Introduction

1. Leicester City Council and the Government have made this Local Public Service Agreement (Local PSA) with the intention of further improving the services to local people that Leicester City Council provides. This agreement covers the period 1 April 2002 to 31st March 2005.

2. The agreement records the present intentions of the Council and the Government. It is entered into by both in good faith, but it is expressly recognised that neither can fetter the future discretion of the Council or of Ministers and Parliament. The agreement is therefore not intended to create legal relations. Subject to that, the following points are agreed.

The Intentions of Leicester City Council

3. Leicester City Council will use its best endeavours to achieve more demanding performance targets than those it would be expected to achieve in the absence of this Local Public Service Agreement. These enhanced targets are specified in Schedule 1 to this agreement.

The Intentions of the Government

4. The intentions of the Government set out in this agreement are subject to the outcome of any statutory consultations and any necessary approval of the Treasury and Parliament.

5. The Government will implement the changes to statutory and administrative requirements set out in Schedule 2 to this agreement, subject to confirmation of the legal and operational feasibility of the changes described and to Parliamentary approval of any necessary legislation. The Government will also undertake the discussions with the Council described in Schedule 2.

6. It is recognised by Leicester City Council that, on further investigation, it may be necessary to modify the detail of the changes set out in Schedule 2 in ways that seek so far as possible, to give substantially the same extent of benefit to the Council. It is recognised by the Government that, if a change set out in Schedule 2 proves infeasible, it will use its best endeavours to provide an alternative that corresponds as closely as possible and has, so far as possible, substantially the same effect.

7. The Government will pay Leicester City Council a grant of £1,039,690 in 2002/03 in support of the expenditures described in Schedule 3 to this agreement. The conditions attached to this "pump-priming" grant are also set out in Schedule 3.

8. The Government will pay a performance reward grant to Leicester City Council, as set out in Schedule 4 to this agreement, if it achieves all the enhanced targets specified in Schedule 1. Schedule 4 also sets out the grant it intends to pay if the Council secures a substantial improvement in performance that falls short of the target. The Schedule also stipulates the intended timing of payments of the grant. Leicester City Council undertakes to provide audited information confirming the extent of improvement in their performance relative to the Local PSA performance targets set out in Schedule 1, as a precondition for the determination and payment of the performance reward grant.

Date of Agreement: 4 July 2002

For Leicester City Council

Cllr Ross Willmott
Leader of the Council

Rodney Green
Chief Executive


For Her Majesty's Government

Rt Hon Nick Raynsford MP
Minister of State, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister

Rt Hon Paul Boateng MP
Chief Secretary to Her Majesty's Treasury

Christopher Leslie MP
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State,
Office of the Deputy Prime Minister

The above ministers sign on behalf of their colleagues listed below:

Deputy Prime Minister
Rt Hon John Prescott MP

Chancellor of the Exchequer
Rt Hon Gordon Brown MP

Secretary of State for the Home Department
Rt Hon David Blunkett MP

Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Rt Hon Margaret Beckett MP

Secretary of State for Transport
Rt Hon Alistair Darling MP

Secretary of State for Health
Rt Hon Alan Milburn MP

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
Rt Hon Andrew Smith MP

Rt Hon Estelle Morris MP
Secretary of State for Education And Skills

Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
Rt Hon Tessa Jowell MP