Comprehensive Area Assessment and Local Area Agreements

In 2006, the Local Government White Paper introduced a new performance framework for local authorities which highlighted climate change as an issue that local  authorities should be focusing on.

The resulting Comprehensive Area Assessment includes a national indictor defined as 'percentage reduction of the per capita carbon dioxide emissions in the local authority area' (NI 186). 

Defra and the Local Government Association have the aspiration that all local authorities will make climate change a local priority and include NI 186 in their Local Area Agreements.  100 local authorities have incorporated NI 186 in their LAA and 98 per cent of local areas have included carbon reduction or climate change adpation indicators.

To support local authorities and to help delivery against targets, the Energy Saving Trust has developed some specific guidance on the Comprehensive Area Assessment and Local Area Agreements (download it here) as they relate to NI 186 and some guidance on how best to take action to meet targets (download it here).

The following case studies are a selection of those local authorities already delivering actions against Local Area Agreement targets that are of relevance for the negotiation of targets against national indicator 186.  They also highlight lessons learnt in setting appropriate targets and gathering data to evidence progress. 

• Cheshire County Council
• Essex County Council
• London Borough of Islington
• North Somerset Council
• Wyre Borough Council

If you have any further questions on Local Area Agreements and how to reduce carbon dioxide emissions per capita please contact Practical help on 0844 84 888 30 or at practicalhelp@est.org.uk.  We could even come and give you a workshop to help you plan activity to meet your new Local Area Agreement.