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Palgrave Macmillan

The Strange Demise of the Local in Local Government

Bigger is Not Better

  • Book
  • © 2023

Overview

Authors:
  1. Steve Leach

    1. De Montfort University, England, UK

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  2. Colin Copus

    1. De Montfort University, England, UK

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    You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

  • Challenges the notion that bigger local government is always better to that currently dominating policy discussion
  • Offers an alternative narrative about the size and role of local government
  • Draws on national and international evidence

Part of the book series: Palgrave Studies in Sub-National Governance (PSSNG)

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Table of contents (9 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xiii
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  2. Setting the Scene

    • Steve Leach, Colin Copus
    Pages 1-8

  3. The Way Things Used to Be

    • Steve Leach, Colin Copus
    Pages 9-18

  4. Reorganisation, Reorganisation, Reorganisation: The Changing Map of Local Government

    • Steve Leach, Colin Copus
    Pages 19-36

  5. Explaining the Persistence of the Unitary Principle in the Department’s Mindset

    • Steve Leach, Colin Copus
    Pages 37-46

  6. A Strange Affair: Local Government Reorganisation in Northamptonshire 2018–21—A Case Study

    • Steve Leach, Colin Copus
    Pages 47-59

  7. Doomsday Approaches and then Recedes

    • Steve Leach, Colin Copus
    Pages 61-72

  8. What Is the Problem About Two-Tier Local Government?

    • Steve Leach, Colin Copus
    Pages 73-82

  9. Why Bigger Is Not Better

    • Steve Leach, Colin Copus
    Pages 83-107

  10. Where Do We Go from Here?

    • Steve Leach, Colin Copus
    Pages 109-121

  11. Back Matter

    Pages 123-129
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Keywords

About this book

This book challenges the notion that bigger local government is always better. Whilst the central government in Britain has often supported increases in local government size, the book argues that this has been detrimental, and has caused the erosion of distinctive community identities that were previously represented by local authorities empowered to make significant local choices about services and future strategy. Drawing from national and international evidence, it offers an alternative narrative about the size, role, function and purpose of local government to that currently dominating policy discussion. It aims to provide readers who oppose size increases in local government with the evidence and arguments to influence change in their areas. The book will appeal to policymakers working in central and local government, as well as academics interested in public policy, public administration and local government.

Authors and Affiliations

  • De Montfort University, England, UK

    Steve Leach, Colin Copus

About the authors

Steve Leach is Emeritus Professor of Local Government at De Montfort University, England. 

Colin Copus is Emeritus Professor of Local Politics at De Montfort University, England and a Visiting Professor at the University of Ghent, Belgium.

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