Multi Area Agreements
12.43 Multi Area Agreements (MAAs) are voluntary agreements involving two or more top-tier or unitary local authorities with a specific focus of improving economic prosperity in a particular functional economic areas. The agreements are between the authorities, their partners and Government and initially last three years.
12.44 As well as setting agreed targets, MAAs allow the authorities to pool resources such as area-based grants and to request action by central Government that will enable them to meet their shared objectives. In the South West, the West of England area and Bournemouth, Poole and Dorset are working with the Government to agree MAAs by June 2008.