Multi-area agreements (MAAs)

• What are multi-area agreements?
• Where do MAAs come from?
• What next?
• The practicalities of MAAs
• Useful links

What are multi-area agreements?

A multi-area agreement (MAA) is designed to be cross-boundary local area agreement (LAA). They bring together key players in flexible ways to tackle issues that are best addressed in partnership – at a regional and sub-regional level.

The major issues that MAAs can tackle include:

• skills deficits
• housing market imbalances
• transport and infrastructure projects
• economic development.

MAAs complement and do not duplicate the work of existing LAAs, the new performance framework or existing regional strategies. You do not need a MAA where existing sub-regional partnerships are sufficient. The wider spatial level can include partners across towns, cities or sub-regions.

MAAs are similar to LAAs in that strategic partners across boundaries can agree targets and pooling of funding arrangements with their Government Office (GO). There is a particular attraction to aligning rather than pooling funding at MAA level to ensure control of spending.

MAAs need:

• robust governance arrangements
• visible political leadership
• streamlined performance and accountability framework.

Each MAA needs to be localised and respond to circumstances specific to its area. No two MAAs will or should look the same.

Where do MAAs come from?

MAAs were first mentioned in the Local Government White Paper 'Strong and Prosperous Communities' (October 2006), referring to developing strong cities and strategic regions. The concept is not so new however. Much of the city regions work involved local authorities and local strategic partnerships (LSPs) working together across existing administrative boundaries.

What next?

Since the publication of the white paper, Communities and Local Government has been talking to a number of local authorities to develop guidance on MAAs. The guidance will provide advice and suggestions for a flexible approach. The guidance will also need to consider how MAAs will fit alongside LAAs.

The guidance will follow the publication of the Sub-National Review of Economic Development and Regeneration (SNER) review paper (July 2007). The SNER looks at how to strengthen economic performance in regions, cities and localities across England through:

• regional structures
• organisations
• roles and powers.

The practicalities of MAAs

MAAs: advantages of cross-boundary working

• improving performance across sub-regions when dealing with strategic issues without a local solution 
• creating bigger pots of money to lever in private finance
• providing greater flexibilities
• creating stronger partnerships.

MAAs: barriers to cross-boundary working

• relationship management with neighbouring councils
• conflicts between regional bodies, local authorities and partners leading to fragmentation
• the political dimension, especially democratic accountability
• non-elected representatives making strategic decisions
• the need for clear contribution and commitment of all partners including regional bodies
• the potential for a disproportionate amount of bureaucracy
• the capacity of Government Offices
• there is no indication of the incentives attached to MAAs which may discourage partner buy-in.

MAAs: conditions for success

• the MAA is tailored to the specific challenges of an area
• there is a shared perspective on what binds the MAA area
• the MAA is grounded in capacity, skills and robust partnership relationships
• there are clear lines of accountability
• the focus is on adding value and avoiding any overlap with other policies
• being brave enough to ‘just get on with it’ and give it a go.

Useful links

Partnership for Urban South Hampshire (PUSH) – Partnerships and Places Library case study from the first stage of an evaluation of the negotiation phase of multi-area agreements (MAAs)

The new performance framework

Sub-National Review of Economic Development and Regeneration – on the HM Treasury website.

Comprehensive Spending Review – on the HM Treasury website.

City regions resource

Life in Multi-area Agreements – on the Local Government Association (LGA) website

Multi-area Agreements – updated general information – on the info4gov website.

Multi-area Agreements: New council economic unions to boost local skills and jobs – on the Communities and Local Government website.

Liverpool City Region MAA – on the Communities and Local Government website.

New Leicestershire partnership trains to retain key skills (Leicester and Leicestershire MAA) – on the Communities and Local Government website.

New Pennine Lancashire partnership to boost local economy (Pennine Lancashire MAA) – on the Communities and Local Government website.

Page updated December 2009.