Reducing unemployment and tackling health issues such as smoking and alcoholism top the list of concerns that local areas in the North West of England will prioritise over the next three years.
Reducing the rate of hospital admissions for alcohol related harm has been identified as a key priority by 86 per cent of local authorities in the region, while other key challenges include reducing the number of working age people on benefits and encouraging 16-18 year olds to stay on in education.
Among the local councils who have pledged to tackle alcohol problems are Bolton, Cumbria, Lancashire, Liverpool, Warrington and Manchester.
Every local area in England has now agreed its own set of priorities with central government and must devote resources, time and effort to tackling the challenges that will improve the lives of local people in their areas. Extra cash will be available to the highest performing councils. Local people will also be able to see what their council has chosen to prioritise at http://www.localpriorities.communities.gov.uk.
Called Local Area Agreements (LAAs) - local authorities have worked with local service providers such as the Police and Jobcentre Plus to identify key priorities individual to each area.
Regional Minister for the North West Beverley Hughes said:
"Local Area Agreements are all about people deciding action on the issues that affect them most and that is something I welcome.
"In my role as Regional Minister for the North West, I have already identified the need to tackle health inequalities and worklessness so it is pleasing to see that so many people across the region share my conviction that these issues need to be addressed.
"The fact that these issues have been identified as local priorities means plenty of extra resources will now be directed towards them and that can only be a good thing for people living in the region."
Hazel Blears MP, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, said:
"These new local priorities mean that councils and their partners can concentrate their efforts on the specific needs of the local people they serve. The prizes are enormous: better, more locally relevant public services, a higher quality of life and ultimately more prosperity in communities across the country.
"If knowledge is power, then this is more power to local people. They will be able to see exactly what local government and service providers plan to do in their area, check out how well they are doing, and ask questions if they have not delivered. This means less red tape and more freedom for local authorities to deliver what local people want."
Progress will be tracked by independent auditors and results published, so any need for improvement can be identified quickly and local authorities and service providers be held to account by local people.
