Groups Of Local Authorities Research Articles

A two-step clustering framework for locally tailored design of residential heating policies

Space heating with gas as the primary fuel is a dominant contributor of residential energy consumption in UK and hence important for achieving UK's 2050 carbon targets. Whilst most cities in the UK have reduced their emissions per capita, there is a large variation of domestic gas consumption within cities. Past research suggests that the variations in gas consumption are as much as function of the quality of built environment, as it is of wider socio-economic-demographic features of households. Their combined influence on variations of residential heating consumption is however not well understood. This paper proposes a novel two-layer clustering framework to address this gap. The proposed framework constitutes of Gaussian Mixture Models and Hierarchical clustering and is illustrated through the analysis of residential gas consumption across London. Results show eight clusters of London Lower Super Output Areas (LSOAs) explained along 18 dimensions that include built-environment, social-economic and demographic information. These 8 clusters are used as variables to further cluster four groups of local authorities. The distinct gas consumption related properties of the resulting clusters explain the sources of variations in gas consumption across clusters and indicate possible directions for future fine-tuning of local policies.

From Single-Use Community Facilities Support to Integrated Sustainable Development: The Aims of Inter-Municipal Cooperation in Poland, 1990–2018

The paper explores and compares the aims of the three most common legal forms of inter-municipal cooperation in Poland (engaging rural, urban-rural and urban municipalities) during the years 1990–2018: Mono-sectoral Special Purpose Unions, Municipal Associations and cross-sectoral Local Action Groups. Content analysis was applied and development priorities from the statutes and strategies were studied. The main form of territorial association evolved from, initially, mono-functional bodies concerned mainly with local infrastructural investment and managed solely by a group of local authorities, to a devolved type, consisting of multi-purpose associations managed with the participation of economic and third sector representatives. This was the result of the European Union policy of promoting territorial governance and integrated development in functional regions, this being considered as part of the process of Europeanisation. However, these successive forms of municipal cooperation do not appear to have replaced the pre-existing forms, but they have introduced additional modes of governance of local resources. The findings show that the most “integrated” and “sustainable” management of local resources is observed mainly in cross-sectoral partnerships, like Local Action Groups, but not so often in mono-sectoral municipal unions and associations led solely by local government and focused more on hard infrastructure and municipal facilities. However, given the specialisation shown by each of the three types of association, it is likely that the full range of development possibilities in the areas concerned can only be realised if all three forms of cooperation are present. The analysis confirms the positive role of local economic and social sector participation in shaping sustainable development. The findings also indicate the utility of the concept of cross-sectoral territorial partnerships in post-socialist and post-authoritarian countries lacking traditions of grassroots or participative development.

The Propensity to Tax Competition: The Case of Implementation Local Tax Policy by Polish Local Governments

The study is dedicated to identify the main factors determining the propensity of local authorities to compete for the access to the limited as well as mobile sources of local tax revenue. The success of such an activity should be discussed in relation to the stabilization of local budget revenues; hence it seems that the barriers of leaving tax jurisdiction could be better index to evaluate of the efficiency of local tax policy. The theoretical approach is based on the assumption that, if central government provides limitations of the right to improve local tax policy means (the scope of local tax jurisdiction), the local governments should focus on both the efficient acquiring the sources of tax revenues, and the stabilization of tax revenues in the future, in particular by the implementation of the barriers of leaving tax jurisdiction. The paper suggests studying a propensity to tax competition. The article formulates desideratum of the efficiency of spending on acquiring the sources of tax revenue, in particular, the need to identify the barriers to leave tax jurisdiction is suggested. The first and foremost way to build the barrier to leave tax jurisdiction could be reducing tax liabilities by local tax authorities, in particular by introducing local tax reliefs and local tax exemptions, as well as lowering local tax rates. Hence, the model of local authorities’ competition for local tax resources could be proposed. The empirical studies are dedicated to identify the actual propensity of Polish local government to execute the legal ability to impose tax policy instruments. The inquiry is based on comparing the fiscal consequences of implementing local tax policy within two groups of local authorities: small towns and countries (gminas) and medium-size towns and big cities (cities with powiat status). The period under investigation contains 14 fiscal years, started 2000 and finished in 2013. The method is based on the analysis of the structure and tendency of fiscal consequences of the decisions of local tax authorities.

Evaluating the transition from Regional Development Agencies to Local Economic Partnerships: The views of SMEs in the British West Midlands

After the election of the Conservative-Liberal Democrat Coalition in 2010, the UK Government instituted a radical reorganisation of governance structures for subnational economic development in England. This involved the abolition of Regional Development Agencies and the introduction of Local Enterprise Partnerships, defined as ‘joint local authority-business bodies brought forward by groups of local authorities to support local economic development across “functional economies”’ ( Department for Business Innovation and Skills, 2010 : 10). This article contributes to the debate about Local Enterprise Partnerships through an exploration and analysis of the views of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with regard to lessons to be learned from the old Regional Development Agency system and the transition to the new Local Enterprise Partnership system. Empirically, it focuses on the experiences of digital media firms in the West Midlands region (and now in the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership). The article draws on desk research and in-depth interviews with Regional Development Agencies and Local Authority employees involved in economic development, industry representatives and business support organisations, in addition to interviews with small and medium enterprise owners and self-employed consultants/freelancers. The research reported here adopted a longitudinal approach with four rounds of interviews between 2010 and 2013. Overall, disruption to publicly funded networks was seen as a significant cost of institutional change between Regional Development Agencies and Local Enterprise Partnerships. Valued functions of the Regional Development Agency were its role in increasing the visibility and coherence of the digital media sector and supporting networking. However, the SMEs reported considerable uncertainty regarding the role of the Local Enterprise Partnership and were concerned about the loss of well-functioning programmes and institutional support structures.

‘I once knew a team where all the workers called the manager ‘mother’ Some reflections on supervision within an integrated leadership and management programme

In 2010, an integrated Leadership, Management and Safeguarding training programme for adult and children’s services managers was created by a group of local authorities and a local university. Following Lord Laming (Department of Health, 2003 and Laming, 2009), the emerging reports of Munro (2010) and the Social Work Task Force (Department for Children, Schools and Families, 2009) called for increased emphasis on supervision as a key mechanism for safeguarding children, and by implication, adults. Therefore on this course two different means for candidates to address issues of supervision and explore their practice were included: a discussion board, and a critical friend exercise using video. A feature of the programme was the learning and understanding which developed from adults and children’s sectors learning together. The work on supervision provided a shared space in which all could participate. Feedback indicates that the two methods were both valued in different ways for the opportunity they provided for exploring supervision and enhancing reflective practice. This article is a reflection by one of the course tutors on the methods used and the value of both adult and children’s services managers participating together.

‘I once knew a team where all the workers called the manager ‘mother’ Some reflections on supervision within an integrated leadership and management programme

In 2010, an integrated Leadership, Management and Safeguarding training programme for adult and children’s services managers was created by a group of local authorities and a local university. Following Lord Laming (Department of Health, 2003 and Laming, 2009), the emerging reports of Munro (2010) and the Social Work Task Force (Department for Children, Schools and Families, 2009) called for increased emphasis on supervision as a key mechanism for safeguarding children, and by implication, adults. Therefore on this course two different means for candidates to address issues of supervision and explore their practice were included: a discussion board, and a critical friend exercise using video. A feature of the programme was the learning and understanding which developed from adults and children’s sectors learning together. The work on supervision provided a shared space in which all could participate. Feedback indicates that the two methods were both valued in different ways for the opportunity they provided for exploring supervision and enhancing reflective practice. This article is a reflection by one of the course tutors on the methods used and the value of both adult and children’s services managers participating together.

Suicides associated with the 2008-10 economic recession in England: time trend analysis

Objective To determine whether English regions worst affected by the economic recession in the United Kingdom in 2008-10 have had the greatest increases in suicides. Design Time trend analysis comparing...

Explaining Local Authority Choices on Public Hospital Provision in the 1930s: A Public Policy Hypothesis

This article summarises the findings of recent work on local authority public hospital services in England and Wales in the inter-war years and identifies the lack of a robust hypothesis to explain the variations found, particularly one that would explain the actions of county councils as well as county boroughs. Using public policy techniques on a group of local authorities in the far South West it proposes that variations can be explained by an understanding of the deep core beliefs of councillors, their previous experience of ‘commissioner’ and ‘provider’ roles, and the availability or otherwise of a dedicated policy entrepreneur to promote change.

Gender, age or teaching experience: Are they issues for primary teachers with ICT?

The research uses both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. Data were collected using a questionnaire survey of primary schools in two English local authorities. The qualitative evidence was obtained from a teacher sample using individual semi-structured interviews and also a focus group of local authorities' officers. The evidence trail uses academic papers, HMI, qualifications and curriculum authority, Ofsted and DfES reports. The reports have a generic view of teachers, with no further analysis of gender, age or experience. The analysis of these variables concludes that teacher subject knowledge formed from teaching experience best informs teachers when computers aid teaching and learning.

Reviewing transport governance: the case of Leeds, UK

The UK Department for Transport recently announced a range of initiatives to support a more coherent approach to transport planning and delivery in the major urban areas of England. Specifically, the Local Transport Act, which received royal assent in late 2008, enables groups of local authorities and their partners to review their transport governance arrangements and, if appropriate, publish a programme of statutory and non-statutory reforms aimed at improving integration, efficiency and effectiveness of decision making. This paper considers the process of carrying out a governance review in the specific context of Leeds city region. This area comprises 11 local authorities centred on the West Yorkshire conurbation, but also includes parts of North and South Yorkshire, where responsibilities for transport planning, funding and delivery are split across a range of councils, national and regional agencies, as well as multiple public and private sector service providers. The governance review is designed to assess current arrangements, establish whether there is a case for reform and consider reform options to deliver more efficient and effective transport outcomes that support sustainable economic development and quality of life. Options considered include powers for local public transport, rail and highways, governance structures and administrative boundaries, including the transition from West Yorkshire passenger transport authority and executive to a new integrated transport authority. As well as the process of the review itself and some early findings, the paper describes a number of practical, operational and political challenges encountered by those undertaking the review.

Working Jointly to Scrutinise Health?

What difference is the operation of local authority health scrutiny making to the oversight and democratisation of decision making by health bodies? This article provides an insight into how a group of local authorities in England tackled the operation of a specific joint health scrutiny committee. This example highlights building relations with associated health bodies and other local authorities, choice of health scrutiny agenda, ways of working, capacity of committees, ambiguities within the policy itself, and the difficulties and challenges of adding meaningful democratic oversight to the decision‐making processes of NHS bodies. This review highlights some of the benefits of health scrutiny, but suggests that engaging more fully with patients and the public in such reviews could result in a more influential and inclusive process.

New Labour Ambiguity, or Neo-liberal Consistency? The Debate About Racial Inequality in Employment and the Use of Contract Compliance

In 2003 the UK government set an objective that in ten years' time Britain's minority ethnic groups should not face disproportionate barriers in the labour market. A key ‘barrier’ is discrimination by employers. This article examines one potential way forward: the use of contract compliance. First, the article presents findings from the authors' study of an innovative use of contract compliance by a group of local authorities in the West Midlands. If contract compliance can be made to work and New Labour is committed to addressing racial inequality in employment, this suggests that contract compliance is an approach that the government should be seeking to develop. The second part of the article therefore considers New Labour's stance on contract compliance, which can be seen to be highly ambiguous. It is argued that if contract compliance is located within the broader context of New Labour policy development, what is apparent is that the professed aspiration for social change is compromised by a dominant commitment to the maintenance of neo-liberal economic policies. The conclusion is that it is likely that only limited progress will be made in achieving racial equality in employment.

Evaluating the Role of Regression Methods in the Determination of Standard Spending Assessments

A Standard Spending Assessment (SSA) is the amount which government considers appropriate for a local authority to set as its annual budget requirement. Each assessment is composed of revenues calculated for a discrete set of service blocks where the local unit costs of service provision are most often estimated by means of regression procedures that have been subject to regular scrutiny and review. Set against this context, in this paper the authors evaluate the performance of the regressions that contribute to the calculation of SSAs as equitable allocation devices. The general accounting framework for constructing SSAs is described and a statistical classification of the regression models is presented. In their analysis the authors examine a selection of models that are representative of each class and they include the regressions that comprise the Other District Services and Personal Social Services blocks. These appraisals follow a common sequence where a dummy variable is entered into the regression to test the consistency of the allocation made to a specified group of local authorities. When the dummy variable is statistically significant, revisions to the specification of the regression are either tested or suggested. Finally, the broader implications of these findings for the design of SSAs are examined.

Crisis and compliance: The Liverpool Non‐Discrimination Notice, 1989–1994

Abstract Liverpool is one of a small group of local authorities to have been served Non‐Discrimination Notices by the Commission for Racial Equality. Court action was twice threatened before the City Council complied to the Commission's satisfaction. This article describes Liverpool's response to the Notice and explains it in terms of the special combination of political and administrative conditions in the city from 1989 to 1994, combined with a low priority afforded to race relations issues in the city throughout the 1980s. ‘Race’ issues had been subcontracted to a special unit and were never treated as central to the City Council's responsibilities. The Notice itself was resented and the basis for its imposition never fully accepted in the city, even though earlier research had established beyond doubt that the Council's housing allocation policies were having discriminatory outcomes. Conflict between the political leadership and senior managers in the 1980s had created defensive attitudes and the rout...

Local Authority Expenditure Reactions to Losses in Grant Aid: The Case of the Metropolitan District Councils

This paper presents the results of an initial investigation into the expenditure responses of a group of local authorities in England to a loss in grant income. The Government has restricted grant aid to local authorities in an attempt to secure restraint in the expenditure of these authorities, but (until recently) local authorities have had the opportunity to make good any loss in grant income by increasing local taxes. A central issue is, then, how much restraint in local authority expenditure is secured by a given reduction in grant aid. Reduction in grant aid is measured in this paper in terms of its impact on the local tax rate (and the average local domestic tax bill) if a local authority is to maintain the real value of its spending. An incremental budgeting type model is developed and the empirical work is concerned with the financial years 1982–1983 and 1984–1985. It is found that in the later year local authorities have been less willing to reduce their expenditure in the face of loss of grant aid. It is also found that the response of the local authorities has become more political in the sense that a statistically significant difference has developed between the responses of Labour and those of non-Labour controlled councils.