DEVON County Council is to receive a near £6-million boost to help fund new initiatives following an agreement with the Government — with the possibility of a further £13-million to invest in services.
The Public Service Agreement, signed by the council leader, chief executive and Government minister Nick Raynsford last week, sets ambitious targets to improve public services in the county. Council leader Cllr Christine Channon described it as 'ground-breaking'.
It is part of a Government initiative to reward authorities for driving up performance in key areas.
Cll Channon said the council was '100% committed to improving the quality of life of people in this county of ours': 'This agreement will spark exciting new initiatives which we will be rolling out over the coming months.
'I am delighted we have secured the Government's support and we will be using the additional funding to drive forward our improvement programme.'
The agreement contains 13 'stretched' targets in areas such as educational achievement, social care, transport and crime reduction.
To help achieve these targets, the Government is making an extra £1.45-million available from early 2003 to pump-prime new initiatives. Borrowing approval for a further £4.4-million has also been approved to support the council's work to provide more information and services electronically.
If the council achieves the targets by 2005, the Government will reward the performance with a further £13-million, which can be invested in services. The agreement also includes areas where the Government is prepared to relax statutory and administrative restrictions to help Devon meet the specific targets.
These targets include: improving the overall attendance at secondary schools; enabling older people to live independently in the community; improving support to children and families with special needs; reducing domestic violence; improving access to the countryside; increasing the number of cycle trips; securing overall improvements in cost effectiveness; and speeding up the percentage of transactions delivered electronically between the county council, citizens and businesses.