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...980s, that "there are a number of grounds, in terms of current political concerns and ideologies, for believing that decentralisation is likely to remain on the political agenda for the near future" (=-=Stoker, 1987-=-b, p.1 1). Decentralisation has become a mainstream concept (Bums et al, 1994). In the face of repeated crises the Welfare State in general - and local government in particular - has developed a serie...

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... has probably not produced a durable structure. It has brought out some of the worst in both national and local government. Although there have been some positives, the negatives surely predominate. (=-=Davis, 1997-=-, p.15). The primary focus of the present article is not upon local government reorganisation itself. The discussion concentrates instead upon the theme of decentralisation within the LGR and within t...

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...ular, decentralisation and localisation have been 'rediscovered' as guiding principles of some of the new unitaries. Interest in the concept of decentralisation has never been greater (Lowndes, 1994; =-=Hambleton, 1992-=-). We are seeing the fulfilment of Stoker's prediction in the mid-1980s, that "there are a number of grounds, in terms of current political concerns and ideologies, for believing that decentralisation...

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... on a territorial basis, creating a series of area offices throughout the authority. This has been the case in well-known examples such as Tower Hamlets or Islington (see Hughes, 1987; Morphet, 1987; =-=Lowdnes and Stoker, 1992-=-a, 1992b; Khan, 1989; Barnard, 1989). Service delivery has been reorganised on an area basis. This may or may not also involve some localisation of political power: in most cases it has not. In the En...

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...980s, that "there are a number of grounds, in terms of current political concerns and ideologies, for believing that decentralisation is likely to remain on the political agenda for the near future" (=-=Stoker, 1987-=-b, p.1 1). Decentralisation has become a mainstream concept (Bums et al, 1994). In the face of repeated crises the Welfare State in general - and local government in particular - has developed a serie...

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...area offices throughout the authority. This has been the case in well-known examples such as Tower Hamlets or Islington (see Hughes, 1987; Morphet, 1987; Lowdnes and Stoker, 1992a, 1992b; Khan, 1989; =-=Barnard, 1989-=-). Service delivery has been reorganised on an area basis. This may or may not also involve some localisation of political power: in most cases it has not. In the English LGR from 1992 to 1996, the Lo...

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...uthors therefore concentrate on detailing these individual schemes, rather than drawing-out the more general conclusion (see, for example, Haine and Keen, 1994; Hughes, 1987; Lomer, 1987; Seex, 1987; =-=Beale et al, 1994-=-). The obvious danger is that we will be left with as many definitions of decentralisation as there are case studies. Meanings and Uses of 'Decentralisation' An initial definition is needed to inform ...

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... and local government in particular - has developed a series of responses to the gradual disintegration of the post-war settlement (Bums et al, 1994). One of these responses has been to decentralise (=-=Collingridge, 1986-=-): to move away from centralist, bureaucratic methods of service delivery (Gaster, 1991, p.257). A large number of local authorities have employed some kind of decentralisation initiative, ranging thr...

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... large number of local authorities have employed some kind of decentralisation initiative, ranging through urban and rural authorities in all parts of the United Kingdom (Lowdnes, 1994; Duncan, 1990; =-=Connolly, 1992-=-) as well as numerous international examples (Villiers, 1994; Segerlund, 1994; Simonis, 1995; Norton, 1987). Decentralisation, however, remains a 'difficult' concept. As Gaster and O'Toole comment, it...

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...ganisation in England, Scotland and Wales has served to resurrect past debates about the relative virtues of a single-tier or unitary structure (Royal Commission on Local Government in England, 1969; =-=Davies, 1970-=-). While the abolition of the metropolitan county councils in 1986 effectively created a form of unitary local government in the metropolitan areas, it was not until the Local Government Review (LGR) ...

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...991, p.257). A large number of local authorities have employed some kind of decentralisation initiative, ranging through urban and rural authorities in all parts of the United Kingdom (Lowdnes, 1994; =-=Duncan, 1990-=-; Connolly, 1992) as well as numerous international examples (Villiers, 1994; Segerlund, 1994; Simonis, 1995; Norton, 1987). Decentralisation, however, remains a 'difficult' concept. As Gaster and O'T...

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...ddition, under the banner of 'improving the two-tier system', the Local Government Management Board and the Department of the Environment pressed for county councils to decentralise their activities (=-=Exeter, 1995-=-). Lowndes (1994) argued that these area-based forms of decentralisation have distinct political and managerial functions: area offices deliver services, whereas area committees/neighbourhood forums p...

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...-stop shops, public helplines and the extension of local community panels are under active consideration in several areas. The full analysis of our findings is the focus of a separate research paper (=-=Fenwick and Bailey, 1997-=-), but there is evidence enough already of attention being given to a decentralist agenda. For instance, the theme of 'community governance' has been taken up in several authorities, with Middlesbroug...

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...ion and Consumerism The well-documented 'consumer' perspective in local government (e.g. Gyford, 1991) has continued to be prominent notwithstanding continuing debates about its lasting significance (=-=Fenwick and Snape, 1996-=-). There are clear links between consumerist and decentralist initiatives on a practical level: for instance, the development of greater local access to services (for instance, through 'one-stop shops...

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...s may constitute a centralisation: the county-sized unitaries proposed in the first review in 1993 for areas like Durham and North Yorkshire would have indeed meant a significant centralisation. (See =-=Filkin and Moor, 1997-=-, p.132). Concluding Comments Experience...suggested that effective decentralisation was more likely to be achieved if the organisation had a strong centre (Markland, 1997, p.24) Our discussion of dec...

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...n affected by the consumer approach. First, the Local Goverment Commission was required explicitly to consider the views of local people in making its recommendations about reorganisation as a whole (=-=Game, 1994-=-, 1997; DoE, 1993a; Local Government Commission, 1993). Secondly, the unitary authorities thus created may expressly have adopted aspects of consumerism in shaping their new organisational structures,...

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...ntegration of the post-war settlement (Bums et al, 1994). One of these responses has been to decentralise (Collingridge, 1986): to move away from centralist, bureaucratic methods of service delivery (=-=Gaster, 1991-=-, p.257). A large number of local authorities have employed some kind of decentralisation initiative, ranging through urban and rural authorities in all parts of the United Kingdom (Lowdnes, 1994; Dun...

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... these schemes, see Beuret and Stoker, 1986, pp.8-10). Many authors therefore concentrate on detailing these individual schemes, rather than drawing-out the more general conclusion (see, for example, =-=Haine and Keen, 1994-=-; Hughes, 1987; Lomer, 1987; Seex, 1987; Beale et al, 1994). The obvious danger is that we will be left with as many definitions of decentralisation as there are case studies. Meanings and Uses of 'De...

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...uret and Stoker, 1986, pp.8-10). Many authors therefore concentrate on detailing these individual schemes, rather than drawing-out the more general conclusion (see, for example, Haine and Keen, 1994; =-=Hughes, 1987-=-; Lomer, 1987; Seex, 1987; Beale et al, 1994). The obvious danger is that we will be left with as many definitions of decentralisation as there are case studies. Meanings and Uses of 'Decentralisation...

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...r, 1986, pp.8-10). Many authors therefore concentrate on detailing these individual schemes, rather than drawing-out the more general conclusion (see, for example, Haine and Keen, 1994; Hughes, 1987; =-=Lomer, 1987-=-; Seex, 1987; Beale et al, 1994). The obvious danger is that we will be left with as many definitions of decentralisation as there are case studies. Meanings and Uses of 'Decentralisation' An initial ...

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...very (Gaster, 1991, p.257). A large number of local authorities have employed some kind of decentralisation initiative, ranging through urban and rural authorities in all parts of the United Kingdom (=-=Lowdnes, 1994-=-; Duncan, 1990; Connolly, 1992) as well as numerous international examples (Villiers, 1994; Segerlund, 1994; Simonis, 1995; Norton, 1987). Decentralisation, however, remains a 'difficult' concept. As ...

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...and the setting up of 22 local offices, the Fife structure also includes a 'Citizenship Commission' charged with ways of involving people in the community, the council, and other local organisations (=-=Markland, 1997-=-, p.24). Conceptually, the correspondence between consumerism and decentralisation may be less obvious, either because consumerism is being interpreted in a relatively superficial way (e.g. minor chan...

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...d to take place on a territorial basis, creating a series of area offices throughout the authority. This has been the case in well-known examples such as Tower Hamlets or Islington (see Hughes, 1987; =-=Morphet, 1987-=-; Lowdnes and Stoker, 1992a, 1992b; Khan, 1989; Barnard, 1989). Service delivery has been reorganised on an area basis. This may or may not also involve some localisation of political power: in most c...

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...-10). Many authors therefore concentrate on detailing these individual schemes, rather than drawing-out the more general conclusion (see, for example, Haine and Keen, 1994; Hughes, 1987; Lomer, 1987; =-=Seex, 1987-=-; Beale et al, 1994). The obvious danger is that we will be left with as many definitions of decentralisation as there are case studies. Meanings and Uses of 'Decentralisation' An initial definition i...

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...on initiative, ranging through urban and rural authorities in all parts of the United Kingdom (Lowdnes, 1994; Duncan, 1990; Connolly, 1992) as well as numerous international examples (Villiers, 1994; =-=Segerlund, 1994-=-; Simonis, 1995; Norton, 1987). Decentralisation, however, remains a 'difficult' concept. As Gaster and O'Toole comment, it "is a word used in a number of senses" (1995, p.4). This is, in part, unders...

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...nging through urban and rural authorities in all parts of the United Kingdom (Lowdnes, 1994; Duncan, 1990; Connolly, 1992) as well as numerous international examples (Villiers, 1994; Segerlund, 1994; =-=Simonis, 1995-=-; Norton, 1987). Decentralisation, however, remains a 'difficult' concept. As Gaster and O'Toole comment, it "is a word used in a number of senses" (1995, p.4). This is, in part, understandable - the ...

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...sation has also been variously referred to as 'devolution' or 'deconcentration'. Such terms may have acquired their own specific meanings within the decentralisation debate (Chapman and Dunsire 1971; =-=Stevens, 1995-=-). 'Devolution' has been associated with the legal obligation to delegate authority to territorial assemblies, while 'deconcentration' has denoted the delegation of authority to make local administrat...

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...use of its 'slippery' nature. In addition, there are circumstances in which local authorities make a policy decision not to decentralise, or fall short in practice of their own decentralisation aims (=-=Stewart, 1987-=-). There may be 'non-decentralisation' and even 'recentralisation': important aspects, we will suggest, of the recent reorganisation. Decentralisation has also been variously referred to as 'devolutio...

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...f decentralisation initiative, ranging through urban and rural authorities in all parts of the United Kingdom (Lowdnes, 1994; Duncan, 1990; Connolly, 1992) as well as numerous international examples (=-=Villiers, 1994-=-; Segerlund, 1994; Simonis, 1995; Norton, 1987). Decentralisation, however, remains a 'difficult' concept. As Gaster and O'Toole comment, it "is a word used in a number of senses" (1995, p.4). This is...