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Modern Local Government
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Modern Local Government



December 2007 | 200 pages | SAGE Publications Ltd
This text provides a systematic review of the reform of local government since the election of New Labour in 1997. Modern Local Government:

" provides the relevant historical context for the predicted 'death of local government' in the Thatcher era

" explains the New Labour agenda for local government and the components which make up local governance in England today

" offers substantive discussion of: decision-making; community strategies; performance measures; procurement, privatization, partnerships; the role of e-government; and standards and corruption

" analyzes the implications of reform at different spatial scales - from the local to the regional - and offers a rich discussion of the 'new localism'

" presents an overview of the role of European Union legislation in areas like employment, environment and competition.

" concludes with a consideration of the possible futures for local government including local area agreements, local public service boards and choice.

Modern Local Government is a unique assessment of local government reform from the perspective of both local and central government, which is fully informed by an analysis of the role of the European Union. It will be the key resource for all students of local government in planning and related disciplines.

 
1 Introduction
Why local government?

 
The debate on central-local relations

 
The context of local government reform

 
How do they do it elsewhere?

 
The notion of social capital

 
The relationship between local performance and the economy

 
 
2 Great Expectations - the position in 1997
The view of local government: the legacy of expectation

 
The view of the 1997 New Labour Government: the legacy of fear

 
Paving the way for reform

 
Real issues on the agenda - which key issues did local authorities face in 1997

 
 
3 The new approach to decision making in local government
The new Council Constitutions

 
Electoral arrangements

 
The role of the Council

 
The role of the Executive

 
Scrutiny and overview

 
The emerging roles of local councillors

 
Reforming local government representation at the centre

 
 
4 Promoting well being and the community's interest
Understanding the role of a general power of competence - the European Charter of self-governance

 
The duty to promote the economic, social and environmental well being of the communities being served

 
Promoting community leadership

 
Community Strategies

 
Community leadership and the CPA

 
Community Strategies and LA21 - towards environmental well being

 
Community Strategies and Local Development Frameworks

 
Removing Plan requirements

 
 
5 Performance and Freedoms
The role of the Audit Commission

 
Best value: why competition?

 
The best value process

 
Comprehensive Performance Assessment

 
Does performance assessment work?

 
Intervention

 
Capacity for delivery

 
Freedoms and flexibilities

 
 
6 Delivery with partners - procurement, privatisation, partnerships, trading and choice
Local authorities as employers

 
Privatisation

 
Joint service delivery between local authorities

 
Strategic Partnering

 
The Lyons and Gershon Reviews: from central to local delivery?

 
Choice

 
The growing potential of the voluntary sector

 
 
7 Joining up around customers - the role of e-government
The problems of silo government for the citizen

 
Implementing e-government

 
Local implementation of e-government

 
Developing and implementing priority outcomes

 
The barriers to citizen engagement and delivery

 
Efficiency and e-government

 
Changing the citizen's relationship with government?

 
 
8 Councillors, Standards and Corruption
The system before the Local Government Act 2000

 
The Nolan Committee on Standards in Public Life

 
The Standards Board for England

 
Planning

 
The conduct of local authority staff

 
Public service ethics

 
 
9 The future of local government finance
Local government's constitutional role and finance

 
Central and local discretions - assessing the boundaries

 
The continuing legacy of the Layfield Committee

 
The dynamic of efficiency

 
The use of property assets - an example of improving efficiency at the local level

 
A new freedom - the case of business rates

 
A new localist solution?

 
 
10 New Localism
The rise of new localism

 
Place shaping

 
Pressures for reduction in local powers

 
Culture and habit

 
 
11 Local Strategic Partnerships - the way forward
Partnership working - programmes and policies

 
Local Strategic Partnerships

 
How are LSPs developing?

 
How effective are LSPs so far?

 
The future for LSPs, LAAs and Public Service Boards?

 
 
12 Parishes, Town Councils and Neighbourhood Working
Developments since 1997

 
Parish and town councils

 
Devolved working in local authorities

 
Emerging forms of local management

 
The role of Local Strategic Partnerships in neighbourhood development

 
 
13 Regions Sub-Regions and London
Why regionalism?

 
Regional working in England 1993-2004 - moving from central ways of working

 
Regionalising the centre

 
How have these regional arrangements worked for local government in England?

 
Sub-regions

 
London

 
 
14 What is the future of local government?
Shaping influences for the future of local government

 
Holding local government to account

 
Reputation management

 
The choice agenda

 
Using the third sector

 
Smaller numbers of professionalized councillors?

 
Public service reform

 
Creating a single pubic service

 

Sample Materials & Chapters

Introduction PDF


For instructors

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