Local Government & Trust in Politicians

Question 1

What was local government from 1840s - 1920?

Answer 1

• Local government provided economic, social and cultural base to rapid industrialisation and urbanisation
• Source of innovation and autonomy
• Big city leadership
• Development of utilities, transport, welfare, education, housing
• A golden age for local government?
  
  • Great deal of autonomy
  • Driving development

Question 2

How does local governments role connects strongly to wider political economy?

Answer 2

• 1840s - 1920: Responding to Industrial Revolution
• 1920s - 1940: Retrenchment and unemployment
• 1950s - 1970s: Welfare State expansion, loss of utilities, reorganisation, full party politicisation
• 1979 - 1997: Ideological battleground around Thatcher and Social Change
• 1997 - 2010: New Labour recovery and modernisation
• 2010 - present: Coping with Austerity

Question 3

What was local government from 1979 - 1997?

Answer 3

• Local government (and trade unions) defined as enemy within by Thatcher
• Expression of collectivism and government
• Attacked local government in terms of functions, funding raising, forced privatisation and forced public - private competition for ‘government contracts’ in some sectors
• Response of New Left in local government - pioneering economic development, equality policies (minorities), participation initiatives, new policy issues (climate, food policy)

Question 4

What was local government from 2010 - present?

Answer 4

• Austerity aimed primarily at local government
• It is estimate there was a 25% real-terms reduction in local authorities’ income (once council tax is included) between 2010-2011 to 2015-2016
• The basic savings have been made through reducing employee levels (early retirement), selling assets, and making other cost savings rather than engaging in fundamental service restructuring
• Over half of those authorities responsible for education and social care spending ‘are not well placed to deliver their medium-term financial strategies’

Question 5

Why might local government decline?

Answer 5

• Suffering under weight of cuts
• Losing capacity for innovation
• Lacking political clout and standing

Question 6

Why might local government revive?

Answer 6

• Because in post-Brexit Britain place has become a key factor
• Because mayors in big conurbations could transform political profile
• Because place-based policymaking is needed to respond to post-Brexit crisis

Question 7

Why might local government revive because of Brexit?

Answer 7

• The emergence of Two Englands
  
  • Within countries and among citizens there is a bifurcation of attitudes toward social and economic change
  • Mostly as a response to globalisation
  • Cosmopolitans: Liberal, open, positive, global
    
    • Connected to the global dynamic economy (research results)
    • Currently losing the political battle, dominating the economic battle
  • Left-Behinds: Conservative, closed, negative, narrow
    
    • Not connected to the global dynamic economy (research results)
    • Currently winning the political battle, perhaps existentially-losing the economic battle

Question 8

Why might local government revive because of Mayors?

Answer 8

• In 2017 London mayor being joined by directly elected new offices of mayors of Greater Manchester, Greater Birmingham, Tees Valley, Greater Bristol, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, will cover in total between a third and a half the population of England : the cosmopolitan’s
• Is going to bring about a different type of political voice

Question 9

Why might local government revive because place-based policymaking is needed to respond to post-Brexit crisis

Answer 9

• The nature of economic growth and industrial policy requires a place based focus
• The nature of modern service delivery and programs needs a holistic approach delivered in place
• The politics of identity around place is growing