Local government in England : centralisation, autonomy and control

Abstract

The book explores the claim that English local government exists in one of the most centralised relationships with national government. Such a position fundamentally undermines any notion of local self-government and makes the term 'government' in local government a misnomer. The book will examine how the erosion of the autonomy, powers, roles, functions and responsibilities of English local government came about, the arguments of centralisers and localisers to support their view of the constitutional status of local government, and its overall role in the government of England. The book offers an antidote to the onward march of centralisation by offering a new vision of local government which emphasises both 'local' and 'government'.Chapter 1: Centralisation the Constant Struggle -- Chapter 2: Policy narratives in local and national government -- Chapter 3: Fragmentation and centralisation -- Chapter 4: Mergers and Acquisitions: Narratives, Rhetoric and Reality of Double -- Centralisation through Structural Upheaval -- Chapter 5: Devolution Today: Revolution or Submission? -- Chapter 6: The Ties that Bind -- Chapter 7: Conclusion: Localism and Centralism: A constant conflict or Time for Change?