An exciting new programme which aims to improve the quality of life for people in Cornwall over the next three years has been formally approved by the Government this week.
The Cornwall Local Area Agreement (LAA) involves public, voluntary and private organisations, such as the County and District Councils and the Police and Health community, working together to deliver major improvements in areas such as affordable housing, rising levels of debt, climate change, child poverty, obesity and reducing waste.
The programme is based around three main principles:
· Prevention and a focus on the individual
· Collaboration and a focus on communities
· Aspiration and transformational change for Cornwall
Under the Agreement public and voluntary organisations will work more closely together to deliver a programme of targets, which have been agreed with the Government as reflecting the needs of the community. Announcing the Government’s approval for the Cornwall LAA programme, Jon Bright, Regional Director for the Government Office for the South West praised the submission as “ ambitious … which focuses on key issues”.
Joint working is already producing measurable improvements in the health of young children through improved breast feeding rates, generating renewable energy, recycling and green tourism.
“The LAA is a mechanism that allows us to cut out bureaucracy between public sector organisations, so we can gt on and do the job” said Eric Brooke ( Lib Dem), the County Council’s Executive Member for Community Services.
“These outcomes relate to the problems people want to see tackled “ “These include providing more affordable housing, encouraging vulnerable adults to live independently, and reducing Cornwall’s contribution to climate change”.
“There are also targets relating to health, such as reducing obesity and improving the quality of life and independence of older people and people with disabilities, and creating safer, stronger, and sustainable communities by breaking the cycle of poverty, deprivation and debt and empowering local people to have a greater voice and influence over decision making and the delivery of services”.
