Timely is an overused word, but not in relation to this excellent book. The case for a more devolved and decentralised country is even stronger after the EU referendum vote. Power should not be hoarded in Westminster and Whitehall, but available at the sub-national level. Here is the reasoned case for a such a change.
Tony Travers, London School of Economics, UK.
The three leading scholars of English local government challenge us to recognise the substantial shift in authority from local communities to Westminster and Whitehall over recent decades. This book offers a rigorous critique of that centralisation and an alternative localist vision for the future governance of the UK. It is an essential read for anyone interested in giving communities new opportunities to shape their futures.
Chris Skelcher, University of Birmingham, UK.
The book is written by three towering figures in local government academia and provides a wide-ranging analysis of what currently ails local government. The book is a timely reminder for why we have local government and it provides a solid exploration of its purpose and contribution to the fabric of governance. The book unpicks the myth of localism and provides comprehensive analysis of the changes necessary for local government to take its rightful place as a partner in government. A book for scholars, students, practitioners and policy-makers. It is with great sadness that Professor George Jones passed away before the publication of this book. But his contribution to it and academia is of great international renown. He will be missed.
Colin Copus, De Montfort University, UK.
CENTRALISATION, DEVOLUTION AND THE FUTURE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN ENGLAND
English local government is in a state of decline after 40 years of incremental but cumulative centralisation by central government.
This book is the first to directly address this trends impact upon the institution of local government, a crucial element in the democratic viability of a unitary state. The process of centralisation, and its corrosive effect on the status and responsibilities of local government, have been widely recognised and deplored among politicians and senior officers within local government, and by academics with an interest in this field. However, there has been no study exploring in detail its impact, and, equally important, suggesting ways in which the growing imbalance between the powers of central and local government should be rectified. This book fills this gap.
This text will be of key interest to scholars, students and practitioners of local government, and more generally to those interested in what has been happening to British politics and governance.
Steve Leach worked at the Institute of Local Government Studies (INLOGOV) from 1977 to 1996, by which time he held the position of Reader. He was then appointed Professor of Local Government at De Montfort University, UK, a position he held until his retirement in 2009, and still holds on an Emeritus basis.
John Stewart joined the Institute of Local Government Studies (INLOGOV) at the University of Birmingham, UK, in 1966, and became Professor of Local Government in the early 1970s, a position he held until he retired in the late 1990s, and now holds on an Emeritus basis. He was a member of the Layfield committee on Local Government Finance (19741976), and has contributed to many other government inquiries.
George Jones joined the London School of Economics (LSE) in 1966 and was appointed Professor of Government in 1976, a position he held until his retirement in 2007 and which he later held on an Emeritus basis. He, too, was a member of the Layfield Committee and gave evidence to a range of other government inquiries.
ROUTLEDGE STUDIES IN BRITISH POLITICS
Series editors: Patrick Diamond and Tim Bale of Queen Mary University of London (QMUL), UK.
This series aims to promote research excellence in political science, political history and public-policy making, whilst addressing a wide array of political dynamics, contexts, histories and ideas. It will retain a particular focus on British government, British politics and public policy, while locating those issues within a European and global context.
1. Centralisation, Devolution and the Future of Local Government in England
Steve Leach, John Stewart and George Jones
First published 2018
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
and by Routledge
711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
2018 Steve Leach, John Stewart and George Jones
The right of Steve Leach, John Stewart and George Jones to be identified as authors of this work has been asserted by them in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Names: Leach, Steve, 1942- author. | Stewart, John David, 1929- author. | Jones, G. W. (George William), author.
Title: Centralisation, devolution and the future of local government in England / Steve Leach, John Stewart and George Jones.
Other titles: Centralization, devolution and the future of local government in England
Description: Abingdon, Oxon ; New York, NY : Routledge, 2017. | Series: Routledge studies in British politics ; 1 | Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2016059006 | ISBN 9781138222373 (hardback) | ISBN 9781138222380 (paperback) | ISBN 9781315407944 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Local government--England. | Central-local government relations--England. | Decentralization in government-- England.
Classification: LCC JS3111 .L424 2017 | DDC 320.80942--dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016059006
ISBN: 978-1-138-22237-3 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-138-22238-0 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-315-40794-4 (ebk)
Professor George Jones, our colleague and fellow author, died suddenly and unexpectedly on 6 April 2017, a short time after we completed this book and sent it to the publishers. He is greatly missed.
We hope the book will be seen as an expression of Georges commitment to strong and effective local government and local democracy, to counteract the dangers of excessive centralisation. This commitment has been a dominant feature of his work throughout his long and distinguished academic career.
We both feel privileged to have been Georges partners in the writing of this book and hope it will be viewed as a tribute to George and to his work with and for local government.
Steve Leach and John Stewart
Steve Leach would like to thank the following people for their contributions to this book. Professor Colin Copus and Mark Roberts, colleagues at De Montfort University, were both involved in an earlier joint venture to produce a book covering similar ground to this one. The lively discussions have influenced his thinking about the past and future of local government in England. In particular, Mark Robertss ideas and publications on narrative theory have significantly influenced the content of Chapter 4, while Colin Copuss thoughts and publications on local government structure and reorganisations have had a similarly substantive influence on the content of Chapter 8. Dennis Reed, former chief executive of the Local Government Information Unit, made significant contributions to the authors thinking about electoral systems (Chapter 7) and provided an invaluable critique of an earlier version of Chapter 6, which deals with local government finance. In addition, their joint articles for
