whom were directly assisted by the partnership;
• 2,775 new service users registered between April 2006 and March 2008 to use community alarms in the County;
• Reduction in first-time entrants to the Youth Justice System;
• Increased reporting of Hate Incidents;
• Reduced offending by Prolific and Priority Offenders;
• A Faith Forum for Leicestershire which aims to bring together people of different faiths was established in July this year.

Follow these links for more details on these highlights or more detailed performance management information.