Tag: Local Government
Audit 2017: How democratic is local government in England?
England (outside Greater London) is one of the largest areas in the liberal democratic world that still lack any form of regional governance. Here, local authorities are the only other tier of elected government and they play a key role in the democratic life of cities, towns and regions. As part of the 2017 Audit of […]
Audit 2017: How democratic is local government in Northern Ireland?
Local authorities play key roles in the devolved government of Northern Ireland, as expressions of communities that were in the past highly polarised on religious and political lines. They are also the only other source of elected legitimacy to the Northern Ireland Assembly and Executive, and can act as checks and balances on the domestic […]
Audit 2017: How democratic is local government in Scotland?
Local authorities play key roles in the devolved government of Scotland, as the only other source of elected legitimacy and as checks and balances on the domestic concentration of power in Scotland’s central institutions. As part of the 2017 Audit of UK Democracy, James Mitchell and the Democratic Audit team explore how democratically local councils have […]
The Brazilian experience: democracy, at its fullest, saves lives
Brazil is a deeply unequal democracy which enjoyed an economic boom in the 2000s – and is now suffering from a recession and the threat of austerity cuts. Michael Touchton, Natasha Borges Sugiyama and Brian Wampler analysed the factors that led to falls in infant mortality. They found that while competitive local elections were important, they alone […]
Book Review: London’s Boroughs at 50 by Tony Travers
On 1 April 1965, a new system of city government was introduced to London, resulting in the birth of 32 boroughs. In London’s Boroughs at 50, Tony Travers traces the emergence and development of each of these individual and diverse boroughs that have played a key role in revolutionising the city and the lives of its […]
Southern Powerhouse: A chaotic process endangers combined authority deals
It may be Budget day before we learn whether any part of central southern England will reach an agreement with the government on a ‘devolution deal’. But the chaotic process of recent months may have damaged the credibility of what is, at its heart, a very good idea, explains John Denham. Similar PostsAssessing England’s metro-mayors: […]
The Budget will give clues as to how far English devolution marks a radical change for local government
For all the focus on Europe, it could be devolution that is the critical constitutional change of our era. Ahead of tomorrow’s Budget announcement, Andrew Walker looks in depth at the prospects for radical change in local government. Similar PostsAssessing England’s metro-mayors: a mixed pictureSouthern Powerhouse: A chaotic process endangers combined authority dealsThe territorial politics of coronavirus: is […]
The proposed merger of Newcastle and North Tyneside councils would diminish rather than enhance devolution
Against the backdrop of talks to create a North East of England shared local authority and moves by London councils to pool certain elements of back-office functions, a suggestion that Newcastle and North Tyneside Councils should merge has been made. It came from the Newcastle Liberal Democrats, and was met with hostility from local figures in the […]
Three things that must happen for devolution to be a success: economic development, revenue generation, and democracy
If devolution is to be a success, argues Rachel Laurence, those who control devolution policy must ensure that it stimulates the kind of economic development that will improve the prosperity of all communities within the devolved areas, generates greater levels and control of revenue and capital for regional government, and creates meaningful democratic structures. Similar […]
Evolution or revolution: Spending Review implications for local government and the Northern Powerhouse
Despite being trumpeted as a “devolution revolution”, the detail of the Spending Review suggests that the government’s approach is distinctly evolutionary; the Treasury is far happier passing down the axe than cutting local government loose. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a positive story to tell about local growth and the Northern Powerhouse, writes Ed Cox. […]
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