Whither Metropolitan Governance?

Abstract

The author examines the issue of metropolitan governance without metropolitan government through an in-depth case study of two English conurbations, the West Midlands and Greater Manchester, 10 years after the abolition of their metropolitan governments. The author addresses whether metropolitan governance has occurred since the abolition of the metropolitan governments in these areas or whether any other mechanisms developed that substituted for metropolitan governance. Although the local governments in these conurbations cooperate with one another when they are required (by the British central government) to do so and in matters of joint convenience, the author found that true regional governance did not result. If metropolitan governance without metropolitan governments does not occur in a unitary state such as Great Britain, it is unlikely to occur in the United States, where there is greater governmental fragmentation and historically stronger local government autonomy.