Multi Area Agreement

Multi Area Agreements (MAAs) are non-statutory, voluntary agreements between two or more local authorities, their partners and central government.  Their principal aim is to improve the economic prosperity of an area but other outcomes are not ruled out.

They are cross-boundary agreements bringing together different authorities to tackle issues that are best addressed in a wider partnership.  In our case at West of England level - with Bristol City Council, Bath & North East Somerset Council and South Gloucestershire Council

The West of England MAA identifies the main strategic issues affecting the area as:

• The successful planning and management of growth in homes, jobs and communities, within environmental limits
• Improving access and reducing traffic congestion to increase competitiveness and quality of life
• Improving skills and reducing worklessness to increase competitiveness and regenerate communities
• Attracting and growing business investment to increase economic growth and competitiveness

For each of these issues the West of England Partnership has asked government to provide support and in return government will expect progress against a number of national indicators (taken from the National Indicator set published in October 2007).