Councils across the country have been given new powers to work together to help people through the recession and cut carbon emissions.

Councils in North Kent, the West Midlands and the West of England were given official backing by communities secretary John Denham to step up work to boost employment, skills, housing and transport in their regions.

The government is helping local authorities to work together to do this through the latest wave of Multi-Area Agreements (MAAs).

The agreements will improve co-operation on issues like jobs and housing do not stop neatly at council boundaries.

They will also give councils new powers to devise their own plans and spend money as they see fit to tackle the most pressing issues in their regions.

The agreements are intended to help thousands of people back into work, kick-start stalled housing developments, improve skills, and create first class transport links.

The latest wave of MAAs aim to:

• Reduce the number of people receiving out of work benefits
• Increase the number of people with formal qualifications
• Get work started again on stalled housing developments
• Reducing carbon emissions by increasing the number of people who use public transport to get to and from work

Mr Denham said: ‘People live and work across different council boundaries and it is right that local authorities do the same. By working together on the pressing issues their regions face, councils can improve the way they deliver services and offer better value for money for the taxpayer.

‘The priorities of local people will be at the heart of MAAs and the actions these councils are committing to today will help thousands of people back into work, and improve skills, public transport and housing.’

The council groupings are:

North Kent Multi-Area Agreement includes: Dartford, Gravesham, Kent, Medway and Swale councils and partners within the Thames Gateway Kent Partnership

The West of England Multi-Area Agreement includes: Bristol City, North Somerset, Bath and North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire councils.

Birmingham, Coventry and the Black Country Multi-Area Agreement includes: Birmingham City, Coventry City, Dudley Metropolitan Borough, Sandwell Metropolitan Borough, Solihull Metropolitan Borough, Telford & Wrekin, Walsall and Wolverhampton councils.