This report draws out emerging issues from the government's blueprint for local governance. It examines these issues and their implications for policy and practice.

In particular, the report covers the evolution of government policies for regeneration, the key elements of the local government modernisation programme and their implications for decentralised and devolved forms of governance and management.

The report then focuses on neighbourhood management - its implications, conditions for, and barriers to, its success and alternative approaches to neighbourhood management that are available.

It is widely acknowledged that decision making has become too centralised and programmes delivered on traditional departmental lines often fail to respond to the needs and expectations of local communities. The government is seeking to tackle these failings through its local governance agenda.

The report draws upon evidence from recent studies, including those conducted by the Social Exclusion Unit’s Policy Action Teams on neighbourhood renewal, the Local Government Association’s Urban Commission hearing into neighbourhood management, and research on the Best Value pilot authorities conducted at Warwick University and elsewhere.

The convergence of the various public policy developments identified in the report can only be successfully accomplished if there is a concerted and long-term strategy.

This should not only address formal structural issues but, perhaps more important, facilitate access for citizens, residents and local stakeholders to the emerging governance structures and decision making. There are significant hidden costs here which need to be addressed.

More fundamentally, while devolution of powers and responsibilities may encourage local ownership and stewardship, it is incapable of tackling the causes of deprivation affecting some localities and individuals.

Joseph Rowntree Foundation
publications@jrf.org.uk

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//2001

Paul Burgess, Stephen Hall, John Mawson and Graham Pearce

research

Urban Policy > Housing

Housing management