Local government

1
? starter activity
In America, City Hall is usually the seat of
local government, in our terms the town hall.
What is the cartoonist trying to say about local
government? Does local government matter? Why?
2
Possible reasons

• Accountability voting apathy, centralisation of
  govt.
• Tradition - parish, county borough unchanged
  for centuries
• Revenue poll tax, council tax all controversial
  (even though account for 4 of public revenue)
• Expenditure - 2002 local govt expenditure 66b.
  (quarter of all public expenditure)
• 1 in 10 of work force employed by local govt.

1980s London at the height of the Poll Tax riots
3
How is local government organised?
4
? Your task

• Read p. 360- 1 and list the political and
  administrative functions of local authorities.
  Now study Item B on p. 363, and list some of the
  functions of the following branches of local
  government GLA, unitary authorities,
  metropolitan district councils, county councils
  and district councils.

5
What do local authorities do?

• Political functions
• Represent interests of local residents
• Forum for debate
• Accountability for delivery of public services

• Administrative
• Emergency services
• Transport
• Education
• Social Services
• Town planning
• Refuse collection
• Leisure facilities
• Libraries

6
? You task

• Read p.355-357 and create a timeline outlining
  the key changes that have occurred to the
  organisation of local government since 1991.

7
How has the structure organisation of local
government changed in recent years?

• 1967 Maud Report recommended unitary (one tier)
  authority
• 1974 Local Govt. Act created 2 tier system (e.g.
  GLC operated above London boroughs, county
  council operated above district councils)
• 1980s Thatcher abolished GLC Metropolitan
  Counties and devolved powers down to borough
  district councils

8

• 1992 Local Govt. Commission (Banham) recommended
  mixture of unitary authorities two-tier
  structure
• 46 new unitary authorities
• Abolition of 4 counties
• Retention of 2 tier system in remaining 34
  counties

9

• 2000 Local Govt. Act
• Councillors elected leadership
• LAs with 85,000 population had 3 choices
  cabinet elected mayor cabinet elected mayor
  council manager

Fiehn, p.359. local government today
10
? Your task

• How effective have New Labours reforms been?
  Read p.357-358 and create a scales chart
  highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of
  reform.

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Advantages

• Las given choice of management structure
• Structures resembles previous arrangements -
  continuity
• Referendum required greater local
  accountability
• Separation of powers between executive and
  council chamber
• Chamber can monitor executive more effectively

Maidstone Borough Council in session
12
Disadvantages

• Councillors have become backbenchers
• Key decisions taken at executive level only
• Executive can be dominated by one party
• Hung councils
• Referendum results mixed Middlesborough 84
  support for mayor, Brighton 62 against low
  turnout, 18 Lewisham
• Referendums forced by grass-roots campaigners
  or central govt.
• Unpopular mayoral candidates

13
? Your task

• How has government in London changed in recent
  years? Read p. 256 and list the reforms that have
  been made. Why has there been so much media
  attention on the GLA?

14
How has the government of London changed?

• 1986 Thatcher abolished GLC
• 1998 referendum supported elected mayor but low
  turn out
• 2000 Ken Livingstone elected (Supplementary Vote
  system)
• Greater London Assembly (25 members)
• 33 London Borough Councils remained

15
Should local government be abolished or simply
reformed?
16
? Your task

• There are increasing concerns that local
  government is becoming overly political. Read
  p.361 and list evidence that party politics is
  creeping into local politics.

17
How important are party politics?

• 1967, Maud Report, 50 councils under independent
  control
• 1986, Widdicombe Report, 16 under independent
  control (83 councillors stood on a party ticket)
• Nationalisation of local politics
• Useful indicator of govt./party popularity

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(No Transcript)
19
?Your task

• Study the table on the drawbacks and benefits of
  party control at the local level. Summarise each
  point for and against with a single word and try
  to convert the words into a mnemonic.

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• Benefits
• Definition
• Accountability
• Coherence
• Co-ordination
• Principles
• Turnout
• Democracy

• Drawbacks
• Neglect
• Activists
• Party-lines
• Adversarial
• Reversals
• Independents

21
? Your task

• How can local authorities be more accountable to
  their constituents? Read p. 74 and p.361-2 and
  lists some ways in which this could be achieved.

22
Improving accountability

• Shorter electoral terms (not 4 years)
• Fairer electoral system (not FPTP)
• Widespread use of partial renewal system
• Publicly funded campaigns (currently max spend
  242)
• Wider socio-economic profile (not male, white,
  av. Age 57 professional status)
• Citizens juries or discussion forums
• Deliberative opinion polls / referendums

KCC Councillors
Councillor for Eastry, Kent
23
? Your task

• Study the charts on p. 367 p. 368 and the
  commentary on p. 366 -7 and complete the table
  below

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Arguments for

• Inefficiency cost
• Over importance attached to local issues
• Over importance of party-politics
• Public apathy
• Lack of professionalism

25
Arguments against

• Contact with local community increases efficiency
  and accountability
• Allows central govt. to test out new legislation
• Defence against central govt.
• Holds public servants to account
• Heritage

26
What is the relationship between central local
govt?

• UK is a unitary state central govt.
  (Westminster) has total power to legislate for
  local govt.
• Inspections central govt. can inspect local
  govt. services, e.g. OFSTED Audit Commission
• Doctrine of ultra vires (beyond their authority)
  councillors can be prosecuted
• Acting in default Jul. 1995, Hackney Downs Comp.

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? Your task

• You are going to hold a debate over which
  institution is more accountable Parliament or
  local government. Divide the class in two.
  Nominate a proposer, seconder and concluder for
  each side. The other members of the teams need to
  prepare questions and raise points that will
  expose the weaknesses of their opponents
  arguments.

28
? Your task

• Produce a short leaflet explaining how local
  government is improving democracy at the local
  level. Think about the structure of local
  government, how councillors are elected, their
  functions and any reforms that have recently
  taken place to improve its efficiency. Use The
  brochure template on the History Politics
  Website.