Woolas backs shift to area agreements

The government appears determined to press ahead with plans to deliver Supporting People through local area agreements despite concerns vulnerable groups will lose out.

Local government minister Phil Woolas was expected to tell a conference this week that the programme would benefit from being part of the local strategic partnership framework, which governs LAAs.

Woolas said LAAs were an “excellent mechanism” for developing an integrated approach to supporting vulnerable people.

He also hoped there would be a “middle way” between retaining the programme’s ring fence and including it in councils’ general funding.