Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Eric J. Boyer Author-X-Name-First: Eric J. Author-X-Name-Last: Boyer Author-Name: Juan D. Rogers Author-X-Name-First: Juan D. Author-X-Name-Last: Rogers Author-Name: David M. Van Slyke Author-X-Name-First: David M. Author-X-Name-Last: Van Slyke Title: Analysing managerial perceptions of when and how to structure public involvement in public-private partnerships Abstract: Previous research highlights what managers perceive to be the purposes of public involvement in public-private partnerships (PPPs) and the need for addressing stakeholder concerns unique to PPPs. Yet, we have little evidence of how particular modes of participation benefit particular goals of participation in this context. Through canonical correlation analysis (CCA) of survey data collected in the U.S., this study examines the modes and sequencing of 14 public involvement activities in respect to 10 goals of public involvement in this context. The results indicate that selections among modes of participation are contingent upon when they are introduced. Respondents prefer widening stakeholder involvement early in the project development phase and during the contract implementation phase, but not during the later phases of contract design. Respondents also assign more value to engaging local citizens than their respective political leaders, particularly at mature stages of the PPP’s implementation phase. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 443-464 Issue: 4 Volume: 44 Year: 2018 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1471396 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1471396 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:44:y:2018:i:4:p:443-464 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Reinhard Heinisch Author-X-Name-First: Reinhard Author-X-Name-Last: Heinisch Author-Name: Thomas Lehner Author-X-Name-First: Thomas Author-X-Name-Last: Lehner Author-Name: Armin Mühlböck Author-X-Name-First: Armin Author-X-Name-Last: Mühlböck Author-Name: Christian H. Schimpf Author-X-Name-First: Christian H. Author-X-Name-Last: Schimpf Title: How do municipal amalgamations affect turnout in local elections? Insights from the 2015 municipal reform in the Austrian state of Styria Abstract: In this paper, we evaluate the effect of municipal amalgamations on election turnout in local elections. Following recent studies, we argue that municipal mergers can lead to less information about the election being made available to citizens and less influence for individual voters. That is, while citizens in the local context usually rely on their own direct contacts in local offices and among political candidates, the subsequent increase in population size due to a merger reduces opportunities for establishing such contacts and for having decisive influence on political decisions. Consequently, voters are less informed and less engaged, resulting in lower levels of electoral turnout in local elections. We test our argument empirically by using aggregate level data from the municipal level from the 2010 and 2015 local elections in Styria, Austria, which followed the amalgamation of some, but not all, municipalities in January 2015. The empirical results support our argument. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 465-491 Issue: 4 Volume: 44 Year: 2018 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1465935 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1465935 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:44:y:2018:i:4:p:465-491 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Merethe Dotterud Leiren Author-X-Name-First: Merethe Dotterud Author-X-Name-Last: Leiren Author-Name: Jens Kr. Steen Jacobsen Author-X-Name-First: Jens Kr. Steen Author-X-Name-Last: Jacobsen Title: Silos as barriers to public sector climate adaptation and preparedness: insights from road closures in Norway Abstract: Organisational perspectives propose that structural arrangements affect policy outcomes. Drawing on these perspectives, it is worthwhile to find out whether and how disagreements among public authorities create barriers to public sector adaptation and preparedness. As the literature on weather vulnerabilities and climate adaptation recommends increased public sector coordination, exploring the possibilities of governance can contribute to the improvement of lifeline conditions. Insights from a Norwegian case study suggest that the different mandates of responsible public authorities sometimes clash. Such clashes limit the abilities to sustain welfare and business conditions when avalanches and blizzards cause highway outages. The findings also show that governance might only partly improve public sector peril response measures, as there is rarely sufficient flexibility to consider specific interests or preferences, for example, to keep a highway open until a school bus or a freight delivery has passed. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 492-511 Issue: 4 Volume: 44 Year: 2018 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1465933 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1465933 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:44:y:2018:i:4:p:492-511 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Simon Lapointe Author-X-Name-First: Simon Author-X-Name-Last: Lapointe Author-Name: Tuukka Saarimaa Author-X-Name-First: Tuukka Author-X-Name-Last: Saarimaa Author-Name: Janne Tukiainen Author-X-Name-First: Janne Author-X-Name-Last: Tukiainen Title: Effects of municipal mergers on voter turnout Abstract: We study the effects of municipal mergers on voter turnout in a difference-in-differences framework, using data from a wave of municipal mergers in Finland in 2009. Analysing two pre-merger elections and three post-merger elections, spanning a total of 17 years, we find that municipal mergers decrease voter turnout by 4 percentage points in the long run in the relatively small municipalities compared to similar small municipalities that did not merge. As the average turnout rate prior to merging in this group was around 69%, this is a substantial effect. We also find that virtually nothing happens to turnout in the municipalities that were relatively large within their merger. Furthermore, mergers are associated with a decrease in voters’ political efficacy and turnout decreases more in those municipalities that experience larger decreases in efficacy. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 512-530 Issue: 4 Volume: 44 Year: 2018 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1465936 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1465936 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:44:y:2018:i:4:p:512-530 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Yu Shi Author-X-Name-First: Yu Author-X-Name-Last: Shi Title: An empirical assessment of local autonomy and special district finance in the US Abstract: In this article, we interpret local autonomy as a dimensional concept that includes local government importance, local government discretion, and local government capacity. Using longitudinal data from 1962 to 2012 covering all 50 states in the US, we examine how different dimensions of local autonomy affect the expenditure levels and debt levels of special districts. We find that the levels of debt and spending in special districts are lower when local governments have greater revenue diversification. However, fiscal decentralisation in the dimension of local government importance promotes the growth of special district finance. Moreover, our findings on local government discretion suggest that imposing too many fiscal constraints can affect the fiscal independence and capacities of local general-purpose governments. These constraints may also lead to the more extensive use of the fiscal power of special districts that are not subject to fiscal limits. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 531-551 Issue: 4 Volume: 44 Year: 2018 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1471395 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1471395 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:44:y:2018:i:4:p:531-551 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Markus Tausendpfund Author-X-Name-First: Markus Author-X-Name-Last: Tausendpfund Author-Name: Lisa Schäfer Author-X-Name-First: Lisa Author-X-Name-Last: Schäfer Title: Town twinning and political support Abstract: Does town twinning foster citizens’ political support of the European Union? This study investigates the relation, which is maintained in politics and academics but still calls for empirical evidence. We distinguish between two levels of analysis, namely individual and context level, and differentiate in accordance with David Easton’s modes of political support specific from diffuse support. The corresponding hypotheses are tested with a unique dataset, which embraces survey findings of more than 12,000 respondents from 28 randomly selected municipalities in Germany. The main conclusions that emerge from the analysis are: First, town twinning does promote political support of the European Union on the individual level. Second, there are positive effects on specific and diffuse support. Thirdly, there is no relationship between local activity in twinning affairs and political support. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 552-576 Issue: 4 Volume: 44 Year: 2018 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1465934 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1465934 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:44:y:2018:i:4:p:552-576 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Md Moazzem Hossain Author-X-Name-First: Md Moazzem Author-X-Name-Last: Hossain Title: Sustainability reporting by Australian local government authorities Abstract: This qualitative study investigates the Western Australian (WA) local government authorities’ sustainability reporting practices, in the absence of mandatory reporting guidelines, through content analysis of their websites. Calculations from comparing the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)’s disclosures with those of 140 local council websites were used to develop a sustainability reporting disclosure index. The findings indicate that sustainability reporting remains moderately practised by local government authorities, despite stakeholder demand for proactive disclosures. The discourse analysis shows that Western Australia’s strategic planning for sustainable development is the key force propelling councils towards sustainability reporting practices. The findings also suggest that WA local government authorities are increasing sustainability disclosures to legitimate their social and environmental initiatives. The findings have policy implications for regulators and/or government in Western Australia, with practical implications for local council authorities and/or managers in developing awareness of sustainable operations. The study also contributes to local government authorities’ growing awareness of sustainable service operations. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 577-600 Issue: 4 Volume: 44 Year: 2018 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1471397 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1471397 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:44:y:2018:i:4:p:577-600 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Zerina Akkas Author-X-Name-First: Zerina Author-X-Name-Last: Akkas Title: Women’s Participation in Communal Activities in Rural Bangladesh Abstract: This article seeks to examine the extent of women’s participation in communal activities in rural Bangladesh, based on an analysis of a development programme, namely REFLECT (Regenerated Freirean Literacy through Empowering Community Techniques). This article evaluates the REFLECT programme with regard to its stated goal of enhancing female participation in local community affairs. Using Michael Mann’s classification of sources of power, the study emphasises the importance of participation as a contribution to political as well as ideological power in the community of Monsurabad Island in rural Bangladesh. To that end, this article aims at analysing women’s participation in community decision-making processes through voting behaviour, traditional village court (Salish) involvement and other civic activities. This study also reviews the views of village elders (matabars) on women’s participation at the communal level and the resulting empowerment. Based on the views of participant women themselves, the study concludes that the implementation of the REFLECT project in the local community under investigation has indeed resulted in empowering women, but this effect remains confined to their families and the handling of women’s issues. As the effect of the REFLECT project has not reached out to the realm of community politics, its impact on women’s participation in the community has been limited. This study argues that without any change in the existing social fabric of Monsurabad, women’s ideological power in that community could not be transformed into political power in accordance with Michael Mann’s theory. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 495-517 Issue: 4 Volume: 40 Year: 2014 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2013.795889 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2013.795889 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:40:y:2014:i:4:p:495-517 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Martin Baekgaard Author-X-Name-First: Martin Author-X-Name-Last: Baekgaard Author-Name: Carsten Jensen Author-X-Name-First: Carsten Author-X-Name-Last: Jensen Author-Name: Peter B. Mortensen Author-X-Name-First: Peter B. Author-X-Name-Last: Mortensen Author-Name: Søren Serritzlew Author-X-Name-First: Søren Author-X-Name-Last: Serritzlew Title: Local News Media and Voter Turnout Abstract: A reasonably high turnout is a quality of a local democracy. In this article, we investigate whether media coverage of politics leads to increased or decreased voter turnout. Based on a unique data set, our analysis shows that local news media coverage has a positive effect on voter turnout, but only if the news media provide politically relevant information to the voters and only at local elections. Both findings are in accordance with the Information Model, which states that rising levels of political relevant information increases the probability of voting. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 518-532 Issue: 4 Volume: 40 Year: 2014 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2013.834253 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2013.834253 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:40:y:2014:i:4:p:518-532 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Tony Bovaird Author-X-Name-First: Tony Author-X-Name-Last: Bovaird Author-Name: Ian Briggs Author-X-Name-First: Ian Author-X-Name-Last: Briggs Author-Name: Martin Willis Author-X-Name-First: Martin Author-X-Name-Last: Willis Title: Strategic Commissioning in the UK: Service Improvement Cycle or Just Going Round in Circles? Abstract: This article explores the drivers of the development of strategic commissioning over the last two decades, its limitations, and the implications of its rapid spread. It suggests that the differences between government departments have allowed scope for local variations, which have been exploited by local government, leaving room for more innovation than would have been possible under an entirely ‘joined-up’ government agenda. The forms taken by this new approach to strategic commissioning were consistent with continual pressure from central government to find ways of promoting externalisation of public services. Although this underlying drive was often resisted, particularly at local level, but always re-emerged. The article ends by exploring the implications of this analysis for public services in the era of fiscal austerity under the new UK Coalition government. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 533-559 Issue: 4 Volume: 40 Year: 2014 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2013.805689 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2013.805689 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:40:y:2014:i:4:p:533-559 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Anna Coleman Author-X-Name-First: Anna Author-X-Name-Last: Coleman Author-Name: Kath Checkland Author-X-Name-First: Kath Author-X-Name-Last: Checkland Author-Name: Julia Segar Author-X-Name-First: Julia Author-X-Name-Last: Segar Author-Name: Imelda McDermott Author-X-Name-First: Imelda Author-X-Name-Last: McDermott Author-Name: Stephen Harrison Author-X-Name-First: Stephen Author-X-Name-Last: Harrison Author-Name: Stephen Peckham Author-X-Name-First: Stephen Author-X-Name-Last: Peckham Title: Joining it up? Health and Wellbeing Boards in English Local Governance: Evidence from Clinical Commissioning Groups and Shadow Health and Wellbeing Boards Abstract: Statutory responsibility for health care and social care has long been separated between National Health Service (NHS) bodies and local government authorities. Repeated policy attempts to promote service integration through collaboration between such authorities have achieved little. The latest of such policy interventions are the Health and  Wellbeing  Boards (HWBs) established by the 2012 Health and Social Care Act (HSCA) alongside a range of other organisational innovations, including Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs). These organisations await full legal and operational status but have begun to develop structures and processes. HWBs are intended to lead the integrated assessment of local needs to inform both NHS health and local authority social care commissioners. We undertook detailed qualitative case studies in eight CCGs during 2011–2012 and here report observational and interview data related to CCGs’ perspectives and observations of early HWB developments. We found that developing HWBs vary greatly in their structure and approach, but we also identified a number of significant issues that are familiar from earlier research into health and social care integration. These include heavy dependence on voluntary agreements to align the strategic plans of the many different new statutory bodies; a significant role for mundane organisational processes in determining the extent of effective co-operation; and problems arising from factors such as size and the arrangements of local boundaries. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 560-580 Issue: 4 Volume: 40 Year: 2014 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2013.841578 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2013.841578 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:40:y:2014:i:4:p:560-580 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: John Fenwick Author-X-Name-First: John Author-X-Name-Last: Fenwick Author-Name: Howard Elcock Author-X-Name-First: Howard Author-X-Name-Last: Elcock Title: Elected Mayors: Leading Locally? Abstract: The directly elected executive mayor was introduced to England a decade ago. Drawing inspiration from European and American experience, the elected mayor appealed to both New Labour and Conservative commentators in offering a solution to perceived problems of local leadership. There was a shared view that governance of local areas was failing and that elected mayors were the answer. The first local referendums were held in 2001. Most have continued to reject the idea of the elected mayor. During 2012, the coalition government initiated 10 further mayoral referendums in England’s largest cities but only one, Bristol, opted for an elected mayor. Overall, there is no evidence of widespread public support, yet the prospect of more mayors – with enhanced powers – remains firmly on the policy agenda.Drawing from a decade of research, this paper considers reasons for the persistence of the mayoral experiment, the importance of local factors in the few areas where mayors hold office and the link to current policy debates. Using the authors’ analytical leadership grid, this paper links the governmental, governance and allegiance roles of mayors to the problematic nature of local leadership. It then draws tentative conclusions about the strange case of the elected mayor in England.Drawing from a decade of research, this paper considers reasons for the persistence of the mayoral experiment, the importance of local factors in the few areas where mayors hold office and the link to current policy debates. Using the authors’ analytical leadership grid, this paper links the governmental, governance and allegiance roles of mayors to the problematic nature of local leadership. It then draws tentative conclusions about the strange case of the elected mayor in England. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 581-599 Issue: 4 Volume: 40 Year: 2014 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2013.836492 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2013.836492 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:40:y:2014:i:4:p:581-599 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jose Manuel Ruano de la Fuente Author-X-Name-First: Jose Manuel Author-X-Name-Last: Ruano de la Fuente Title: E-Government Strategies in Spanish Local Governments Abstract: Interest in the use of new technologies as an instrument for the modernisation of public management is something common in public administrations. Local governments have recently invested considerable human and material resources to try to deliver services in a more efficient way. Although the progress made in the implementation of information and communication technology (ICT) has been significant, an analysis of all local government shows that its impact on the reform policies has been unequal, and that the real objectives of these processes of modernisation have not always been the same. Most governments have chosen a strategy that reproduces the way that the traditional administration works; whereas only a few have tried to make use of the potential that ICT offers to provide more transparency, new online services and to make administrations more receptive to citizens’ needs. The first section of this article gives global data about the development of ICT in Spanish municipalities. Next, the websites of Spanish cities are analysed to identify the factors that enhance e-government and its implementation in the benefit of transparency, interaction with citizens and accountability. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 600-620 Issue: 4 Volume: 40 Year: 2014 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2013.787414 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2013.787414 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:40:y:2014:i:4:p:600-620 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Luke Sloan Author-X-Name-First: Luke Author-X-Name-Last: Sloan Title: Can We Feel Their Presence? A New Framework for Investigating Minor Parties in English Local Government Abstract: Minor parties in English local government have largely been neglected by the research literature because of their lack of electoral success at the aggregate level. However, over the past decade minor party candidates have contested an increasing number of wards and this rise is disproportionate to their share of the vote. Developing the concept of ‘presence’ and a focus on wards rather than seats we use newly reworked data from the Elections Centre Database (University of Plymouth) to plot the proportion of wards contested by minor party candidates from 1973–2008. We argue that whilst changes in vote share are minimal throughout the period, the magnitude of the recent increase in minor party activity at the ward level is unprecedented and justifies further study. We also explore the variation in minor party activity between authority types, concluding that the explanation for the recent rise in contestation is not constant across similar authorities and electoral systems. We suggest that the explanation for minor party activity is much more complex and relative. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 621-641 Issue: 4 Volume: 40 Year: 2014 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2013.795891 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2013.795891 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:40:y:2014:i:4:p:621-641 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Catherine Mangan Author-X-Name-First: Catherine Author-X-Name-Last: Mangan Title: Faïz Gallouj, Luis Rubalcaba and Paul Windrum, Public–Private Innovation Networks in Services Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 642-644 Issue: 4 Volume: 40 Year: 2014 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2014.916884 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2014.916884 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:40:y:2014:i:4:p:642-644 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Ewan Ferlie Author-X-Name-First: Ewan Author-X-Name-Last: Ferlie Title: Tom Christensen and Per Laegreid, The Ashgate Research Companion to New Public Management Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 644-646 Issue: 4 Volume: 40 Year: 2014 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2014.916883 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2014.916883 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:40:y:2014:i:4:p:644-646 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Youngmi Lee Author-X-Name-First: Youngmi Author-X-Name-Last: Lee Title: From Competition to Collaboration: Intergovernmental Economic Development Policy Networks Abstract: This study investigates the strategic collaboration among local jurisdictions in the competitive environment: how fragmented jurisdictions in a metropolitan area perceive each other as cooperative partners and what factors influence the establishment of collaborative relationships between them. To answer the research questions, we applied the Institutional Collective Action (ICA) framework, which assumes that institutional actors behave in ways such that their economic benefits are maximised and risks and costs of collaboration are minimised, and employed the exponential random graph (ERG) model, one of the statistical social network analyses. The results indicate that the physical, political and geographical similarities among municipalities positively influence collaboration among local jurisdictions. In addition, municipalities are more likely to prefer to establish the closed network relationship such as triad–triplet. This study allows to understand the mechanism to establish collaborative behaviour among local jurisdictions for their regional economic development in a metropolitan area. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 171-188 Issue: 2 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2015.1096267 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2015.1096267 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:2:p:171-188 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Martin Baekgaard Author-X-Name-First: Martin Author-X-Name-Last: Baekgaard Author-Name: Marie Kjaergaard Author-X-Name-First: Marie Author-X-Name-Last: Kjaergaard Title: Intergovernmental Grants and Public Expenditures: Evidence from a Survey Experiment Abstract: The relationship between intergovernmental grants and public expenditures is one of the most studied phenomena in the local public finance literature. However, little is known about whether the impact of unconditional grants is fundamentally different from that of other sources of municipal revenue. We study this question by means of a large-scale randomised survey experiment among Danish local politicians, which allows for a comparison of the impact of changes in various sources of municipal revenue. Our findings challenge the conventional conception in the public finance literature that money works differently depending on which sector they are generated in. Instead, ideology plays an important role in explaining how local politicians want to allocate resources when faced with changes in local government revenue. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 189-207 Issue: 2 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2015.1110521 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2015.1110521 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:2:p:189-207 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Morten Jakobsen Author-X-Name-First: Morten Author-X-Name-Last: Jakobsen Author-Name: Ulrik Kjaer Author-X-Name-First: Ulrik Author-X-Name-Last: Kjaer Title: Political Representation and Geographical Bias in Amalgamated Local Governments Abstract: There is a strong tendency across the world to amalgamate political jurisdictions, especially local governments. Merger of jurisdictions entails integration of local interests, and former jurisdictions have to struggle to secure political representation and specific area interests in the new amalgamated jurisdiction. We argue that this struggle is affected by the strength of the centre–periphery dimension of the new amalgamated jurisdiction. When a large city is merged with less populated jurisdictions, a strong centre–periphery dimension is created, and this leads to a numerical over-representation of the periphery in the legislature of the amalgamated jurisdiction. We test the argument empirically using a recent large-scale amalgamation reform that allows us to compare 66 amalgamations with different centre–periphery dimensions. Our argument is supported when we examine representation by seats in jurisdiction councils (descriptive representation) and politicians’ advancement of local interests (substantive representation). Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 208-227 Issue: 2 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2015.1127225 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2015.1127225 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:2:p:208-227 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Michael A. Kortt Author-X-Name-First: Michael A. Author-X-Name-Last: Kortt Author-Name: Brian Dollery Author-X-Name-First: Brian Author-X-Name-Last: Dollery Author-Name: Joseph Drew Author-X-Name-First: Joseph Author-X-Name-Last: Drew Title: Municipal Mergers in New Zealand: An Empirical Analysis of the Proposed Amalgamation of Hawke’s Bay Councils Abstract: Local government policymakers across the developed world have frequently employed municipal amalgamation to improve the operation of local councils, and New Zealand is no exception. This paper empirically examines claims made in Potential Costs and Savings of Local Government Reform in Hawke’s Bay that the merger of the five local authorities in the Hawke’s Bay Region of New Zealand would generate significant cost-savings. We empirically test for the existence of scale economies in a single merged Hawke’s Bay council and find that no cost-savings can be expected. This removes a key argument for a forced Hawke’s Bay amalgamation. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 228-247 Issue: 2 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2015.1007133 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2015.1007133 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:2:p:228-247 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Joseph Drew Author-X-Name-First: Joseph Author-X-Name-Last: Drew Author-Name: Brian Dollery Author-X-Name-First: Brian Author-X-Name-Last: Dollery Title: What’s in a Name? Assessing the Performance of Local Government Classification Systems Abstract: Local government classification systems are employed in many countries for regulation, grant transfers and other public policy purposes. Given the pivotal role these classification systems play in public policy, their accuracy is a matter of some importance. Classification systems take several forms typically consisting of groupings of municipalities based on factors such as degree of urbanisation, population size and the like. However, to date none of these classification systems have been tested for homogeneity with respect to environmental constraints or validated against external data. This paper employs the classification system for New South Wales (NSW) local authorities as a representative case study to demonstrate that a wider range of external constraints should be considered for the robust classification of local councils. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 248-266 Issue: 2 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2015.1007132 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2015.1007132 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:2:p:248-266 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: María Ángeles Huete Garcia Author-X-Name-First: María Author-X-Name-Last: Ángeles Huete Garcia Author-Name: Rafael Merinero Rodríguez Author-X-Name-First: Rafael Author-X-Name-Last: Merinero Rodríguez Author-Name: Rocío Muñoz Moreno Author-X-Name-First: Rocío Author-X-Name-Last: Muñoz Moreno Title: Urban Regeneration Policy from the Integrated Urban Development Model in the European Union: an Analytical Approach Based on the Study of Spanish Cities Abstract: For several years, local governments have been tackling new challenges related to the regeneration of their cities within the physical sphere, as well as in their economic and social aspects. This task is developed in accordance with what has been called the Integrated Urban Development Model, understanding the integrated nature of this approach not only in terms of the spheres of public policy involved, but also in relation to their management. In this paper, this management is analysed in terms of the development of mechanisms for New Local Governance and New Public Management (NPM). Using Spanish municipalities as a case study, this paper develops an analytical tool for the analysis of this model of urban intervention within the European context, paying close attention to the development of mechanisms for New Local Governance from a multilevel perspective, as well as the development of mechanisms for NPM. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 267-286 Issue: 2 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2015.1110520 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2015.1110520 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:2:p:267-286 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: José Luis Zafra-Gómez Author-X-Name-First: José Luis Author-X-Name-Last: Zafra-Gómez Author-Name: Antonio Manuel López-Hernández Author-X-Name-First: Antonio Manuel Author-X-Name-Last: López-Hernández Author-Name: Ana María Plata-Díaz Author-X-Name-First: Ana María Author-X-Name-Last: Plata-Díaz Author-Name: Juan Carlos Garrido-Rodríguez Author-X-Name-First: Juan Carlos Author-X-Name-Last: Garrido-Rodríguez Title: Financial and Political Factors Motivating the Privatisation of Municipal Water Services Abstract: Financial and political factors are widely considered to be an explanatory factor of the privatisation of public services. However, the empirical evidence in this respect is not convincing. This paper considers elements of long-term financial condition and ideological and political strength, together with other socio-economic factors and the effects of the current global financial crisis, to address the financial stress–privatisation relationship, with respect to urban water services, observed during the period 2002–2012 in Spanish municipalities. A discrete time survival model is applied, and the results obtained show that certain elements of financial condition, together with political and ideological factors, are decisive influences in decisions to privatise urban water services. We also highlight the major impact of the Great Recession and its effect on the financial stress–privatisation relationship. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 287-308 Issue: 2 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2015.1096268 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2015.1096268 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:2:p:287-308 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jessica N. Terman Author-X-Name-First: Jessica N. Author-X-Name-Last: Terman Author-Name: Richard C. Feiock Author-X-Name-First: Richard C. Author-X-Name-Last: Feiock Title: The Effect of Formal and Informal Contracting Mechanisms on Implementation Performance in the U.S. Federalist System Abstract: The relationship between contract management capacity and implementation success in local government contracting is well established. However, less is known about how specific contract mechanisms are linked to this success. This study uses implementation of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program to examine the use of formal and informal contract management techniques in the implementation of energy projects. The use of formal contract mechanisms, such as full and open competitive bidding, contact rescission and outcome-based performance measures, exhibits a statistically significant effect on implementation performance. The findings advance contracting theory and have practical implications for local government contracting and implementation success in fiscal federalism. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 309-331 Issue: 2 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2015.1110522 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2015.1110522 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:2:p:309-331 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Elisabetta Mafrolla Author-X-Name-First: Elisabetta Author-X-Name-Last: Mafrolla Author-Name: Eugenio D’Amico Author-X-Name-First: Eugenio Author-X-Name-Last: D’Amico Title: Does Public Spending Improve Citizens’ Quality of Life? An Analysis of Municipalities’ Leisure Supply Abstract: This paper offers new evidence regarding the impact of public spending on the supply of leisure services on citizens’ spare-time quality of life. Using data from 103 Italian capital municipalities covering the period 2007–2010, the analysis revealed that public spending on leisure impacted spare-time quality of life in various ways, depending on the category of spending. Spending for tourism essentially followed an upward path, linearly enhancing citizens’ spare-time quality of life. Surprisingly, municipalities’ spending on sport- and culture-related services had a non-linear impact. Hence, spending on sports within a maximum threshold reveals a positive impact on spare-time quality of life, whereas passing over a minimum level of public spending for culture-related projects had a positive effect. This paper provides helpful suggestions for policymakers who approach decisions that address whether it is worth spending on leisure, which is typically a non-basic need but one that must be properly satisfied by municipalities in today’s service-based society. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 332-350 Issue: 2 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2015.1127224 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2015.1127224 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:2:p:332-350 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: George Jones Author-X-Name-First: George Author-X-Name-Last: Jones Title: Nicholas Daly, The demographic imagination and the nineteenth-century city: Paris, London, New York Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 351-352 Issue: 2 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2015.1134497 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2015.1134497 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:2:p:351-352 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Paul Bunyan Author-X-Name-First: Paul Author-X-Name-Last: Bunyan Title: Robin Hambleton, Leading the inclusive city: place-based innovation for a bounded planet Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 352-354 Issue: 2 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2015.1134494 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2015.1134494 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:2:p:352-354 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Andrew Coulson Author-X-Name-First: Andrew Author-X-Name-Last: Coulson Title: Chris Himsworth, The European Charter of Local Self-Government: a treaty for local democracy Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 354-355 Issue: 2 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2015.1134496 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2015.1134496 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:2:p:354-355 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Ming Guo Author-X-Name-First: Ming Author-X-Name-Last: Guo Author-Name: Sam Willner Author-X-Name-First: Sam Author-X-Name-Last: Willner Title: Swedish politicians’ preferences regarding the privatisation of elderly care Abstract: Since the 1990s, Sweden has embarked on a series of market reforms in public services, aiming for greater efficiency and better service quality. Nevertheless, the political debates do not seem to fade away and local politicians still have to decide on privatisation issues. We argue that attitude studies of local politicians are of importance and present a 2014 survey in this regard, using Swedish elderly care as one example. Our findings show that altitudinal difference between left- and right-wing politicians on private for-profit providers remains distinctive. Moreover, political orientations of individuals, political majority in the municipality, as well as privatisation level already achieved locally are identified as important factors in explaining local politicians’ willingness to privatise further. This case study serves as a good example to examine the market development of public welfare in advanced welfare states and also contributes to the contentious discussion of political roles in welfare reform. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1-21 Issue: 1 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1237354 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1237354 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:1:p:1-21 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jonathan Collins Author-X-Name-First: Jonathan Author-X-Name-Last: Collins Title: Buying schools with social capital: how local response to state reform fosters education revenue inequality Abstract: In this article, the author tests the hypothesis that social capital leads to greater inequality in public school revenue. Research has linked social capital – the manifestation of social networks of trust and shared norms – to efforts that can alleviate inequality. By conducting a comparative analysis of the counties and school districts in California, this article finds competing evidence. Instead, the author finds that local areas with more membership associations generate more revenue for their schools, despite efforts by the state government to equalise revenue across districts. The local residents appear to be increasing their revenue by using their social capital to generate the collective action needed to increase their property-tax contribution. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 22-43 Issue: 1 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1244053 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1244053 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:1:p:22-43 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Per Adman Author-X-Name-First: Per Author-X-Name-Last: Adman Author-Name: Hanna Jansson Author-X-Name-First: Hanna Author-X-Name-Last: Jansson Title: A field experiment on ethnic discrimination among local Swedish public officials Abstract: This study presents an innovative field experiment exploring ethnic discrimination in contacts between local public officials and members of Swedish society. Using a correspondence study design, fictitious individuals with Arabic- and Swedish-sounding names contacted Swedish municipalities via email, asking questions about access to preschools. The findings indicate disadvantageous treatment of individuals with Arabic-sounding names in terms of the informal tone of the replies, as Swedish-sounding names were replied to in a friendlier, more welcoming way. Regarding the more formal aspects of the emails – i.e., whether they were replied to at all and the questions posed were directly answered – no statistically significant signs of discrimination emerge (although differences were of some substantial size, to the disadvantage of Arabic-sounding names). Still, informal disadvantageous treatment is sufficient cause for concern and noteworthy in the case of Sweden, considering its reputation as being egalitarian, immigration friendly and democratically well functioning. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 44-63 Issue: 1 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1244052 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1244052 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:1:p:44-63 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Mendiola Teng-Calleja Author-X-Name-First: Mendiola Author-X-Name-Last: Teng-Calleja Author-Name: Ma. Regina M. Hechanova Author-X-Name-First: Ma. Regina M. Author-X-Name-Last: Hechanova Author-Name: Ramon Benedicto A. Alampay Author-X-Name-First: Ramon Benedicto A. Author-X-Name-Last: Alampay Author-Name: Nico A. Canoy Author-X-Name-First: Nico A. Author-X-Name-Last: Canoy Author-Name: Edna P. Franco Author-X-Name-First: Edna P. Author-X-Name-Last: Franco Author-Name: Erwin A. Alampay Author-X-Name-First: Erwin A. Author-X-Name-Last: Alampay Title: Transformation in Philippine local government Abstract: This research examined the challenges, enablers and outcomes of organisation transformation in Philippine local governments. We combined a multi-case study research design and backward mapping approach in collecting and analysing narratives from 55 leaders in 9 Filipino local government units (LGUs) that have successfully undergone transformation. Results show that the transformations of the LGUs appear to have been catalysed by three interrelated elements: vision, LGU leadership and citizen engagement. The transformation in the local governments concentrated on multiple foci of reform including structure and systems improvement, culture change, human-resource development as well as policy and programme development. This holistic approach enabled the transformation of bureaucratic and unprofessional government service to transparent, professional and efficient public service that engendered pride, transparency and social equity. Implications of the proposed model for transforming LGUs and in developing LGU leaders for good governance are discussed. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 64-88 Issue: 1 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1235561 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1235561 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:1:p:64-88 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jungbu Kim Author-X-Name-First: Jungbu Author-X-Name-Last: Kim Title: Local elected administrators’ career characteristics and revenue diversification as a managerial strategy Abstract: Local governments have endeavoured to be fiscally better prepared against adverse economic downturns, and revenue diversification (RD) is considered one of such efforts. This study examines how Korean local governments have utilised diversification as a managerial strategy between 2007 and 2010. Focusing on local elected administrators’ (LEAs’) previous career, it reports that local governments with administrators with business experiences diversify revenues more than those with politics-turned administrators. It further finds that the effects of socio-economic and institutional factors are moderated by administrators’ career characteristics. Based on such evidence, theoretical and practical implications are discussed. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 89-109 Issue: 1 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1235560 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1235560 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:1:p:89-109 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Adam Gendźwiłł Author-X-Name-First: Adam Author-X-Name-Last: Gendźwiłł Author-Name: Tomasz Żółtak Author-X-Name-First: Tomasz Author-X-Name-Last: Żółtak Title: How single-member districts are reinforcing local independents and strengthening mayors: on the electoral reform in Polish local government Abstract: In this article, we investigate whether the design of the electoral system used in the elections of local councils affects the position of national parties and their main competitors, local independent lists. We study the case of the electoral reform enacted recently in Poland which modified the rules of council elections by introducing the first-past-the-post (FPTP) system, quite rarely used in local elections. Using empirical evidence from the municipalities where FPTP replaced the open-list proportional representation (OLPR) system, we demonstrate that the introduction of single-member districts, and majoritarian rule in council elections, increased the number of single independents, unaffiliated to any party or committee, and limited the (already poor) presence of party candidates and councillors. The reform also strengthened the position of directly elected mayors, in Poland – usually independent, by assuring many of them safe majorities in councils. We found that the share of seats for the winning mayor’s list increased by 10 pp on average after the reform. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 110-131 Issue: 1 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1254624 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1254624 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:1:p:110-131 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Steve Leach Author-X-Name-First: Steve Author-X-Name-Last: Leach Title: Peter Somerville, Understanding community; politics, policy and practice (second edition) Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 132-134 Issue: 1 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1257548 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1257548 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:1:p:132-134 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Peter Matthews Author-X-Name-First: Peter Author-X-Name-Last: Matthews Title: Koen P. R. Bartels, Communicative capacity: public encounters in participatory theory and practice Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 135-137 Issue: 1 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1257550 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1257550 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:1:p:135-137 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: The Editors Title: Editorial Board Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: ebi-ebi Issue: 1 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1266438 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1266438 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:1:p:ebi-ebi Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Colin Copus Author-X-Name-First: Colin Author-X-Name-Last: Copus Author-Name: Melvin Wingfield Author-X-Name-First: Melvin Author-X-Name-Last: Wingfield Title: Are Independent Councillors Really Conservatives in Disguise? Abstract: Abstract A feature of English local political folklore is the belief among national political parties, that Independent councillors are Conservatives in disguise. Yet, little evidence is given to support this idea because little is known about these councillors’ beliefs and assumptions or how they distinguish themselves from the party politics they eschew. In this article we address the question: Are all Independent councillors really Conservatives? The article answers the question by reporting the findings of research conducted among Independent and Conservative councillors in England to explore the complex, multidimensional and fluid world that is Independent politics. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 647-669 Issue: 5 Volume: 40 Year: 2014 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2013.829458 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2013.829458 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:40:y:2014:i:5:p:647-669 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Alan Doig Author-X-Name-First: Alan Author-X-Name-Last: Doig Title: Roadworks Ahead? Addressing Fraud, Corruption and Conflict of Interest in English Local Government Abstract: The current localism agenda, and other legislative and organisational changes, will impact on English local government’s capacity and commitment to address fraud, corruption and conflict of interest from both investigative and preventative perspectives. These have been issues for local government since the nineteenth century onwards, often brought to prominence during specific scandals or periods of extensive change. This article summarises the reforms in terms of a ‘low road’ of a control environment and of a ‘high road’ of an ethical governance framework, and their perceived interrelationship, up to the introduction of the Localism agenda. It discusses how far the current changes may change the emphasis between roads in returning to an amended control environment, particularly in terms of the publication of the Fighting Fraud Locally strategy. It concludes with concerns less about the various initiatives promoted by the strategy than the implications of whether councils have the capacity or commitment to continue along the high road of ethical governance. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 670-686 Issue: 5 Volume: 40 Year: 2014 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2013.859140 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2013.859140 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:40:y:2014:i:5:p:670-686 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Peter John Author-X-Name-First: Peter Author-X-Name-Last: John Title: The Great Survivor: The Persistence and Resilience of English Local Government Abstract: This article is about the persistence and resilience of the form of local government that emerged in England in the nineteenth century and took shape in the twentieth century. English local government has adapted to successive reorganisations and changes to its functions; it has survived centralisation, privatisation, the imposition of quangos, regional governance, elected mayors, performance management and latterly fiscal austerity by responding to opportunities and meeting the continual need for administrative tasks at the local level. The centralised structure to political management in English local government has generated a high level of organisational capacity and a pragmatic sensibility that ensures the institution remains in place even in unpropitious circumstances. Other local organisations, such as voluntary sector bodies and quangos, have less capacity to compete and work to shorter timescales. Such resilience has come to the fore in the period of fiscal austerity since 2009 when local authorities have had to manage severe declines in their budgets whilst taking on additional functions, such as council tax benefit. The organisational capacity and pragmatism of English local government create path dependence as its very efficiency at managing services may have shut off options for democratic renewal and participation. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 687-704 Issue: 5 Volume: 40 Year: 2014 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2014.891984 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2014.891984 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:40:y:2014:i:5:p:687-704 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Iris Korthagen Author-X-Name-First: Iris Author-X-Name-Last: Korthagen Author-Name: Ingmar Van Meerkerk Author-X-Name-First: Ingmar Author-X-Name-Last: Van Meerkerk Title: The Effects of Media and their Logic on Legitimacy Sources within Local Governance Networks: A Three-Case Comparative Study Abstract: Although theoretical and empirical work on the democratic legitimacy of governance networks is growing, little attention has been paid to the impact of mediatisation on democracies. Media have their own logic of news-making led by the media’s rules, aims, production routines and constraints, which affect political decision-making processes. In this article, we specifically study how media and their logic affect three democratic legitimacy sources of political decision-making within governance networks: voice, due deliberation and accountability. We conducted a comparative case study of three local governance networks using a mixed method design, combining extensive qualitative case studies, interviews and a quantitative content analysis of media reports. In all three cases, media logic increased voice possibilities for citizen groups. Furthermore, it broadened the deliberation process, although this did not improve the quality of this process per se, because the media focus on drama and negativity. Finally, media logic often pushed political authorities into a reactive communication style as they had to fight against negative images in the media. Proactive communication about projects, such as public relation (PR) strategies and branding, is difficult in such a media landscape. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 705-728 Issue: 5 Volume: 40 Year: 2014 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2013.859139 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2013.859139 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:40:y:2014:i:5:p:705-728 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Peter Murphy Author-X-Name-First: Peter Author-X-Name-Last: Murphy Author-Name: Kirsten Greenhalgh Author-X-Name-First: Kirsten Author-X-Name-Last: Greenhalgh Author-Name: Martin Jones Author-X-Name-First: Martin Author-X-Name-Last: Jones Title: Housing and Council Tax Benefits Administration in England: A Long-Term Perspective on the Performance of the Local Government Delivery System Abstract: The Coalition government announced, in 2010, that between 2013 and the end of 2017 all existing claims to income-based welfare allowances, including housing benefit, would gradually move to the Universal Credit (DWP 2010). This article evaluates the performance of the Council Tax and Housing Benefits Administration Services under the current system for the delivery of these benefits since they were transferred fully to local authorities in 1993 up until December 2011. During this period the performance of local government has been influenced by four successive national delivery regimes, namely: Compulsory Competitive Tendering (CCT); Best Value; Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA) and Comprehensive Area Assessment (CAA). An earlier article (Murphy, P., Greenhalgh, K. and Jones, M., 2011. Comprehensive performance assessment and public services improvement in England – a case study of the benefits administration service in local government. Local Government Studies, 37 (6), pp. 579–599) examined the CPA period in detail and found a significant improvement in performance across all types of authorities in all parts of the country during this period. The current article complements this earlier analysis and provides a longer-term perspective on the performance of the benefits service between 1993 and December 2011. The findings of this article show that under CCT the performance of the system was poor, there were wide variations in individual local authority performance, with many acknowledged inadequacies in the system and unacceptably high levels of fraud. However, towards the end of CCT and in the subsequent Best Value period the antecedents of some of the tools and techniques subsequently used to drive improvement in the CPA era were either put in place or were being developed. The Best Value period itself did not show significant improvements in performance and it was not until many of the initiatives were refined, developed and applied within the CPA framework that sustained and significant improvements became evident. This overall improvement generally continued under the CAA although the previous trend of consistent reductions in the variation between authorities’ performance had changed between 2009–2010 and 2011–2012. It is too early to judge whether these latest trends will be maintained under the Coalition government’s localism regime. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 729-744 Issue: 5 Volume: 40 Year: 2014 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2013.807806 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2013.807806 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:40:y:2014:i:5:p:729-744 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: José-manuel Prado-Lorenzo Author-X-Name-First: José-manuel Author-X-Name-Last: Prado-Lorenzo Author-Name: Isabel-maría García-Sánchez Author-X-Name-First: Isabel-maría Author-X-Name-Last: García-Sánchez Author-Name: Beatriz Cuadrado-Ballesteros Author-X-Name-First: Beatriz Author-X-Name-Last: Cuadrado-Ballesteros Title: Do Electoral Risks Moderate the Effect of Partisan and Electoral Cycles on Debt-Financed Local Spending? Abstract: Governments’ use of debt as a political instrument has been widely studied from the perspective of partisan and electoral cycles, mainly concerning central government. On the whole, previous studies have attempted to determine the effects of political ideology and the proximity of elections on the opportunistic use of public spending. The current study aims to broaden the scope of attention to the effect of partisan and electoral cycles on debt, by means of a broader consideration of the motives that lead politicians to take on a deficit and that are usually linked to the associated electoral risk. More particularly, we examine whether, during the electoral period, greater confidence in re-election can modify party behaviour concerning the use of public spending, and if so, whether the change is greater or smaller depending on the ruling party’s ideology. The results obtained show that local administrations need to incur debt, although politicians take on more liability than is appropriate to their demographic and economic characteristics, especially in an election year. It was also found that political stability favours a reduction in the public deficit, a pattern that is maintained in electoral periods. This effect was found to be independent of the partisan cycle. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 745-765 Issue: 5 Volume: 40 Year: 2014 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2013.799065 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2013.799065 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:40:y:2014:i:5:p:745-765 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Stefan Seifert Author-X-Name-First: Stefan Author-X-Name-Last: Seifert Author-Name: Maria Nieswand Author-X-Name-First: Maria Author-X-Name-Last: Nieswand Title: What Drives Intermediate Local Governments’ Spending Efficiency: The Case of French Départements Abstract: The restructuring of the allocation of governmental competencies in France has increased the importance of subnational governments by transferring additional tasks. We analyse the efficiency of public spending on the intermediate government level for the 96 départements in metropolitan France in 2008. Spending efficiency is measured using Data Envelopment Analysis. Results indicate significant room for improvement and we detect an average spending inefficiency of 12%. To explain efficiency, a bootstrapped truncated regression is applied. The second-stage regression shows that efficiency is also determined by exogenous factors and identifies the distance to the national capital, inhabitants’ income and the share of inhabitants older than 65 as significant determinants of efficiency. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 766-790 Issue: 5 Volume: 40 Year: 2014 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2013.812962 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2013.812962 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:40:y:2014:i:5:p:766-790 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Nathan Stocker Author-X-Name-First: Nathan Author-X-Name-Last: Stocker Author-Name: Michelle Thompson-Fawcett Author-X-Name-First: Michelle Author-X-Name-Last: Thompson-Fawcett Title: ‘It’s Not Like Never-the-Twain-Shall-Meet’: Politician–Staff Relationship Structures in Local Government Abstract: Local governments have two primary components: elected representatives and employed staff. The relationship between these two groups has significant impacts on local authority operation. Two key theoretical models used to characterise these relations, the well-established Politics/Administration Dichotomy and the recently conceived Complementarity Model, are employed here to explore relationships in New Zealand councils. Results show varying views regarding whether the separation of staff and elected representatives (councillors) is based on their respective roles or inputs. A role-based separation emphasises distinct ‘realms’, with elected representatives controlling policy making and staff controlling the implementation of policy. This approach supports a hegemonic relationship and embodies the Politics/Administration Dichotomy. On the other hand, an input-based separation emphasises the issues that each group should focus on, with councillors integrating community desires and staff contributing their technical expertise. The latter lends itself to interactive processes and is consistent with the Complementarity Model. Neither input nor role-based relationships are inherently superior; various empirical factors influence the suitability of each. This suggests that it is advantageous to have multiple theoretical models accounting for alternative local government relationship structures, but future research is needed to clarify the ‘best’ options for different contexts. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 791-808 Issue: 5 Volume: 40 Year: 2014 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2014.887563 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2014.887563 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:40:y:2014:i:5:p:791-808 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Filipe Teles Author-X-Name-First: Filipe Author-X-Name-Last: Teles Title: Facilitative Mayors in Complex Environments: Why Political Will Matters Abstract: Under certain circumstances the style of leadership of mayors can be the result of their context perceptions and their sense of political autonomy and efficacy. This assessment indicates that the political action of the mayor discloses a particular style of leadership that derives from his/her political will. This article suggests an analysis of political will that intends to explain why local leaders adopt facilitative styles of leadership. In this formulation, the leadership facilitative style is a consequence of the political will to act accordingly, and this is explained by three main determinants: the leaders’ awareness of their complex and networked context, their independent sense of autonomy and their belief about their own political efficacy. Results from case studies, with extensive interviews with mayors, conducted in Portuguese municipalities, will be presented to reinforce and explore these hypotheses and to discuss the feasibility of this framework. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 809-829 Issue: 5 Volume: 40 Year: 2014 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2013.801835 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2013.801835 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:40:y:2014:i:5:p:809-829 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: George Jones Author-X-Name-First: George Author-X-Name-Last: Jones Title: Patrick Diamond, Governing Britain: power, politics and the Prime Minister Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 830-831 Issue: 5 Volume: 40 Year: 2014 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2014.937087 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2014.937087 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:40:y:2014:i:5:p:830-831 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Caroline Van Wynsberghe Author-X-Name-First: Caroline Author-X-Name-Last: Van Wynsberghe Title: Régis Dandoy, Jérémy Dodeigne, Geoffroy Matagne and Min Reuchamps (eds), Les élections communales de 2012 en Wallonie Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 831-833 Issue: 5 Volume: 40 Year: 2014 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2014.937088 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2014.937088 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:40:y:2014:i:5:p:831-833 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jisun Youm Author-X-Name-First: Jisun Author-X-Name-Last: Youm Author-Name: Richard C. Feiock Author-X-Name-First: Richard C. Author-X-Name-Last: Feiock Title: Interlocal collaboration and local climate protection Abstract: The influences of state government have been curiously absent from most studies of collaboration among cities. Extant research on city collaboration which promotes on climate and environmental sustainability issues focuses primarily on local-level institutions, politics, and processes. Thus, the role of states to constrain or facilitate collaboration among local governments needs to be more fully accounted for. Building on transaction cost and institutional collective action theory and drawing on data from a national survey of US cities, we investigate the influences of city-level factors together with the hierarchical effects of state rules and policies on the extent to which mechanisms for interlocal collaboration are employed in pursuing climate protection and renewable energy development goals. The results confirm predictions that multilevel intergovernmental forces influence the extent to which cities collaborate. These results have both theoretical and practical implications for understanding interlocal collaborations. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 777-802 Issue: 6 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1615464 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1615464 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:6:p:777-802 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Dae Woong Lee Author-X-Name-First: Dae Woong Author-X-Name-Last: Lee Title: Local government’s disaster management capacity and disaster resilience Abstract: The questions in this research are as follows: How does the disaster management capacity of local governments affect the disaster resilience of local communities? The research distinguished local communities by type according to their level of exposure to natural disaster hazards and the analysis compared the impact of the disaster management capabilities on disaster resilience by the type of natural disaster exposure. The analysis results are as follows: While the frequency of disasters local communities experience is low, the magnitude of disasters experienced is large; external network and manual had a positive effect on disaster resilience. When disaster frequency experienced by local communities is high, the magnitude of disasters experienced is small, and internal network and public relation contribute to increased disaster resilience. In conclusion, this research will help expand the externalities of disaster management discussed in the fields of public administration and policy. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 803-826 Issue: 6 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1653284 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1653284 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:6:p:803-826 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Monzur Hossain Author-X-Name-First: Monzur Author-X-Name-Last: Hossain Author-Name: Paritosh Kumar Roy Author-X-Name-First: Paritosh Kumar Author-X-Name-Last: Roy Title: Does democratic local governance facilitate local economic development? Evidence from Bangladesh Abstract: This paper tests whether the improvement of democratic local governance (DLG) positively impacts local economic development (LED). Based on a nationally representative citizen perception survey of 3,024 households across 56 Union Parishads (UPs) in Bangladesh, the results suggest that, although the UP governance program (UPGP) has improved the administrative governance of UPs, functional governance involving citizens remains weak. Thus, due to partial improvement of DLG, UPGP does not appear to have a significant impact on the overall local economic development and service delivery of UPs. A significant gap can be seen to exist between the claims of UPs and the perceptions of citizens around UPs’ governance performance, which may result from the poor awareness building structures of the UPGP. However, our results suggest that providing training to UP officials can partially offset the shortfalls of DLG in its pursuit of LED. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 827-847 Issue: 6 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1583561 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1583561 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:6:p:827-847 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Mikaela Vasstrøm Author-X-Name-First: Mikaela Author-X-Name-Last: Vasstrøm Author-Name: Roger Normann Author-X-Name-First: Roger Author-X-Name-Last: Normann Title: The role of local government in rural communities: culture-based development strategies Abstract: This paper discusses local development and various governance strategies that local governments can use to engage actors in rural communities and resources from a broader environment to achieve desired socio-economic outcomes. We ask: How can local governance vary in rural communities? How can governance arrangements lead to contrasting socio-economic outcomes? Our conceptual framework combines a typology of local governance roles with socio-economic outcomes associated with neo-endogenous development theory. We explore culture-based development projects from three rural communities. We find that local governance strategies vary between relatively similar rural communities and that they represent compromises in terms of socio-economic outcomes. Local government in rural communities can act strategically through use of local networks. Local governance here is best understood as an emergent quality of the local context, history, institutions, culture, and, power relations. Therefore, governance strategies in rural contexts should be based on careful reflection on potential roles, trade-offs and desirable outcomes. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 848-868 Issue: 6 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1590200 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1590200 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:6:p:848-868 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Ganesh Prasad Pandeya Author-X-Name-First: Ganesh Prasad Author-X-Name-Last: Pandeya Author-Name: Tatsuo Oyama Author-X-Name-First: Tatsuo Author-X-Name-Last: Oyama Title: Revitalizing Local Government Performance Management: Further Dissecting the Role of Socioeconomic Status and Social Mobilization Policy Abstract: This article examines how socio-economic status and social mobilisation are linked to local government performance management in Nepal. As part of local government reform, Nepal adopted a social mobilisation policy in selected local governments to empower communities for their effective participation. Our results show that socio-economic status and social mobilisation have a significant relationship with performance management. Female literacy, for example, is strongly and significantly associated with performance management, while area has a significant positive relationship but population has only a weak positive relationship. In contrast, poverty has a significant negative correlation. More importantly, mobilisation has a significant, though modest, positive association with performance management particularly in participatory planning and budgeting, fiscal discipline, and administrative management. This indicates that improving the socio-economic status of citizens and their mobilisation for empowered collective action can be one important strategy to improve the performance capacity of local government. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 869-892 Issue: 6 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1585817 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1585817 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:6:p:869-892 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Hanna-Mari Husu Author-X-Name-First: Hanna-Mari Author-X-Name-Last: Husu Author-Name: Kaisu Kumpulainen Author-X-Name-First: Kaisu Author-X-Name-Last: Kumpulainen Title: Promoting neoliberal ideology in Finnish rural community development: the creation of new moral actors Abstract: Today’s political ambitions are based on the neoliberal aspiration to diminish the state’s role and responsibilities, and to transfer those responsibilities to local communities and individuals in ways that idealise those communities, promising to ‘give power to the people’. Instead of highlighting individualism, neoliberalism now celebrates communities and participation. This article deals with the effects of this ideology with regard to Finnish rural policy objectives. Drawing on Finnish village action programmes as data, we argue that these ideological views aim to transform individuals and create new moral actors. Our research indicates that Finland’s rural policy objectives invoke actors that are responsible for their communities, have an ‘enterprising spirit’, and are change-friendly and innovative. However, the ideology disregards the economic and social preconditions and resources necessary for building affluent communities and villages, which are difficult to attain when there is less government involvement. Thus, rural communities face increasing demands and less government involvement. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 893-912 Issue: 6 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1635015 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1635015 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:6:p:893-912 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Adrian Buttazzoni Author-X-Name-First: Adrian Author-X-Name-Last: Buttazzoni Author-Name: Godwin Arku Author-X-Name-First: Godwin Author-X-Name-Last: Arku Author-Name: Evan Cleave Author-X-Name-First: Evan Author-X-Name-Last: Cleave Title: Practitioners’ perspectives on in-house versus arm’s-length structures of local economic development delivery in Ontario, Canada Abstract: The structure for local economic development is an important part of the development process. In recent years, local governments have been switching structures, leading to debates about the most appropriate structure for an effective economic development delivery. Based on in-depth interviews with practitioners of local economic development, the paper examines the strengths and drawbacks of the two primary structures in the Province of Ontario: In-house and Arms-length. In doing so, the paper accomplishes two things: first, it adds to the empirical discussion on organisational approaches to economic development; second, it provides an informed perspective to assist communities that might be considering switching their structures. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 913-936 Issue: 6 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1624255 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1624255 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:6:p:913-936 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Sarah Wadmann Author-X-Name-First: Sarah Author-X-Name-Last: Wadmann Author-Name: Iben Emilie Christensen Author-X-Name-First: Iben Emilie Author-X-Name-Last: Christensen Author-Name: Jakob Kjellberg Author-X-Name-First: Jakob Author-X-Name-Last: Kjellberg Author-Name: Carsten Greve Author-X-Name-First: Carsten Author-X-Name-Last: Greve Title: Breaking up a partnership to build a competitive market in Denmark’s ambulance service: how can studies of contract reversals learn from the sociology of markets? Abstract: paper analyses a case of contract reversal in the market for ambulance services. The paper suggests that the sociology of markets-literature provides insights into market institutions of importance to relations between government and contractors that will benefit contracting out theory. Building on document analysis and interviews with 19 key stakeholders, it is demonstrated how a regional government in Denmark tried to wrestle the service provision from a long-time private provider and create a competitive market, only to discover that the implementation of the new contract was beset by obstacles largely stemming from informal norms in the market and attempts of the existing provider to hamper market entry for challenger firms. The result was a contract reversal: from private provision to government-provided service delivery. The paper contributes to the contracting out literature by providing a more elaborate understanding of the institutional conditions under which contract reversals can take place. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 937-956 Issue: 6 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1615463 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1615463 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:6:p:937-956 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Agnieszka Kopańska Author-X-Name-First: Agnieszka Author-X-Name-Last: Kopańska Author-Name: Roman Asinski Author-X-Name-First: Roman Author-X-Name-Last: Asinski Title: Fiscal and political determinants of local government involvement in public-private partnership (PPP) Abstract: In this article, we estimate the main determinants of local government’s engagement in public-private partnership (PPP) projects using logistic panel regression. We use data from 2478 municipalities and cities in Poland from 2009 to 2016. The results show that municipalities with higher levels of indebtedness have a higher probability of opening PPP tenders while local units that are more dependent on central grants or receive more European grants are less engaged in PPP. We also found that the mayors of municipalities and cities with stronger electoral competition engage in PPP with a higher probability. These results are important for discussions on the efficient use of PPP. They show that local government decisions made in conditions of fiscal constraint and political struggle can blur the PPP’s value-for-money aim. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 957-976 Issue: 6 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1635016 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1635016 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:6:p:957-976 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Andrea S. Patrucco Author-X-Name-First: Andrea S. Author-X-Name-Last: Patrucco Author-Name: Antonella Moretto Author-X-Name-First: Antonella Author-X-Name-Last: Moretto Author-Name: Stefano Ronchi Author-X-Name-First: Stefano Author-X-Name-Last: Ronchi Author-Name: Davide Luzzini Author-X-Name-First: Davide Author-X-Name-Last: Luzzini Title: Organisational choices in public procurement: what can public management learn from the private sector? Abstract: In the public context, the efficient and effective management of procurement activities has a crucial impact on the achievement of operational and broader government objectives. In particular, the potential contribution of procurement within local governments has been broadly recognized, and organisational procurement choices represent a strategic aspect that must be managed to contribute to these objectives. Through the analysis of data on 371 Italian municipalities, this paper discusses how to design procurement organisation variables for local governments. Three possible organisational models are identified (i.e., authoritative procurement, silo procurement, and local procurement) and discussed from the perspective of internal and external contingencies that may affect organisational decisions. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 977-1000 Issue: 6 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1608827 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1608827 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:6:p:977-1000 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Catherine Wilkinson Author-X-Name-First: Catherine Author-X-Name-Last: Wilkinson Author-Name: Jo Briggs Author-X-Name-First: Jo Author-X-Name-Last: Briggs Author-Name: Karen Salt Author-X-Name-First: Karen Author-X-Name-Last: Salt Author-Name: John Vines Author-X-Name-First: John Author-X-Name-Last: Vines Author-Name: Emma Flynn Author-X-Name-First: Emma Author-X-Name-Last: Flynn Title: In participatory budgeting we trust? Fairness, tactics and (in)accessibility in participatory governance Abstract: Participatory budgeting (PB) is a significant innovation in democracy and local development. PB provides the opportunity for citizens to engage in processes of deliberation and decision-making upon the allocation of public funds. As new critical discourse emerges surrounding this model of local government spending, a significant area warranting investigation concerns how trust, and indeed mistrust, factor into PB. Through an analysis of interviews with residents and Council staff engaged in PB processes in a county in the north of England, we highlight the ways in which issues of trust can impact on participation in these initiatives, and also strengthen relationships between voting delegates, project teams and local government. This paper argues that increasing the perceived accessibility, and reconsidering the inclusion of mass membership groups in PB, might help to create progressive, effective and trustful participation. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1001-1020 Issue: 6 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1606798 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1606798 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:6:p:1001-1020 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Kit England Author-X-Name-First: Kit Author-X-Name-Last: England Title: Extreme cities: the peril and promise of urban life in the age of climate change Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1021-1028 Issue: 6 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1666527 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1666527 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:6:p:1021-1028 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Hayley Henderson Author-X-Name-First: Hayley Author-X-Name-Last: Henderson Title: The politics of scale in policy: scalecraft and education governance Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1023-1026 Issue: 6 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1666529 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1666529 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:6:p:1023-1026 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Zhang Qing Author-X-Name-First: Zhang Author-X-Name-Last: Qing Title: E-participation in smart cities: technologies and models of governance for citizen engagement Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1026-1028 Issue: 6 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1666530 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1666530 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:6:p:1026-1028 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Eugenio Anessi-Pessina Author-X-Name-First: Eugenio Author-X-Name-Last: Anessi-Pessina Author-Name: Mariafrancesca Sicilia Author-X-Name-First: Mariafrancesca Author-X-Name-Last: Sicilia Title: Biased Budgeting in the Public Sector: Evidence from Italian Local Governments Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to analyse, in terms of presence, determinants and purposes, the misrepresentation of expected revenues during budget formulation and the misrepresentation of actual revenues during budget execution. To this end, we use six-year panel data from Italian municipalities with populations above 15,000. Our results suggest that overestimations of current revenues are more frequent than underestimations, during both budget formulation and budget execution. In terms of determinants, our results highlight the impact on revenue misrepresentation of both political orientation and fiscal stress. Finally, in terms of purposes, we show that revenue underestimation during budget formulation and revenue overestimation during budget execution may contribute to the formation of surpluses. The former, in particular, may allow mayors to create a ‘war chest’ in non-election years, which can then be used to increase net borrowing on the eve of elections. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 819-840 Issue: 6 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2015.1012194 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2015.1012194 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:6:p:819-840 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Sonia Bussu Author-X-Name-First: Sonia Author-X-Name-Last: Bussu Title: Between a Rock and a Hard Place: The Councillor’s Dilemma between Strong Mayors and Citizens’ Needs Abstract: Councillors appear to suffer from a legitimacy crisis vis-à-vis a stronger and more professionalised executive on the one hand and the new challenges presented by participatory democracy on the other. Since the early 1990s several reforms in Europe have fostered strong local executives and introduced directly elected mayors, envisaging for laymen councillors a role of steering and scrutiny. This has often translated into a weakened role whereby councillors often feel bypassed. By the same token new participatory initiatives have gained much popularity, often reinforcing the direct relationship between the mayor and the local community, while councillors struggle to renew their role vis-à-vis the citizens. This paper examines the case of Italy to draw conclusions on how councillors perceive their role after the reforms. Findings are based on data from four medium-sized Italian cities characterised by different socio-economic contexts and political culture: Trento in Trentino-Alto Adige, Prato in Tuscany, Sassari in Sardinia, and Lecce in Puglia. The paper argues for a rethinking of the councillor’s role by increasing the influence of council committees. Participatory processes could represent an important opportunity for councillors to strengthen their role of steering and scrutiny and re-engage with the local community, as they reinvent themselves as caseworkers, advocates, or facilitators. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 841-860 Issue: 6 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2015.1030013 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2015.1030013 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:6:p:841-860 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Katherine Tonkiss Author-X-Name-First: Katherine Author-X-Name-Last: Tonkiss Author-Name: Chris Skelcher Author-X-Name-First: Chris Author-X-Name-Last: Skelcher Title: Abolishing the Audit Commission: Framing, Discourse Coalitions and Administrative Reform Abstract: The abolition of the Audit Commission in England raises questions about how a major reform was achieved with so little controversy, why the agency lacked the institutional stickiness commonly described in the literature on organisational reform and why it did not strategise to survive. In this paper, we apply argumentative discourse analysis to rich empirical data to reveal the pattern and evolution of storylines and discourse coalitions, and the ways in which these interact with and affect the practices of Parliament, the media and the Audit Commission itself. Our analysis shows that the politics of administrative reform are as much about discursive framing and the ability of pro-reformers to gain discursive structuration and institutionalisation as they are about the material resources available to a newly elected government and its ministers. Questions of technical feasibility are unlikely to derail a reform initiative once its promoters gain discursive ascendency. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 861-880 Issue: 6 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2015.1050093 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2015.1050093 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:6:p:861-880 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Matthew Moore Author-X-Name-First: Matthew Author-X-Name-Last: Moore Author-Name: Nicholas Recker Author-X-Name-First: Nicholas Author-X-Name-Last: Recker Title: Social Capital and the Number of Governments within a County: A Potential Problem with Social Capital Abstract: Social capital has been demonstrated to be a benefit to a community in a variety of ways. However, researchers have begun to point out that social capital does have a downside. Communities that use bonding social capital to mobilise residents to action have the potential to exclude outsiders from their communities. The number of governments in a county could be used as an indicator of bonding social capital within a region. Residents use their local government to create and pass laws that have the potential to exclude others. The current analysis used the number of governments as a proxy for bonding social capital. Findings demonstrate that as the level of bonding social capital (the number of governments) increased the social capital in the county increased. Residents use their bonding social capital to respond to others, which then increases the level of social capital to be able to mobilise in the future. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 881-897 Issue: 6 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2015.1050092 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2015.1050092 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:6:p:881-897 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Sofie Marien Author-X-Name-First: Sofie Author-X-Name-Last: Marien Author-Name: Ruth Dassonneville Author-X-Name-First: Ruth Author-X-Name-Last: Dassonneville Author-Name: Marc Hooghe Author-X-Name-First: Marc Author-X-Name-Last: Hooghe Title: How Second Order Are Local Elections? Voting Motives and Party Preferences in Belgian Municipal Elections Abstract: A defining characteristic of second-order elections is that voters base their decision on considerations that were developed for a different policy level. Therefore, this kind of elections does not contribute to the quality of democratic representation. Municipal elections are often considered as second-order elections. In this article, we use data from an exit poll (n = 4,591) held during the 2012 municipal elections in Belgium. Results suggest that although voters predominantly invoke local aspects as determining their vote choice, still three-quarters votes for the same party locally as for federal elections. Among voters who deviate from their federal party preference, knowing local candidates and concern about local policy issues are the main sources of deviation. The conclusion therefore is that local candidates do make a difference and contribute strongly to the salience of electoral decisions on the local level. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 898-916 Issue: 6 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2015.1048230 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2015.1048230 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:6:p:898-916 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jens Nilsson Author-X-Name-First: Jens Author-X-Name-Last: Nilsson Title: Local Political Decision-Making: A Case of Rationality or Appropriateness? Abstract: The party and trustee principles are two representational styles used to describe how politicians make decisions. Swedish politicians have historically relied more on the party principle than the trustee principle. This article studies the decision-making practices of local Swedish politicians by exploring to what extent they rely on these principles when making decisions on two issues that diverge in political dignity: tax level and organisational change in the municipal administration. The study draws on new institutional theory, in which theories from rational choice and sociological institutionalism were used for modelling and performing a large study. The results indicate that, although Swedish politicians still rely on the party principle when making decisions, there is a significant difference as to what extent they do so in regard to the two policy issues. The trustee principle is more frequently used when deciding on organisational change than on tax levels. This result is valid for all Swedish parties, except for a relatively new political party at the extreme right of the ideological spectrum. Future research of the two decision-making principles in relation to other policy issues, as well as research that delves deeper into the deviant results of the different political parties, is encouraged. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 917-936 Issue: 6 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2015.1050094 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2015.1050094 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:6:p:917-936 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Marius Guderjan Author-X-Name-First: Marius Author-X-Name-Last: Guderjan Title: Theorising European Integration of Local Government – Insights from the Fusion Approach Abstract: The article explores a new, dynamic conceptual framework to understand the relations between local government and the European Union (EU). It argues that, first, the fusion approach explains the systemic linkages between European integration and corresponding change within cities, counties and municipalities. Secondly, fusion dynamics are slowly emerging across European and local levels, whereby competencies and resources are merging and policies become synchronised under Europe 2020 and the European Cohesion Policy. Thirdly, the fusion approach provides an understanding of the attitudes of local actors towards European integration. In order to show the relevance of fusion, the article presents the findings of five empirical indicators: the absorption of EU policies and legislation; attention towards EU policies; institutional adaptation; EU-related action of local government and attitudes towards European integration. It also compares local government in two contrasting regions with regard to their political autonomy – North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany and the North West of England. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 937-955 Issue: 6 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2015.1057277 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2015.1057277 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:6:p:937-955 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: António F. Tavares Author-X-Name-First: António F. Author-X-Name-Last: Tavares Author-Name: Miguel Rodrigues Author-X-Name-First: Miguel Author-X-Name-Last: Rodrigues Title: The Economic and Political Impacts of Top-Down Territorial Reforms: The Case of Sub-City Governments Abstract: The main objective of this manuscript is to test two competing hypotheses from the regionalism/localism literature regarding local government size. The Leviathan hypothesis argues that fragmentation induces lower spending through more decentralised government structures which are smaller relative to the size of the local economy. This argument is in sharp opposition with the supporters of regionalism who argue that territorial centralisation can produce economies of scale and significant cost savings, reduce overlaps and promote a more efficient local government. These competing hypotheses derived from the literature are tested using data collected from all 278 local governments of continental Portugal. We measure local government size as both per capita total expenditures and per capita grant transfers to sub-city governments and territorial fragmentation as the number of sub-city governments per 1,000 individuals. Our findings indicate that higher levels of sub-city fragmentation lead to increased municipal government spending and transfers to sub-city governments, thus suggesting that the amalgamation of sub-city governments required by the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in 2011 by the Portuguese government, the International Monetary Fund, the European Union and the European Central Bank and mandated by national legislation has the potential to induce cost savings and to improve financial sustainability. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 956-976 Issue: 6 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2015.1057278 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2015.1057278 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:6:p:956-976 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Nils Soguel Author-X-Name-First: Nils Author-X-Name-Last: Soguel Author-Name: Julie Silberstein Author-X-Name-First: Julie Author-X-Name-Last: Silberstein Title: Welfare Loss with Municipal Amalgamations and the Willingness-to-Pay for the Municipality Name Abstract: Functional advantages and drawbacks are commonly mentioned to rationally justify or condemn municipality amalgamations. However, many consolidation projects are resisted by local governments or citizens on the grounds that amalgamation would dampen local identity. A municipality’s name change is probably the most visible sign of the loss of community bond experienced by citizens at amalgamation time. This article aims to put a value on this loss by measuring citizen willingness to pay for their city name. This methodological approach innovates upon the literature on municipal amalgamation and place branding by exploiting the versatility of the so-called contingent valuation method (CVM). CVM confronts respondents, in a survey setting, with a hypothetical market in which a characteristic of interest is exchanged. Here the characteristic is the possibility to retain one’s city name for an amalgamated jurisdiction. The article presents the estimates provided by a survey conducted in four Swiss cities. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 977-996 Issue: 6 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2015.1061507 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2015.1061507 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:6:p:977-996 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Bernardino Benito Author-X-Name-First: Bernardino Author-X-Name-Last: Benito Author-Name: Cristina Vicente Author-X-Name-First: Cristina Author-X-Name-Last: Vicente Author-Name: Francisco Bastida Author-X-Name-First: Francisco Author-X-Name-Last: Bastida Title: The Impact of the Housing Bubble on the Growth of Municipal Debt: Evidence from Spain Abstract: The aim of this paper is to analyse the impact of the recent Spanish housing boom and the subsequent burst on local public finances. Particularly, we investigate the effect of the rise and later fall in revenue from urban development on local government debt. Using a sample of the Spanish largest municipalities in the period 2003–2011, we find that debt was substituted by revenue from urban development during boom years and this substitution effect vanished after the burst of the boom. Our results also reveal that local public finances have worsened after the burst of the housing bubble since now they have larger current spending and smaller savings. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 997-1016 Issue: 6 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2015.1048231 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2015.1048231 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:6:p:997-1016 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Ted Cantle Author-X-Name-First: Ted Author-X-Name-Last: Cantle Title: Negotiating Cohesion, Inequality and Change: Uncomfortable Positions in Local Government, by Hannah Jones, Bristol, Policy Press. 2013, ISBN 9781447310037 Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1017-1019 Issue: 6 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2014.923168 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2014.923168 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:6:p:1017-1019 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Mirza Ahmad Author-X-Name-First: Mirza Author-X-Name-Last: Ahmad Title: Achieving Ethical Competence for Public Service Leadership, by Terry L. Cooper & Donald C. Menzel (eds), Armonk, NY, M.E Sharpe, 2013, ISBN: 978-0-7656-3246-3 Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1019-1020 Issue: 6 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2014.923169 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2014.923169 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:6:p:1019-1020 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: J Gordon Murray Author-X-Name-First: J Gordon Author-X-Name-Last: Murray Title: Complex Contracting, Trevor L. Brown, Matthew Potoski & David M. Van Slyke, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2013, ISBN 978-1107038622 Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1020-1022 Issue: 6 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2014.923170 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2014.923170 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:6:p:1020-1022 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Salha Alshumrani Author-X-Name-First: Salha Author-X-Name-Last: Alshumrani Author-Name: Rahat Munir Author-X-Name-First: Rahat Author-X-Name-Last: Munir Author-Name: Kevin Baird Author-X-Name-First: Kevin Author-X-Name-Last: Baird Title: Organisational culture and strategic change in Australian local governments Abstract: This study examines the impact of organisational culture on strategic change in local governments in Australia. The findings indicate that strategic change is affected by two organisational culture factors, innovation and attention to detail. This study contributes to the management accounting contingency literature and the public management literature by providing an insight into the role of organisational culture as a contingency factor influencing strategic change. Such findings may be used by local government managers to enact change effectively. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 601-623 Issue: 5 Volume: 44 Year: 2018 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1481398 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1481398 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:44:y:2018:i:5:p:601-623 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Twyla Blackmond Larnell Author-X-Name-First: Twyla Author-X-Name-Last: Blackmond Larnell Title: Does it matter ‘who governs?’ Governance networks, local economic development policies, and the Great Recession Abstract: This study purports to examine whether governance networks influence cities’ use of local economic development policies, specifically business incentives, and if the role of networks changed during the Great Recession. Using American cities that responded to the International City/County Management Association’s Economic Development Survey in 2004 and 2009, hierarchical cluster analysis was employed to identify groups of cities with similar network membership patterns. The results of negative binomial regression models indicate that before the recession, the total number of actors participating in the network played a larger role in the total number of incentives provided by cities as well as the use of tax incentives. This changed in 2009 when network type emerged as the important governance-based determinant of the same variables. The results also suggest that traditional theories of economic development do not hold during times of economic and fail to explain the use of planning and labour incentives. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 624-648 Issue: 5 Volume: 44 Year: 2018 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1488687 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1488687 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:44:y:2018:i:5:p:624-648 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Steven R. Henderson Author-X-Name-First: Steven R. Author-X-Name-Last: Henderson Title: Advocating within and outside the shadow of hierarchy: local government responses to Melbourne’s outer suburban deficits Abstract: Where urban and regional development processes create deficits in infrastructure, services or employment, governments are expected to respond. One specific dimension is local government advocacy within a multi-tiered state. Although democratically proximate to residents, local government represents a creature of higher government tiers and is subject to the centralist ‘shadow of hierarchy’. To interpret whether advocacy is stunted by hierarchical influences, a distinction is drawn between passive, active and aggressive advocacy. Using interviews conducted with outer Melbourne’s growth area councils, the paper evidences the multidimensional and evolving nature of local and regional advocacy within the shadow. Illustrative of intra-sector variation, some peripheral councils have stepped beyond the metaphoric shadows and adopted politically confrontational or aggressive advocacy. Overarching conceptual framings must be appreciative of spatial and temporal variation in local government advocacy, and the local embeddedness of all government tiers through representative structures. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 649-669 Issue: 5 Volume: 44 Year: 2018 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1481397 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1481397 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:44:y:2018:i:5:p:649-669 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Yong Fan Author-X-Name-First: Yong Author-X-Name-Last: Fan Author-Name: Yan Wu Author-X-Name-First: Yan Author-X-Name-Last: Wu Author-Name: Alfred M. Wu Author-X-Name-First: Alfred M. Author-X-Name-Last: Wu Author-Name: Wei Wang Author-X-Name-First: Wei Author-X-Name-Last: Wang Title: Decentralised governance and empowerment of county governments in China: betting on the weak or the strong? Abstract: Decentralised economic development initiatives empowering local governments have gained currency in both developed and developing contexts. The empowerment of county governments in China is a case in point. This study uses difference-in-differences (DID) and the fixed-effects model with panel data (1997–2008) in counties in Zhejiang Province to empirically investigate the different impacts of the empowerment reform on county economies and fiscal revenue (FR). The results reveal that the reform has not promoted county economies as expected but has significantly increased FR. The reform has had a larger impact on less developed counties than on developed ones, which suggests a positive outcome of this decentralisation policy in China with regard to revenue generation. This study on county empowerment in Zhejiang Province provides some policy implications for other regions in China or developing countries. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 670-696 Issue: 5 Volume: 44 Year: 2018 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1473766 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1473766 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:44:y:2018:i:5:p:670-696 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Tjerk Budding Author-X-Name-First: Tjerk Author-X-Name-Last: Budding Author-Name: Bram Faber Author-X-Name-First: Bram Author-X-Name-Last: Faber Author-Name: Raymond Gradus Author-X-Name-First: Raymond Author-X-Name-Last: Gradus Title: Assessing electronic service delivery in municipalities: determinants and financial consequences of e-government implementation Abstract: In the Netherlands, electronic service delivery has become an important issue in many municipalities. Using the Internet for service delivery is seen as an important element of e-government. Based on 2014–2016 panel data for all Dutch municipalities, we show that there is a large variety among the municipalities in the extent to which they offer their service delivery digitally. By exploring the factors that may explain the differences among the municipalities, some trends can be discerned. Most notably is the strong relationship of e-government adoption with demographic characteristics, such as population, population density and both older age and younger age groups. Remarkably, we did not find an influence of education and income. Finally, we did not observe a relation between municipal allocated costs and level of e-maturity, hereby leaving the question open if and how e-government can lead to cost reductions. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 697-718 Issue: 5 Volume: 44 Year: 2018 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1473768 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1473768 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:44:y:2018:i:5:p:697-718 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Helena Robinson Author-X-Name-First: Helena Author-X-Name-Last: Robinson Title: Cultural policy, local government and museums: an Australian perspective Abstract: This article examines cultural policy developments affecting the Australian local government sector arguing for policy that directly addresses the operational needs of small to medium museums. Over a period spanning roughly three decades, national and state government involvement in ‘community’ cultural programmes has decreased, with local authorities assuming primary funding responsibility; a process I call the ‘municipalisation of culture’. The dual imperative for councils to provide dynamic cultural facilities while demonstrating prudent spending of ratepayer money has produced a challenging climate for local museums. Using the state of New South Wales as a case study, this article explores how this shifting cultural policy landscape, together with growing instrumentalisation of cultural programmes, has transformed the perceived context and purpose of museums in local government areas. It argues that the pressures of demonstrating impact across an array of public benefits in a restricted funding climate threatens the sustainability and meaningfulness of local museums. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 719-738 Issue: 5 Volume: 44 Year: 2018 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1488688 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1488688 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:44:y:2018:i:5:p:719-738 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Whyeda Gill-Mclure Author-X-Name-First: Whyeda Author-X-Name-Last: Gill-Mclure Title: Who stole the town hall? The end of local government as we know it Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 739-741 Issue: 5 Volume: 44 Year: 2018 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1502392 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1502392 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:44:y:2018:i:5:p:739-741 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jason Lowther Author-X-Name-First: Jason Author-X-Name-Last: Lowther Title: Social policy review 29: analysis and debate in social policy 2017 Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 741-744 Issue: 5 Volume: 44 Year: 2018 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1502391 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1502391 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:44:y:2018:i:5:p:741-744 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Vivien Lowndes Author-X-Name-First: Vivien Author-X-Name-Last: Lowndes Author-Name: Alison Gardner Author-X-Name-First: Alison Author-X-Name-Last: Gardner Title: Local governance under the Conservatives: super-austerity, devolution and the ‘smarter state’ Abstract: Through their ambitious devolution programme, the Conservatives show a new assertiveness in relation to restructuring the local state, in contrast to the laissez-faire approach of the previous Coalition government. Although the Coalition piloted devolution, its signature policies of ‘localism’ and the ‘Big Society’ focused on non-state actors, providing rights and opportunities for communities to challenge local government and establish their own services. The Conservatives are promoting devolution as a strategy to stimulate economic growth based on greater sub-regional autonomy and increased competitiveness across and between English localities. ‘Combined authorities’ have the opportunity to champion local identities and acquire new economic development powers from Whitehall. But devolution could be a strategy to decentralise austerity, shifting responsibility to the local level for deeper cuts (56% by 2020) and inevitable service reductions. Local government confronts ‘super-austerity’, where new cuts come on top of previous ones, compounding original impacts and creating dangerous (and unevenly spread) multiplier effects. The Conservatives’ ‘smarter state’ policies, aimed at delivering ‘more for less’, amount to little more than a recycling of new public management diktats. The emerging patchwork of ‘devolution deals’ challenges the redistributive assumptions of the grant regime and could leave disadvantaged areas at particular risk of failure. ‘Metro mayors’ are intended to provide visible and accountable leadership; but roles for locally elected councillors, and prospects for community and citizen engagement, remain unclear. The public has yet to be adequately engaged in what is in danger of becoming a technocratic transfer of power. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 357-375 Issue: 3 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1150837 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1150837 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:3:p:357-375 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Hellmut Wollmann Author-X-Name-First: Hellmut Author-X-Name-Last: Wollmann Title: Local government reforms: between multifunction and single-purpose organisations Abstract: The paper argues that, in ‘revisiting’ the referred-to article published back in 2004, the concept then guiding the analysis would need to be modified particularly on three scores. For one, in order to achieve a more adequate comparison the country selection should be expanded beyond the earlier sample (UK, France, Germany and Sweden) to also capture Southern and Central Eastern European countries. Second, the ‘developmental’ (‘over time’) analysis of the pertinent institutional changes should be further accentuated and complemented by proceeding ‘by (developmental)stages’ instead of ‘country by country’. Third, while still deeming the distinction between ‘multifunction’ and ‘single-purpose’ organisations fruitful to guide a ‘government versus governance’ analysis and interpretation, the distinction between ‘political rationality’ and ‘economic rationality’ should be added with the former (ideal-typically) identified with elected (local) government and the latter seen characteristic of many of the actors in the governance-typical actor networks. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 376-384 Issue: 3 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1153305 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1153305 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:3:p:376-384 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Giuseppe Di Liddo Author-X-Name-First: Giuseppe Author-X-Name-Last: Di Liddo Author-Name: Ernesto Longobardi Author-X-Name-First: Ernesto Author-X-Name-Last: Longobardi Author-Name: Francesco Porcelli Author-X-Name-First: Francesco Author-X-Name-Last: Porcelli Title: Measuring horizontal fiscal imbalance: the case of Italian municipalities Abstract: In the literature on fiscal federalism, vertical fiscal imbalance has been widely studied, while the theme of horizontal fiscal imbalance and inequality among local governments, due to differences in their fiscal capacities, has been less explored. This article contributes to fill the gap. A new method to compute fiscal capacities based on regression analysis is proposed, which can overcome some of the drawbacks of traditional methods such as the representative tax system. This new approach is then employed to evaluate the fiscal capacities of Italian municipalities over the period 2002–2010. Finally two global measures of the horizontal fiscal imbalance are used to evaluate the equity implication of a major policy change occurred in 2008 in Italian municipal finance. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 385-419 Issue: 3 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1150836 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1150836 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:3:p:385-419 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Margherita Boggio Author-X-Name-First: Margherita Author-X-Name-Last: Boggio Title: From public to mixed ownership in local public services provision: an empirical analysis Abstract: There is a long tradition of companies that provide local public services, such as energy distribution or solid waste collection, being strategically important for the promotion of the development of areas where they are present and having a great influence on citizens’ quality of life. This article examines the determinants of the choice of ownership structure for Italian companies that provide local public services, and the effects that this choice has on their performance. Economic and financial data at company level was merged with economic, political, financial and territorial data on the municipality with the majority of shares in it. A two-stage multinomial selection model was employed, in order to carry out the analysis with more than two alternative ownership structures and to control for endogeneity. The empirical evidence indicates that the municipality’s political and budgetary conditions matter in the choice of ownership structure. Although the computed Average Treatment Effects seem to indicate that mixed ownership increases operating efficiency, the profitability indicators provide evidence to the contrary. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 420-440 Issue: 3 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1146138 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1146138 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:3:p:420-440 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jacob Bikker Author-X-Name-First: Jacob Author-X-Name-Last: Bikker Author-Name: Daan van der Linde Author-X-Name-First: Daan Author-X-Name-Last: van der Linde Title: Scale economies in local public administration Abstract: A renewed interest in decentralisation has profoundly affected local public governance around the world. Faced with an increasing number of tasks, Dutch municipalities have recently sought physical centralisation, merging into larger jurisdictions in order to target new policy areas more effectively and cost efficiently. Is such a policy of physical centralisation wise? We study economies of scale in local public administration, and find – given transfer payments from central government and current cooperation between municipalities and after controlling for geographical, demographic and socioeconomic variables – substantial unused scale economies of 17% for the average municipality. Between 2005 and 2014 the optimum size of municipalities increases from around 49,000 to 66,260 inhabitants, pointing at an increased importance of fixed costs relative to variable costs in local public administration. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 441-463 Issue: 3 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1146139 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1146139 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:3:p:441-463 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Kim Loader Author-X-Name-First: Kim Author-X-Name-Last: Loader Title: Is local authority procurement supporting SMEs? An analysis of practice in English local authorities Abstract: The UK coalition government wishes to improve the access of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to public procurement, in recognition of their importance to the economy and for the benefits they can bring to public procurement and the wider public sector. Local government provides a significant opportunity for small firms, spending £84 billion of the total procurement spend of £230 billion. However, about two-thirds of both small businesses and local authorities think that SMEs face barriers in successfully accessing public procurement. This paper examines how councils are supporting SMEs in the procurement process by analysing 67 entry forms to the ‘Best Councils to do business with’ competition. This unique data source has provided insight into councils’ attitudes and procurement practices, and demonstrates that although a wide range of supportive actions are being employed there is considerable diversity across councils. Ambiguities and tensions in policies, between local and central government, have also emerged. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 464-484 Issue: 3 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1157068 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1157068 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:3:p:464-484 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Steven R. Smith Author-X-Name-First: Steven R. Author-X-Name-Last: Smith Title: W.B. Gallie, T.H. Marshall and the contested concepts of fairness and citizenship: examining the parameters of debate in Newport City Council’s Fairness Commission and citizens’ views on fairness Abstract: The paper examines Newport City Council’s Fairness Commission’s (NFC) understanding of fairness, alongside a survey of Newport citizens’ views on fairness. These views focus on two parameters of debate identified by the NFC – equality versus differential treatment, and the accountability and transparency of decision-making – reflecting competing interpretations of the political concept of fairness, and as explored by W.B. Gallie. Moreover, these contested interpretations also have a profound bearing on post-1945 debates about citizenship instigated by T.H. Marshall. While many contemporary policy-recommenders and politicians reject Marshallesque social rights to citizenship, dismissing these rights as encouraging so-called passive conceptions of citizenship emphasising unconditional individual entitlements to local services, the views of Newport citizens tend to broadly support these rights. These rights are distinct from ‘active’ conceptions, emphasising the values of interdependency and reciprocity, and citizens’ obligations to positively participate in community life which then underpin conditions for receiving entitlements. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 485-505 Issue: 3 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1157069 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1157069 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:3:p:485-505 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: The Editors Title: Addendum Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: iii-iii Issue: 3 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1167406 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1167406 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:3:p:iii-iii Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Clive Gray Author-X-Name-First: Clive Author-X-Name-Last: Gray Title: Local government and the arts revisited Abstract: This article discusses policy developments in the arts and local government since the publication of the original article on this topic. It assesses the continued relevance of the thinking behind policy attachment in the original article for understanding and explaining policy in this sector, and indicates the direction in which the concept of policy attachment could be developed in both analytical and empirical ways. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 315-322 Issue: 3 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1269758 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1269758 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:3:p:315-322 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Carola van Eijk Author-X-Name-First: Carola Author-X-Name-Last: van Eijk Author-Name: Trui Steen Author-X-Name-First: Trui Author-X-Name-Last: Steen Author-Name: Bram Verschuere Author-X-Name-First: Bram Author-X-Name-Last: Verschuere Title: Co-producing safety in the local community: A Q-methodology study on the incentives of Belgian and Dutch members of neighbourhood watch schemes Abstract: This study aims to explain citizens’ engagement in co-production activities in the domain of community safety. We use a multiple case study design by looking at neighbourhood watch schemes in Belgium and the Netherlands. We applied Q-methodology to map the opinions of citizens about their co-productive efforts, and to cluster these opinions into co-producers’ profiles. Discussing differences and similarities in profiles enables a more generalised understanding of the reasons why people co-produce. We conclude with some policy-relevant points about incentivation when local governments want to achieve an increase in citizen co-production. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 323-343 Issue: 3 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1281803 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1281803 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:3:p:323-343 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Alex Lord Author-X-Name-First: Alex Author-X-Name-Last: Lord Author-Name: Michael Mair Author-X-Name-First: Michael Author-X-Name-Last: Mair Author-Name: John Sturzaker Author-X-Name-First: John Author-X-Name-Last: Sturzaker Author-Name: Paul Jones Author-X-Name-First: Paul Author-X-Name-Last: Jones Title: ‘The planners’ dream goes wrong?’ Questioning citizen-centred planning Abstract: The reform of urban and environmental planning in England since the election of the Coalition government in 2010 has resulted in the emergence of Neighbourhood Planning: a situation in which citizens can autonomously assemble, define the spatial extent of their neighbourhood and author a plan for it. In this paper, we argue that this radical policy is part of a wider agenda to de-professionalise planning as a statutory function and has its roots in an odd assemblage of classical right-wing political thinking and the prescriptions of post-positivist planning theory. This uneasy conceptual relationship reveals a wider inconsistency between the policy in rhetorical form and its practical implementation. Drawing on primary research from England’s North-West and a thorough review of literature, we hope to show that the dream of citizen-centred planning masks deep tensions within the activity of urban and environmental management. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 344-363 Issue: 3 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1288618 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1288618 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:3:p:344-363 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Alex Ingrams Author-X-Name-First: Alex Author-X-Name-Last: Ingrams Title: Managing governance complexity and knowledge networks in transparency initiatives: the case of police open data Abstract: Public organisations are often described as being subject to types of complexity that result from the interorganisational structure of governance networks. Transparency programmes add another level of complexity due to increased information openness. However, neither the nature of this complexity nor the network management approaches needed for transparency programmes has been conceptually developed. To address this gap, this article brings together governance complexity theory and knowledge management theory. An empirical model is tested using the case of police open data with regression analysis and 22 expert interviews. The results show that institutional and environmental complexity such as budget pressures, legal-normative constraints, and task complexity exert a negative influence on police information openness. However, network knowledge management practices including developing mission focus on people and communication and overcoming organisational boundaries through interorganisational collaboration can counteract these problems of complexity. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 364-387 Issue: 3 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1294070 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1294070 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:3:p:364-387 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Zachary Spicer Author-X-Name-First: Zachary Author-X-Name-Last: Spicer Title: Bridging the accountability and transparency gap in inter-municipal collaboration Abstract: Municipal governments are increasingly showing interest in inter-municipal cooperation. Often overlooked in the discussion of such collaborative relationships are concerns related to accountability and transparency. In this article, we introduce a framework to measure accountability and transparency in inter-local relationships and test it with a brief case study of inter-municipal cooperative agreements collected from the Greater Toronto Area. Overall, the agreements collected score very low on our accountability scale, mainly because of low levels of public access and poor internal accountability. We conclude the study by examining the challenges of having multiple lines of accountability in local service collaboration. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 388-407 Issue: 3 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1288617 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1288617 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:3:p:388-407 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Pepijn van Houwelingen Author-X-Name-First: Pepijn Author-X-Name-Last: van Houwelingen Title: Political participation and municipal population size: A meta-study Abstract: Do municipal amalgamations enforce or do they weaken (local) political participation? This is an important question considering a worldwide tendency for municipalities to merge. This question will be answered using a mixed-method approach based on a literature overview (meta-study) in general and additional quantitative (turnout figures, election studies) and qualitative (interviews) data regarding the situation in The Netherlands in particular. Political participation is consistently measured using indicators that measure behaviour (especially turnout figures) instead of perceptions and opinions such as trust or internal and external political efficacy. Local political participation seems to decrease with an increase in municipal population size. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 408-428 Issue: 3 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1300147 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1300147 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:3:p:408-428 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jongmin Shon Author-X-Name-First: Jongmin Author-X-Name-Last: Shon Title: State-local sales tax, spillover, and economic activity: examining county governments in the US Abstract: The reliance on sales taxation has increased in both states and counties. This study aggregated county-level data and empirically explored the associations between state-local sales taxes and economic activity by industry types in county governments for the period of 1990–2013. The results revealed negative associations of sales tax rates with economic activity, especially in the manufacturing industry. Further, the findings provided the spatial dependence of economic activity across counties as a form of possible spillover. This study suggests that policymakers should pay attention to how the manufacturing and retail industries respond to any changes in sales tax rates for business activity. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 429-450 Issue: 3 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1300148 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1300148 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:3:p:429-450 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Lasse Oulasvirta Author-X-Name-First: Lasse Author-X-Name-Last: Oulasvirta Author-Name: Ari-Veikko Anttiroiko Author-X-Name-First: Ari-Veikko Author-X-Name-Last: Anttiroiko Title: Adoption of comprehensive risk management in local government Abstract: In the aftermath of large company failures in the early 2000s, there emerged a new wave of efforts to enhance risk management (RM) and control in enterprises. The normative RM model has been promoted widely to all organisations, including public sector organisations. Using survey data, this article describes and explains the diffusion and adoption of RM innovation in local government in Finland. Our survey results support the argument that if comprehensive RM is not obligatory, it is not widely used in local government. Our analysis reveals that financial constraints explain to some extent the existence of comprehensive RM in municipalities, while structural factors such as the size of municipalities do not, even though RM is slightly more advanced in larger rather than smaller local governments. Slow adoption indicates that comprehensive RM as a managerial innovation lacks immediate benefit when assessed against the efforts and costs of its introduction and maintenance. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 451-474 Issue: 3 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1294071 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1294071 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:3:p:451-474 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Dominic Nyhuis Author-X-Name-First: Dominic Author-X-Name-Last: Nyhuis Title: Estimating policy positions of local parties in elections with multi-vote ballots Abstract: This paper investigates the potential for estimating policy positions from electoral results in elections with multiple votes. When voters can spread their votes across multiple party lists in open list elections, they are more likely to select candidates from parties with similar policy positions. The electoral results can therefore be exploited to infer parties’ preferences based on the structure of vote combinations. The proposed data provide a valuable tool for analysing party behaviour in circumstances where ordinary methods for estimating policy positions fail, most importantly in electoral contexts with local competitors. Applying an ideal point model for count data, party preferences are estimated for a German municipality. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 475-498 Issue: 3 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1300146 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1300146 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:3:p:475-498 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Louise Skoog Author-X-Name-First: Louise Author-X-Name-Last: Skoog Title: Sabine Kuhlmann and Geert Bouckaert, Local public sector reforms in times of crisis – national trajectories and international comparisons Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 499-501 Issue: 3 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1305062 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1305062 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:3:p:499-501 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Amanda Fitzgerald Author-X-Name-First: Amanda Author-X-Name-Last: Fitzgerald Title: Querying the resilient local authority: the question of ‘resilience for whom?’ Abstract: Analysis of how English local authorities (LAs) have fared post large cuts to their funding by the Coalition and now Conservative governments indicates a considerably resilient organisation. Engaging with recent critical strands in the resilience literature this paper, however, queries that resilient LA account. Better consideration of resilience’s repercussions across the landscape of local services provision is needed. The question of ‘resilience for whom?’, drawn from the conceptual literature, is introduced and frames an exploration of the experiences of LA resilience strategies among small charities in deprived areas of London. Deleterious dimensions of resilience are seen in its distancing and de-coupling effects and associated voluntary provider fading. There are losers and a dark underside to explore. Such perspectives add to the local government and austerity scholarship insight as to the noted ‘austerity puzzle’ and a questioning of its tendency towards a ‘great survivor’ account. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 788-806 Issue: 6 Volume: 44 Year: 2018 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1473767 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1473767 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:44:y:2018:i:6:p:788-806 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Matt Ryan Author-X-Name-First: Matt Author-X-Name-Last: Ryan Author-Name: Gerry Stoker Author-X-Name-First: Gerry Author-X-Name-Last: Stoker Author-Name: Peter John Author-X-Name-First: Peter Author-X-Name-Last: John Author-Name: Alice Moseley Author-X-Name-First: Alice Author-X-Name-Last: Moseley Author-Name: Oliver James Author-X-Name-First: Oliver Author-X-Name-Last: James Author-Name: Liz Richardson Author-X-Name-First: Liz Author-X-Name-Last: Richardson Author-Name: Matia Vannoni Author-X-Name-First: Matia Author-X-Name-Last: Vannoni Title: How best to open up local democracy? A randomised experiment to encourage contested elections and greater representativeness in English parish councils Abstract: Interventions aimed at increasing the supply and representativeness of elected officials range from facilitative to the formally authorised. This paper reports on a field experiment aimed at testing the effect of facilitative approaches at the local level based on a collaboration between parish councils and the research team. We randomly allocated 818 parish council clerks across five counties in Southern England, either to receive information and the opportunity for member training for recruitment, or not to receive this contact. We investigated the effect of this intervention on political recruitment. Despite evidence of an effect on use of social media, our results suggest that there are significant institutional and structural barriers to participation in local politics that cannot easily be overcome using facilitative measures. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 766-787 Issue: 6 Volume: 44 Year: 2018 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1473769 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1473769 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:44:y:2018:i:6:p:766-787 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Marita Basson Author-X-Name-First: Marita Author-X-Name-Last: Basson Author-Name: Henriette van Rensburg Author-X-Name-First: Henriette Author-X-Name-Last: van Rensburg Author-Name: Michael Cuthill Author-X-Name-First: Michael Author-X-Name-Last: Cuthill Author-Name: Michael O. Erdiaw-Kwasie Author-X-Name-First: Michael O. Author-X-Name-Last: Erdiaw-Kwasie Title: Is regional government-governance nexus delivering on social sustainability promises? Empirical evidence from Moranbah in Australia Abstract: Social sustainability, in theory, should result in responsiveness to change, a durable sense of community trust and interdependent institutional structures. However, recent studies indicate that current sustainability efforts of regional local government are not yielding anticipated outcomes. Drawing on two social theories of Henri Lefebvre, this paper offers an empirical analysis of the ability of the government–governance nexus to deliver on social sustainability promises in Moranbah in regional Australia. Study findings revealed that the Moranbah government–governance nexus suffers from adversarial relationships between key actors that result in a distrust of politics and power, the absence of a defined governance system, community alienation, and State Government dominance and intervention. These experiences of the government–governance nexus have rendered social sustainability a distant hope for Moranbah’s residents. This paper suggests a reform in sustainability policies to improve the current situation in the case region, and theoretical propositions for future research. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 826-847 Issue: 6 Volume: 44 Year: 2018 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1488689 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1488689 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:44:y:2018:i:6:p:826-847 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Yonghong Wu Author-X-Name-First: Yonghong Author-X-Name-Last: Wu Author-Name: Yu Shi Author-X-Name-First: Yu Author-X-Name-Last: Shi Title: How does intergovernmental fiscal environment affect general fund balances of major American cities? Abstract: This study explores the extent to which intergovernmental fiscal factors affect fiscal reserves in municipal general funds. Statistical results from panel data of 87 major cities in the US for the period from 1995 to 2010 show that cities facing more restrictive limitations on local property taxation tend to maintain higher levels of unreserved general fund balances. Additional analyses also show that fiscally constrained cities accumulate surpluses in their general funds. This is consistent with the proactive approach in which municipal governments make fiscal decisions with the awareness of expected state constraints on their revenue-raising capacity. We call for consideration of relevant intergovernmental constraints in the determination of appropriate level of fund balances for municipal governments. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 745-765 Issue: 6 Volume: 44 Year: 2018 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1501365 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1501365 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:44:y:2018:i:6:p:745-765 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Nathalie Colasanti Author-X-Name-First: Nathalie Author-X-Name-Last: Colasanti Author-Name: Rocco Frondizi Author-X-Name-First: Rocco Author-X-Name-Last: Frondizi Author-Name: Joyce Liddle Author-X-Name-First: Joyce Author-X-Name-Last: Liddle Author-Name: Marco Meneguzzo Author-X-Name-First: Marco Author-X-Name-Last: Meneguzzo Title: Grassroots democracy and local government in Northern Syria: the case of democratic confederalism Abstract: This paper provides a case study regarding an innovative model of grass-roots democracy, called democratic confederalism, which is currently being implemented in Northern Syria. The difference between democratic confederalism and previous experiments with grass-roots democracy is that its evolutionary pattern aims to include heterogeneous local communities living in the same territories, with the objective of becoming an administrative model for the whole Syrian country, without shattering its national constitution. In fact, the evolution of the political and administrative system and the introduction of the Democratic Federation of Northern Syria were specifically aimed at including all ethnicities and not focusing on the Kurdish population only. Following a literature review aimed at defining the theoretical background of democratic confederalism, the case study is presented. Data collection occurred through semi-structured interviews and informal talks with key stakeholders in the Kurdish movement; the findings and main implications of the model are described and analysed. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 807-825 Issue: 6 Volume: 44 Year: 2018 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1501366 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1501366 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:44:y:2018:i:6:p:807-825 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jungin Kim Author-X-Name-First: Jungin Author-X-Name-Last: Kim Title: Collaborative leadership and financial sustainability in local government Abstract: This research examines whether collaborative leadership significantly influences the financial sustainability of local government. Unlike other studies on financial sustainability, ours examined collaborative leadership’s effect on both subjective and objective financial sustainability by controlling for socio-demographic and economic factors (i.e., population size, population density, population aged over 65 years, unemployment rate, and gross domestic regional product) that influence the financial sustainability of local government. Ordinary least squares (OLS) regression analysis of data collected from local revenue officers as well as secondary data from local governments in South Korea revealed that collaborative leadership has a positive effect on the subjective perception of financial sustainability and a negative effect on the objective financial sustainability (net debt) of local government. These findings underscore the necessity of collaborative leadership for financial sustainability as well as the strategies needed for its development in local government. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 874-893 Issue: 6 Volume: 44 Year: 2018 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1512490 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1512490 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:44:y:2018:i:6:p:874-893 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Francesco Vidoli Author-X-Name-First: Francesco Author-X-Name-Last: Vidoli Author-Name: Elisa Fusco Author-X-Name-First: Elisa Author-X-Name-Last: Fusco Title: Level of services, spatial dependence and allocative efficiency in local governments Abstract: In the public economics literature expenditure needs, allocative efficiency and spatial dependence of local governments costs have been widely analysed separately implying bias estimations of the expenditure needs at local level. An original procedure that simultaneously takes into account the standard level of services, the allocative efficiency and the spatial proximity among Municipalities, has been proposed. The estimation strategy has been applied on a very detailed database of more than 4,000 Italian Municipalities for the year 2013. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 848-873 Issue: 6 Volume: 44 Year: 2018 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1512491 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1512491 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:44:y:2018:i:6:p:848-873 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jason Lowther Author-X-Name-First: Jason Author-X-Name-Last: Lowther Title: Handbook of social policy evaluation Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 896-899 Issue: 6 Volume: 44 Year: 2018 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1529966 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1529966 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:44:y:2018:i:6:p:896-899 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Kojo Oduro Author-X-Name-First: Kojo Author-X-Name-Last: Oduro Title: Fiscal decentralization and local finance in developing countries Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 899-901 Issue: 6 Volume: 44 Year: 2018 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1529967 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1529967 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:44:y:2018:i:6:p:899-901 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Rachel Wall Author-X-Name-First: Rachel Author-X-Name-Last: Wall Title: Political leaders and changing local democracy: the European mayor Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 894-896 Issue: 6 Volume: 44 Year: 2018 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1529968 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1529968 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:44:y:2018:i:6:p:894-896 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Anders Tønnesen Author-X-Name-First: Anders Author-X-Name-Last: Tønnesen Title: Democratic anchorage and performance: Comparing two network approaches to land-use and transport-system development Abstract: This paper describes two Norwegian governance networks. While both address questions about land-use and transport, the ways in which they are democratically anchored differ. Starting out from goals set for climate-friendly transport, linkages between democratic anchorage and network effectiveness are discussed. In some ways the network with the lowest stakeholder involvement, and therefore the smallest network structure, has come furthest – measures are implemented quickly and extensive resources are used to improve public transport. The other network does not have the same implementation rate or resource-use, but has shown strong efforts to mobilise and coordinate a wide set of actors. Both approaches involve important elements for reducing emissions from transport, specifically the effectiveness and toughness of one and the broader mobilisation of the other. Applying a wide set of criteria to evaluate network performance, the paper discusses the advantages and disadvantages of the two network structures. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 653-672 Issue: 5 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2014.982110 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2014.982110 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:5:p:653-672 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Simon A. Andrew Author-X-Name-First: Simon A. Author-X-Name-Last: Andrew Author-Name: Kyujin Jung Author-X-Name-First: Kyujin Author-X-Name-Last: Jung Author-Name: Xiangyu Li Author-X-Name-First: Xiangyu Author-X-Name-Last: Li Title: Grass-Root Organisations, Intergovernmental Collaboration, and Emergency Preparedness: An Institutional Collective Action Approach Abstract: This paper examines the importance of grass-root emergency response groups in emergency preparedness. Consistent with the Institutional Collective Action framework, we highlight key constraints associated with local government strategies of mutual resource exchange and barriers to intergovernmental collaboration. We examine local governments’ emergency preparedness using survey data collected in the North Central Texas region. We employed a simple OLS analysis to determine mutual exchange and Poisson estimations on the likelihood of local governments receiving and providing external assistance. Findings showed that the presence of grass-root organisations in a jurisdiction is associated with emergency preparedness, highlighting the importance of norms of volunteerism. Local political institutions and participation in federally funded programmes also have an effect on local government decisions. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 673-694 Issue: 5 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2015.1007131 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2015.1007131 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:5:p:673-694 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Tom Barrance Author-X-Name-First: Tom Author-X-Name-Last: Barrance Title: Framing Gov2.0: A Q-Methodological Study of Practitioners’ and Local Politicians’ Opinions Abstract: Proponents of Gov2.0 claim that it offers the potential to improve the relationship between the citizen and state. Whether this potential can be realised depends in part on how new web-based technologies are implemented. Local government officials and politicians are important actors in this process, yet we know little about how they view Gov2.0. This paper applies Q-methodology to a sample of English local government actors to generate new data and fill this gap in our knowledge. Four frames of reference within this population are revealed: Sunlight on Government, Cautious Crowdsourcers, Gov1.0 and Platform Providers. The paper concludes that while there is general agreement that technology will be a driver of change, and that local government should adapt, there is no clear agreement as to the nature of reform. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 695-712 Issue: 5 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2015.1012193 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2015.1012193 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:5:p:695-712 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Michael Thrasher Author-X-Name-First: Michael Author-X-Name-Last: Thrasher Author-Name: Galina Borisyuk Author-X-Name-First: Galina Author-X-Name-Last: Borisyuk Author-Name: Mary Shears Author-X-Name-First: Mary Author-X-Name-Last: Shears Author-Name: Colin Rallings Author-X-Name-First: Colin Author-X-Name-Last: Rallings Title: Councillors in Context: The Impact of Place upon Elected Representatives Abstract: The time investment in council duties and the roles adopted by local councillors in Britain have been studied extensively but rarely has research incorporated information about the type of area represented. This article combines individual-level survey responses from councillors with aggregate-level data that describe characteristics of the wards that elect each councillor. The survey data report each councillor’s social and political characteristics, the average hours per week performing council duties and the range and frequency of activities undertaken. The ward-level data include a measure of relative social deprivation, electoral competitiveness and other features. The analysis shows that councillors representing relatively deprived areas spend more time on council activities than do councillors representing more affluent areas. The activities that councillors pursue, especially whether they are proactive or reactive towards constituents, relate to the ward context. Women and people that are retired from work also invest relatively more time in their work as councillors. These findings establish that assessments of what councillors do and the roles that they might adopt should take account of the types of ward being represented. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 713-734 Issue: 5 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2015.1020372 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2015.1020372 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:5:p:713-734 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Kwang Bin Bae Author-X-Name-First: Kwang Bin Author-X-Name-Last: Bae Title: Income Inequality and Redistributive Spending: Evidence from Panel Data of Texas Counties Abstract: The relationship between redistributive spending and income inequality has been of interest to researchers for several decades. Existing literature has largely focused on country-level studies and may be broadly divided into two groups: studies that find a positive relationship between the two and studies that find a negative relationship. The positive association is usually explained through the median voter theory and the negative association through the social insurance theory.This study offers a test of the median voter and social insurance hypotheses by examining the relationship between economic inequality, voter turnout and redistributive spending at the sub-national level among the 50 largest counties in Texas over years 2006 to 2012. One of the advantages of using a regional sample is that counties are relatively more homogeneous and allow for the collection of better records across time. Random effects models suggest that income inequality is positively associated with redistributive spending. The study improves our understanding of the patterns of redistribution at the sub-national level and highlights the importance of careful inter-temporal modelling of relationships between redistributive spending and inequality. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 735-754 Issue: 5 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2015.1020373 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2015.1020373 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:5:p:735-754 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Uli Bernhard Author-X-Name-First: Uli Author-X-Name-Last: Bernhard Author-Name: Marco Dohle Author-X-Name-First: Marco Author-X-Name-Last: Dohle Title: Local Politics Online: The Influence of Presumed Influence on Local Politicians’ Online Communication Activities in Germany Abstract: How extensively local politicians use online media to communicate with others and the factors that influence their online activities have rarely been examined. In particular, it is unknown whether local politicians use online media more extensively when they believe that online media has a strong political influence on others. To examine this, a standardised survey among German local politicians was conducted (n = 608). The results showed the following: The stronger the politicians perceive the influence of facebook and Twitter on journalists to be, the more extensively they spread information via these social media networks. However, the presumed influences on the public or on other politicians do not affect those online activities. Thus, local politicians apparently do not pursue a disintermediation strategy – they do not try to bypass journalism by directly addressing the public. Rather, journalists seem to be an important target group for local politicians’ online communication efforts. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 755-773 Issue: 5 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2015.1028624 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2015.1028624 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:5:p:755-773 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Yaniv Reingewertz Author-X-Name-First: Yaniv Author-X-Name-Last: Reingewertz Title: Political Fragmentation and Fiscal Status: Evidence from Municipalities in Israel Abstract: This article analyses the link between fiscal balance and political fragmentation. While a large body of literature states that political fragmentation leads to fiscal deficits, others suggest that political fragmentation is associated with political competition, which tends to improve fiscal balance. These hypotheses are tested using budgetary and political data of municipalities in Israel for the years 1998–2006. The results suggest that both hypotheses may be correct, depending on voting behaviour. In Arab municipalities, where residents vote according to clan affiliation, low levels of political fragmentation are associated with large debts. On the contrary, in Jewish municipalities, low levels of political fragmentation are associated with small debts, since in these cases, coalition formation requires less spending and is easier to sustain. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 774-793 Issue: 5 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2015.1028625 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2015.1028625 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:5:p:774-793 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Sarah M.L. Krøtel Author-X-Name-First: Sarah M.L. Author-X-Name-Last: Krøtel Title: Contracting for Energy Efficiency: The Diffusion of Novel Contracting Practices at Local Government Level Abstract: Studies on contracting out have provided much needed knowledge about the effect of contracting on different types of services, yet much remains unknown about the antecedents driving the adoption of new contracting practices. The focus of previous studies that have addressed the antecedents of contracting has been on the financial benefit of specific services. This study incorporates the innovation diffusion literature to explore organisational and managerial influences on a novel contracting practice: the contracting out of energy efficiency improvement services in Danish municipalities. The paper finds that the antecedents driving the adoption of contracting out may result from inter-organisational influences as much as managerial factors. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 794-813 Issue: 5 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2015.1030070 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2015.1030070 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:5:p:794-813 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Richard Kerley Author-X-Name-First: Richard Author-X-Name-Last: Kerley Title: Stephen Wearne and Keith White-Hunt, Managing the Urgent and Unexpected: Twelve Project Cases and a Commentary Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 814-815 Issue: 5 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2015.1062618 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2015.1062618 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:5:p:814-815 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Scott Dickinson Author-X-Name-First: Scott Author-X-Name-Last: Dickinson Title: Julian Dobson, How to Save Our Town Centres: A Radical Agenda for the Future of High Streets Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 815-817 Issue: 5 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2015.1062617 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2015.1062617 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:5:p:815-817 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Yaniv Reingewertz Author-X-Name-First: Yaniv Author-X-Name-Last: Reingewertz Author-Name: Soren Serritzlew Author-X-Name-First: Soren Author-X-Name-Last: Serritzlew Title: Special issue on municipal amalgamations: guest editors’ introduction Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 603-610 Issue: 5 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1615465 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1615465 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:5:p:603-610 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Sebastian Blesse Author-X-Name-First: Sebastian Author-X-Name-Last: Blesse Author-Name: Felix Roesel Author-X-Name-First: Felix Author-X-Name-Last: Roesel Title: Merging county administrations – cross-national evidence of fiscal and political effects Abstract: While many central governments amalgamate municipalities, mergers of larger county administrations are rare and hardly explored. In this article, we assess both fiscal and political effects of county mergers in two different institutional settings: counties act autonomously as upper-level local governments (Germany), or counties being decentralised branches of the state government (Austria). We apply difference-in-differences estimations to county merger reforms in each country. In both cases, some counties were amalgamated while others remain untouched. Austrian counties (Bezirke) and German counties (Landkreise) widely differ in terms of autonomy and institutions, but our results are strikingly similar. In both cases, we neither find evidence for cost savings nor for staff reductions. Instead, voter turnout consistently decreases in merged counties, and right-wing populists seem to gain additional support. We conclude that political costs clearly outweigh fiscal null benefits of county merger reforms – independent of the underlying institutional setting. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 611-631 Issue: 5 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1501363 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1501363 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:5:p:611-631 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Carolyn Tran Author-X-Name-First: Carolyn Author-X-Name-Last: Tran Author-Name: Michael Kortt Author-X-Name-First: Michael Author-X-Name-Last: Kortt Author-Name: Brian Dollery Author-X-Name-First: Brian Author-X-Name-Last: Dollery Title: Population size or population density? An empirical examination of scale economies in South Australian local government, 2015/16 Abstract: Advocates of amalgamation typically claim that substantial scale economies flow from municipal mergers, which generate larger local government entities by population size. We examined whether economies of scale exist in council outlays by analysing the expenditure of 68 South Australian local government areas using data from the 2015/16 financial year. However, given the correlation between population size and population density it is important to determine whether the influence of population size on expenditure is due to variations in population density. We find that when local government areas are stratified into subgroups on the basis of population density, the evidence of economies of scale largely evaporates. From a policy perspective, this suggests that in place of municipal mergers, policymakers should instead explore avenues for shared service arrangements in those functions which exhibit scale economies. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 632-653 Issue: 5 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1501364 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1501364 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:5:p:632-653 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Michael Andrea Strebel Author-X-Name-First: Michael Andrea Author-X-Name-Last: Strebel Title: Why voluntary municipal merger projects fail: evidence from popular votes in Switzerland Abstract: What determines the failure of local government amalgamation referenda? Existing research suggests that functional pressures act as a push factor towards local territorial reform, whereas considerations of political self-determination exert a pull effect. However, we know little about the respective importance of these countervailing forces. In this paper, I analyze popular vote decisions on mergers of 541 municipalities involved in 166 different merger projects in three Swiss cantons since the new millennium. The results show that both functional pressures and concerns for self-determination are linked to popular vote outcomes: small municipalities are less likely to reject a merger. Concerns for self-determination matter, but only when the pressures of smallness are not overwhelming: a higher vote share of right-wing parties and a preponderance of other municipalities in the merger coalition increase the probability that voters reject a merger project. This has implications for policy-makers’ strategies when drafting and promoting voluntary local amalgamation reforms. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 654-675 Issue: 5 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1584557 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1584557 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:5:p:654-675 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Sune Welling Hansen Author-X-Name-First: Sune Welling Author-X-Name-Last: Hansen Title: Exploiting the common pool or looking to the future? A study of free-riding leading up to the 2007 municipal amalgamations in Denmark Abstract: Municipal amalgamations can create incentives for opportunistic behaviour. Several fairly recent studies have examined this on amalgamations in Denmark and Sweden using the so-called law of 1 over n. However, they have yielded inconclusive results and I argue that one plausible explanation is a theoretical deficiency in the law, as it does not account for how future political representation can mitigate the incentive to free-ride. I examine this using large-scale amalgamations in Denmark in 2007. This case is quite unique as the amalgamations were implemented in such a manner that they constitute a quasi-experiment, and because an extra fiscal year was added to the election period where the composition of the new councils was known with certainty, while the municipalities retained some decision-making power. The study’s findings are consistent with the argument that the incentive to free-ride depends on the decision makers’ future political stake in the new, amalgamated municipality. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 676-696 Issue: 5 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1586673 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1586673 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:5:p:676-696 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Yosef Bhatti Author-X-Name-First: Yosef Author-X-Name-Last: Bhatti Author-Name: Kasper M. Hansen Author-X-Name-First: Kasper M. Author-X-Name-Last: Hansen Title: Voter turnout and municipal amalgamations—evidence from Denmark Abstract: The study utilizes evidence from the Danish 2007 municipal reform to inquire into the relationship between municipal amalgamations and voter turnout, that is, the classical discussion on size and democracy. The Danish municipal reform is particularly suited for investigating the relationship as a large number of units were merged due to reasons thought to be unrelated with the democratic performance while others were left unchanged. This allows us to investigate the relationship in a quasi-experimental setup. The study finds some evidence of a short-term positive effect on turnout and only limited evidence of a medium- to long-term negative effect when comparing amalgamated and non-amalgamated municipalities. However, stronger indications of negative effects on turnout are found when considering the intensity of the amalgamations. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 697-723 Issue: 5 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1563540 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1563540 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:5:p:697-723 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Peter Bönisch Author-X-Name-First: Peter Author-X-Name-Last: Bönisch Author-Name: Benny Geys Author-X-Name-First: Benny Author-X-Name-Last: Geys Author-Name: Claus Michelsen Author-X-Name-First: Claus Author-X-Name-Last: Michelsen Title: David and Goliath in the poll booth: group size, political power and voter turnout Abstract: This article analyses how the presence of a dominant group of voters within the electorate affects voter turnout. Theoretically, we argue that its absolute size affects turnout via increased free-riding incentives and reduced social pressure to vote within a larger dominant group. Its relative size compared to other groups within the electorate influences turnout through instrumental and expressive responses – in both the dominant and dominated groups – to the degree of electoral competition between groups. Empirical evidence from a large cross section of German municipalities is in line with these theoretical predictions. The observed effects should be taken into account when redesigning electoral jurisdictions through, for instance, municipal mergers or gerrymandering. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 724-747 Issue: 5 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1510390 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1510390 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:5:p:724-747 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Joseph Drew Author-X-Name-First: Joseph Author-X-Name-Last: Drew Author-Name: Eran Razin Author-X-Name-First: Eran Author-X-Name-Last: Razin Author-Name: Rhys Andrews Author-X-Name-First: Rhys Author-X-Name-Last: Andrews Title: Rhetoric in municipal amalgamations: a comparative analysis Abstract: There is a large literature that seeks to evaluate municipal amalgamations ex post, but a relative dearth of scholarly inquiry into the practical political task of persuading the public to accept amalgamations ex ante. We address this important gap in the literature by conducting a rhetorical analysis to ascertain what types of arguments are believed to be efficacious for persuasion on amalgamation. We find evidence to suggest belief in the efficacy of persuading the public through recourse to various projected dreadful consequences, particularly amongst opponents of amalgamation. We conclude by considering some of the reasons behind the observed rhetorics and briefly outline one possible solution. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 748-767 Issue: 5 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1530657 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1530657 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:5:p:748-767 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Tom Caygill Author-X-Name-First: Tom Author-X-Name-Last: Caygill Title: The UK’s changing democracy: the 2018 democratic audit Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 768-769 Issue: 5 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1644790 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1644790 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:5:p:768-769 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Melissa Hawkins Author-X-Name-First: Melissa Author-X-Name-Last: Hawkins Title: Questioning performance measurement: metrics, organizations and power Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 769-772 Issue: 5 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1644792 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1644792 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:5:p:769-772 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Tom Entwistle Author-X-Name-First: Tom Author-X-Name-Last: Entwistle Title: Whose government is it? The renewal of state-citizen cooperation Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 772-775 Issue: 5 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1644794 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1644794 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:5:p:772-775 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Germà Bel Author-X-Name-First: Germà Author-X-Name-Last: Bel Author-Name: Marc Esteve Author-X-Name-First: Marc Author-X-Name-Last: Esteve Author-Name: Peter Matthews Author-X-Name-First: Peter Author-X-Name-Last: Matthews Author-Name: Tamara Metze Author-X-Name-First: Tamara Author-X-Name-Last: Metze Title: Editorial statement Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 139-141 Issue: 2 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1270554 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1270554 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:2:p:139-141 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Dean Bartlett Author-X-Name-First: Dean Author-X-Name-Last: Bartlett Title: Champions of local authority innovation revisited Abstract: This article revisits the concept of the public sector innovation champion. Reflecting changes in sectoral and wider contexts and conceptual advances in the innovation literature, it suggests that much of the underlying thinking behind the original article is of continuing relevance and suggests a number of directions in which this could now be extended, particularly in terms of the nature of innovation and the role of champions therein. It concludes by considering how innovation champions of the future will require a new skillset which draws on new and emergent technologies to align diverse sets of stakeholders in networks of ‘open innovation’. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 142-149 Issue: 2 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1245184 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1245184 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:2:p:142-149 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Alison Gardner Author-X-Name-First: Alison Author-X-Name-Last: Gardner Title: Big change, little change? Punctuation, increments and multi-layer institutional change for English local authorities under austerity Abstract: This paper draws on new institutionalist theories to consider how we might characterise the process and outcomes of change occurring in English local government as a result of the UK’s austerity policies. It uses national and local empirical data to argue that changes are best understood as multi-layer processes, whereby radical ‘punctuated’ shifts in national funding can be mitigated to incremental adjustments in service delivery at a local level. However, the paper also suggests that the incremental appearance of change may be temporary, and that diminishing institutional resilience and emergent discursive shifts potentially prefigure a paradigm change in local governance. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 150-169 Issue: 2 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1276451 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1276451 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:2:p:150-169 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Robert J. Eger, III Author-X-Name-First: Robert J. Author-X-Name-Last: Eger, III Author-Name: Bruce D. McDonald, III Author-X-Name-First: Bruce D. Author-X-Name-Last: McDonald, III Author-Name: D. Ryan Miller Author-X-Name-First: D. Ryan Author-X-Name-Last: Miller Title: Helpful local surtaxes? Florida and disadvantaged families Abstract: Well-intended tax policy often produces unintended consequences. In this article, we look at one such tax policy, specialised surtaxes in the State of Florida. Surtaxes are frequently adopted to provide financial assistance to poverty-based local programmes and services. Despite the intended benefits, we show that the contributors of the tax have been able to capitalise the cost into the residential property market, ultimately placing the burden of the surtax upon the population its revenue intends to help. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 170-193 Issue: 2 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1263188 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1263188 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:2:p:170-193 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Juan Lara-Rubio Author-X-Name-First: Juan Author-X-Name-Last: Lara-Rubio Author-Name: Salvador Rayo-Cantón Author-X-Name-First: Salvador Author-X-Name-Last: Rayo-Cantón Author-Name: Andrés Navarro-Galera Author-X-Name-First: Andrés Author-X-Name-Last: Navarro-Galera Author-Name: Dionisio Buendia-Carrillo Author-X-Name-First: Dionisio Author-X-Name-Last: Buendia-Carrillo Title: Analysing credit risk in large local governments: an empirical study in Spain Abstract: In governments throughout the world, bank lending excesses, solvency issues and worsening credit ratings have all contributed to raising risk premiums and impeding access to credit, thus provoking a major financial problem in the public sector. Accordingly, tax authorities and regulators need to analyse the causes of public sector bank debt, doing so through the joint study of idiosyncratic and systematic variables, an area that has been neglected in previous research. This paper examines idiosyncratic and systematic factors that may influence local government credit risk through an empirical study of the performance of 148 large Spanish municipalities during 2006–2011. We identify individual factors relevant to the probability of local government default (such as dependent population, per capita income and debt composition) and also determinants associated with macroeconomic developments, such as gross domestic product and the risk premium. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 194-217 Issue: 2 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1261700 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1261700 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:2:p:194-217 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Birte Gundelach Author-X-Name-First: Birte Author-X-Name-Last: Gundelach Author-Name: Patricia Buser Author-X-Name-First: Patricia Author-X-Name-Last: Buser Author-Name: Daniel Kübler Author-X-Name-First: Daniel Author-X-Name-Last: Kübler Title: Deliberative democracy in local governance: the impact of institutional design on legitimacy Abstract: Deliberative democracy is expected to increase legitimacy and effectiveness of democratic governance. In recent years, a growing body of research has reported on different instances of participatory innovations across the globe. Nevertheless, quantitative evidence on the determinants of legitimate and effective deliberative procedures is still scarce. Examining parents’ participation in school governance in Switzerland, this article explores the effect of the design of deliberative institutions on perceptions of legitimacy and effectiveness. Based on an original survey of 312 parent councils of public primary schools in Switzerland, the results of our analysis corroborate theoretical expectations about the impact of institutional design on legitimacy and effectiveness of deliberative procedures: More authority granted to parent councils clearly enhances the output-legitimacy of these bodies. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 218-244 Issue: 2 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1261699 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1261699 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:2:p:218-244 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Alejandro Saez-Martin Author-X-Name-First: Alejandro Author-X-Name-Last: Saez-Martin Author-Name: Carmen Caba-Perez Author-X-Name-First: Carmen Author-X-Name-Last: Caba-Perez Author-Name: Antonio Lopez-Hernandez Author-X-Name-First: Antonio Author-X-Name-Last: Lopez-Hernandez Title: Freedom of information in local government: rhetoric or reality? Abstract: The aim of this paper is to analyse the level of implementation by Spanish local authorities of the Transparency Act (19/2013), and their voluntary information disclosure in areas where such disclosure is obligatory in other EU countries. We identify the main factors that may influence the implementation of this Act and the self-regulation policies adopted. Our analysis highlights the existence of delays among some local authorities, with notable differences between municipalities with larger and smaller populations, in implementing the Act, and also the fact that many municipalities are committed to achieving transparency, often going beyond minimum legal requirements. Factors such as population size, the political ideology of the governing party and the education level and economic capacity of the population are related to the level of implementation of transparency and self-regulatory policies in this respect by local authorities. We acknowledge that the 2013 Act was still being implemented during the period analysed. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 245-273 Issue: 2 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1269757 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1269757 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:2:p:245-273 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Kadour Mehiriz Author-X-Name-First: Kadour Author-X-Name-Last: Mehiriz Title: The use of intergovernmental grants to municipalities for electoral purposes by subnational governments Abstract: Subnational governments devote a significant share of their financial resources to help municipalities provide local public services to their citizens. Compared to the large number of studies on national governments, little effort has been devoted to the influence of distributive politics on the use of intergovernmental grants by subnational governments. To fill this gap, this study uses a data set covering the period 2001–2011 to verify to what extent the Québec government used conditional grants to municipalities for electoral purposes. The results of this study show that the allocation of grants to municipalities is not exempt from electoral politics as municipalities located in districts held by governing parties or in high electoral competition districts receive more grants than other municipalities. However, the influence of electoral politics decreases substantially when the management of intergovernmental grants is under tight scrutiny by the opposition parties, mass media and the population. These findings suggest that distributive politics can be conceptualised as a political agency problem whose prevalence is seriously constrained by the improvement of the transparency of public policies management. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 274-290 Issue: 2 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1263189 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1263189 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:2:p:274-290 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Alison Ollerenshaw Author-X-Name-First: Alison Author-X-Name-Last: Ollerenshaw Author-Name: Angela Murphy Author-X-Name-First: Angela Author-X-Name-Last: Murphy Author-Name: Kelsey McDonald Author-X-Name-First: Kelsey Author-X-Name-Last: McDonald Title: Leading the way: the integral role of local government within a multisector partnership delivering a large infrastructure project in an Australian growth region Abstract: Multisectoral partnerships with local government have emerged as a strategy for solving ‘wicked’ problems in communities, although research about these types of public–private partnerships is limited. Available evidence suggests that differentials in power and status, value bases and perspectives on priorities have been problematic in partnership building with community. This paper examines the role of local government as the funded, lead organisation, in a public–private partnership for planning, designing and constructing a business accelerator in one of Australia’s growth regions. Partnership scope, role and outcomes were measured against a conceptual framework mapping success indicators. Findings show core principles for successful partnership were achieved and supported by the role, capacity and commitment of local government to forming strong working relationships with consortium partners. Relationship building and commitment to collective project outcomes were pivotal to success. Further research is needed to assess whether emerging trends hold and consolidate over time. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 291-314 Issue: 2 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1274259 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1274259 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:2:p:291-314 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Joseph Drew Author-X-Name-First: Joseph Author-X-Name-Last: Drew Author-Name: Michael A. Kortt Author-X-Name-First: Michael A. Author-X-Name-Last: Kortt Author-Name: Brian Dollery Author-X-Name-First: Brian Author-X-Name-Last: Dollery Title: Did the Big Stick Work? An Empirical Assessment of Scale Economies and the Queensland Forced Amalgamation Program Abstract: In 2007, the Queensland Government imposed forced amalgamation with the number of local authorities falling from 157 to just 73 councils. Amalgamation was based inter alia on the assumption that increased economies of scale would generate savings. This paper empirically examines pre- and post-amalgamation (2006/07 and 2009/10) for scale economies. For the 2006/07 data, evidence of economies of scale was found for councils with populations up to 98,000, and thereafter diseconomies of scale. Eight percent of councils in 2006/07 (ten councils) – representing 64% of the state’s population – exhibited diseconomies of scale. For the 2009/10 data, the average cost curve remained almost stationary at 99,000 residents per council, but almost 25% of all councils (thirteen councils) were now found to exhibit diseconomies of scale. The compulsory merger program thus increased the proportion of Queensland residents in councils operating with diseconomies of scale to 84%. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1-14 Issue: 1 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2013.874341 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2013.874341 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:1:p:1-14 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Joseph Drew Author-X-Name-First: Joseph Author-X-Name-Last: Drew Author-Name: Brian Dollery Author-X-Name-First: Brian Author-X-Name-Last: Dollery Title: Does Size Still Matter? An Empirical Analysis of the Effectiveness of Victorian Local Authorities Abstract: Efficiency approaches to the question of whether population size matters to optimal local government have proved largely inconclusive. However, recent exploratory empirical work employing an effectiveness approach – as proxied by citizen satisfaction survey data – offers a promising way forward. The present paper seeks to build upon an earlier cross-sectional analysis of Victorian local government by employing longitudinal data over a three-year period – 2008 to 2010 – for Victorian local authorities. The greater depth of data confirmed the positive associations with population density but suggests that negative linear relationships dominate over parabolic associations for population size. This result underlines the need for the collection of more local government citizen satisfaction data by Australian local government systems, given its potentially fruitful application in tackling contentious questions in contemporary local government policy debates. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 15-28 Issue: 1 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2013.869497 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2013.869497 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:1:p:15-28 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Manuel Pedro Rodríguez Bolívar Author-X-Name-First: Manuel Pedro Author-X-Name-Last: Rodríguez Bolívar Author-Name: Andrés Navarro Galera Author-X-Name-First: Andrés Author-X-Name-Last: Navarro Galera Author-Name: Laura Alcaide Muñoz Author-X-Name-First: Laura Author-X-Name-Last: Alcaide Muñoz Author-Name: María Deseada López Subirés Author-X-Name-First: María Deseada Author-X-Name-Last: López Subirés Title: Risk Factors and Drivers of Financial Sustainability in Local Government: An Empirical Study Abstract: The current international crisis in public finances has made financial sustainability a key issue for governments. Although the European Union (EU) and other international organisations have recommended governments to monitor demographic and economic variables, few studies have considered the influence of these variables on financial sustainability. This paper seeks to identify and analyse the drivers and risk factors that influence the financial sustainability of local government. The findings identify both risk factors (unemployment and population aged under 16 years) and drivers (budgetary outcome) of financial sustainability, which may constitute a useful basis for decision-taking by managers and policy-makers. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 29-51 Issue: 1 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2015.1061506 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2015.1061506 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:1:p:29-51 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Lee Pugalis Author-X-Name-First: Lee Author-X-Name-Last: Pugalis Title: Austere State Strategies: Regenerating for Recovery and the Resignification of Regeneration Abstract: Through this paper, I seek to draw attention an apparent fundamental resignification of regeneration that has been taking shape over recent times. Conceptually, I engage with political economy theory in order to examine how élite economic interests have resignified the nature of state articulations of regeneration. The argument is developed that this implies a profound subversion of more marginal socio-economic interests traditionally at the heart of regeneration interventions or at least the customary ‘targets’ of such policy. Empirically, the analysis draws upon interviews conducted with those operating at the coalface of policy, politics and practice, augmented by my practical experience of the English regeneration milieu. Documenting the contested evolution of policy practice during what I term the ‘regenerating for recovery’ phase, I investigate the interactions and interconnections between meanings, modes and scales of practice. This analysis helps to demonstrate dual aspects of the resignification of regeneration as both cause and condition that has effectively legitimated and been legitimised by an austere state strategy. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 52-74 Issue: 1 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2014.944692 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2014.944692 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:1:p:52-74 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Michael Brydon Author-X-Name-First: Michael Author-X-Name-Last: Brydon Author-Name: Aidan R. Vining Author-X-Name-First: Aidan R. Author-X-Name-Last: Vining Title: Combining Citizen Participation and Expert Analysis: A Wild, Wild Horses Problem in British Columbia Abstract: Local governments face increasingly complex decisions and must inevitably rely on professional staff with specialised knowledge. However, ordinary citizens and stakeholders are demanding the right to directly participate in governmental decisions. What is the appropriate division of labour? The article proposes a practical approach to participatory decision making that tries to combine administrative efficiency and democratic legitimacy. The approach decomposes the decision problem into a number of discrete stages. An action research methodology is used to illustrate the application of the method. Specifically, we decompose a ‘roaming horse’ problem in the interior of British Columbia to identify the information requirements for each stage of the model. We use a series of web-based Delphi surveys to elicit specific information from citizens regarding objectives and potential alternatives. The survey results suggest that a relatively simple and cost-effective deliberative tool like Delphi can facilitate an effective division of labour between citizens and government experts. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 75-96 Issue: 1 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2015.1081847 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2015.1081847 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:1:p:75-96 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Steve Rolfe Author-X-Name-First: Steve Author-X-Name-Last: Rolfe Title: Divergence in Community Participation Policy: Analysing Localism and Community Empowerment Using a Theory of Change Approach Abstract: The last two decades have witnessed a significant turn towards community participation in public policy around the globe, raising concerns that states are resorting to ‘government through community’, shifting responsibilities onto communities. In order to unpack the ambiguous rhetoric of policy statements, this article employs ideas from evaluation methodology to develop a generic theory of change for community participation policy. The model is then utilised to analyse and compare the UK Coalition Government’s Big Society/Localism agenda and the Scottish Government’s Community Empowerment approach, demonstrating the ways in which these represent a clear example of policy divergence, and potentially significant alternatives to state–community relations in the context of austerity. The article also demonstrates the potential wider applicability of ‘theories of change’ methodology for policy analysis. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 97-118 Issue: 1 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2015.1081848 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2015.1081848 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:1:p:97-118 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jens Blom-Hansen Author-X-Name-First: Jens Author-X-Name-Last: Blom-Hansen Author-Name: Martin Baekgaard Author-X-Name-First: Martin Author-X-Name-Last: Baekgaard Author-Name: Søren Serritzlew Author-X-Name-First: Søren Author-X-Name-Last: Serritzlew Title: Shaping Political Preferences: Information Effects in Political-Administrative Systems Abstract: Information is at the heart of politics. However, since information is always sent by someone who is more or less powerful, it is difficult to disentangle the effect of information from the power of the sender. Drawing on a standard model of attitude formation, we argue that presenting information can affect preferences of politicians regardless of the power of the sender. We test this proposition in a survey experiment with 1205 Danish local politicians in which the experimental groups were presented with varying levels of cost information but where sender remained constant. The experiment shows that even in a setting where the information is not disclosed by a powerful sender, information may have a stronger impact on political preferences than other well-known determinants such as committee and party affiliation. Our findings speak to learning theories, knowledge perspectives and the literature on the determinants of politicians’ preferences. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 119-138 Issue: 1 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2015.1084925 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2015.1084925 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:1:p:119-138 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Matthew A. Shapiro Author-X-Name-First: Matthew A. Author-X-Name-Last: Shapiro Author-Name: Daniel Bliss Author-X-Name-First: Daniel Author-X-Name-Last: Bliss Title: Rewards and Consequences: Redistricting on the Chicago City Council Abstract: The challenges of understanding gerrymandering are primarily related to its conceptual ambiguity and measurement. This is true despite landmark legal rulings and a rich literature on the subject. In an attempt to alleviate some of the confusion, theories of the gerrymandering process are combined with advanced quantitative and mapping techniques. The focus is on Chicago, where it is frequently claimed that gerrymandering is institutionalised; however, there has not been sufficient study of the causal connections between gerrymandering and a ward’s racial makeup. Employing a mixed methods approach which combines a case study of the 2011–2012 redistricting in Chicago with quantitative analysis of Decennial Census and data from the Chicago Data Portal, this article examines the remapping of Chicago from early 2012 (effective in 2015 and matched with 2010 Census data) to assess how potentially gerrymandered districts are diluting or concentrating vote share of racially homogeneous groups. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 139-163 Issue: 1 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2015.1084926 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2015.1084926 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:1:p:139-163 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Joyce Liddle Author-X-Name-First: Joyce Author-X-Name-Last: Liddle Title: Romain Pasquier, Regional Governance and Power in France: The Dynamics of Political Space Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 164-165 Issue: 1 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2015.1103549 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2015.1103549 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:1:p:164-165 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Asif Afridi Author-X-Name-First: Asif Author-X-Name-Last: Afridi Title: Edited by Stephen Jivraj and Ludi Simpson, Ethnic Identity and Inequalities in Britain Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 165-167 Issue: 1 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2015.1103547 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2015.1103547 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:1:p:165-167 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Paul Joyce Author-X-Name-First: Paul Author-X-Name-Last: Joyce Title: Ewan Ferlie and Edoardo Ongaro, Strategic Management in Public Services Organizations: Concepts, Schools and Contemporary Issues Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 167-170 Issue: 1 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2015.1103548 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2015.1103548 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:1:p:167-170 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Helen E. Christensen Author-X-Name-First: Helen E. Author-X-Name-Last: Christensen Author-Name: Dana McQuestin Author-X-Name-First: Dana Author-X-Name-Last: McQuestin Title: Community engagement in Australian local governments: a closer look and strategic implications Abstract: Public input into decision-making through participatory and deliberative democratic practices has become a widely accepted and legislated responsibility of Australian local governments. At any one time, councils are leading submission processes, workshops and online surveys on a multitude of projects, ranging from long-term community strategic plans to public art projects. The increase in these practices has been exponential, leaving little time for critical reflection. The lack of empirical data to illustrate how community engagement is understood and practised in different councils has hindered sector-wide reflection. This paper presents the findings of the ‘Local Government Community Engagement Census’, a survey of 175 councils – approximately half – from 4 of Australia’s eastern states. This sectoral snapshot provides a picture of how councils understand, prioritise and practise community engagement, allowing critical reflection, an interpretation of implications and suggesting areas for future research. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 453-480 Issue: 4 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1541794 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1541794 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:4:p:453-480 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Åshild Skjegstad Lockert Author-X-Name-First: Åshild Skjegstad Author-X-Name-Last: Lockert Author-Name: Hilde Bjørnå Author-X-Name-First: Hilde Author-X-Name-Last: Bjørnå Author-Name: Kristian H. Haugen Author-X-Name-First: Kristian H. Author-X-Name-Last: Haugen Author-Name: Heidi Houlberg Salomonsen Author-X-Name-First: Heidi Houlberg Author-X-Name-Last: Salomonsen Title: Reputation reform strategies in local government: investigating Denmark and Norway Abstract: This article investigates reputation reform in Norwegian and Danish local government and whether they have the same strategy content depending on the degree of administrative involvement and municipality size. Political and administrative actors are likely to cultivate different types of reputation strategies (place or organisational reputation), which explicitly embrace the potentially diverging interests cultivated by the two types of actors. We use a comparative design and quantitative method with an empirical ambition to explore local government reputation strategies in two national contexts. We find that local government responses to reputation reform depend on the size of the municipality and the type of actors involved; the larger the municipality, the more the administration is involved. And the more that administrative actors are involved, the more the strategies target organisational reputation. The country-specific factors do not appear to be the most important determinants for reputation reform strategies. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 504-525 Issue: 4 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1560270 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1560270 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:4:p:504-525 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Mercedes Ruiz-Lozano Author-X-Name-First: Mercedes Author-X-Name-Last: Ruiz-Lozano Author-Name: Andrés Navarro-Galera Author-X-Name-First: Andrés Author-X-Name-Last: Navarro-Galera Author-Name: Pilar Tirado-Valencia Author-X-Name-First: Pilar Author-X-Name-Last: Tirado-Valencia Author-Name: Araceli De Los Ríos-Berjillos Author-X-Name-First: Araceli Author-X-Name-Last: De Los Ríos-Berjillos Title: Can the cultural environment affect governmental transparency on sustainability? Useful measures for policy makers and practitioners Abstract: The aim of this study is to provide useful knowledge to policy makers and practitioners on how to promote the practices of sustainability transparency in local governments, based on the influence of the cultural environment on the disclosure of governmental information on sustainability, including social, environmental and economic information. We perform a comparative analysis of the effects of four types of variables (demographic, sociological, economic and financial) on the disclosure of information on sustainability in two different contexts: Anglo-Saxon and Nordic administrative cultures. Our results show that the factors of the administrative culture context do influence practices of transparency on governmental sustainability. In the Anglo-Saxon environment, the explanatory variables are population size, dependent population and education level. For the Nordic area countries, the main variables are unemployment, dependent population, financial autonomy and debt per capita. Taking into account the study results obtained, we propose measures to facilitate the dissemination of sustainability information in each cultural environment. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 481-503 Issue: 4 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1560271 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1560271 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:4:p:481-503 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Austin M. Aldag Author-X-Name-First: Austin M. Author-X-Name-Last: Aldag Title: Who votes for mayor? Evidence from midsized American cities Abstract: Who, or what, governs the mosaic of the almost 39,000 general purpose local governments across the United States? While the determinants of voter turnout in both national and sub-national elections have been well studied, there is a dearth of empirical literature examining voter turnout at the municipal level. Utilizing an original dataset of 356 midsized US cities drawn from the Midwest, South, and Northeast regions, this paper ponders the drivers of mayoral turnout, and asks if electoral timing, competitiveness, or characteristics of the electorate best predict turnout. Sequenced hierarchical linear models and OLS regressions are employed to control for sub-national effects, and model results indicate that election timing greatly dictate who governs midsized American cities. While local competitiveness and characteristics of the electorate also matter, their explanatory value is greatly over-shadowed by timing. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 526-545 Issue: 4 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1571997 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1571997 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:4:p:526-545 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Karen Webster Author-X-Name-First: Karen Author-X-Name-Last: Webster Author-Name: Andy Asquith Author-X-Name-First: Andy Author-X-Name-Last: Asquith Author-Name: Maheswaren Rohan Author-X-Name-First: Maheswaren Author-X-Name-Last: Rohan Author-Name: Andrew Cardow Author-X-Name-First: Andrew Author-X-Name-Last: Cardow Author-Name: Mandisi Majavu Author-X-Name-First: Mandisi Author-X-Name-Last: Majavu Title: Auckland, New Zealand – fair game for central party politics Abstract: This paper explores the influence of central party politics in Auckland local government, in New Zealand’s largest city, following the 2010 amalgamation. Political parties have been an accepted and dominant presence in European representative democratic local government, throughout the 20th century. Not so, however, in New Zealand and Australia, where citizens have ‘flocked to the banner “Keep Politics out of Local Government”. Our analysis of the self-declared party accreditation status of candidates and elected members demonstrates that political affiliation, at least in the main centre Auckland, is on the rise, counter to assumptions that New Zealand local government is largely removed from central politics. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 569-592 Issue: 4 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1584558 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1584558 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:4:p:569-592 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Bernardino Benito Author-X-Name-First: Bernardino Author-X-Name-Last: Benito Author-Name: María-Dolores Guillamón Author-X-Name-First: María-Dolores Author-X-Name-Last: Guillamón Author-Name: Ana-María Ríos Author-X-Name-First: Ana-María Author-X-Name-Last: Ríos Author-Name: Francisco Bastida Author-X-Name-First: Francisco Author-X-Name-Last: Bastida Title: Do the illegal and legal rents of politicians affect municipal election outcomes? Empirical evidence Abstract: This paper aims to analyse whether illegal (corruption) and legal rent extraction (high politicians’ wages) affect electoral outcomes at municipal level. We use an initial sample of 145 Spanish municipalities over 50,000 for two electoral periods: 2004–2007 (before the crisis) and 2008–2011 (during the crisis). Our findings show that neither illegal nor legal rent extraction impact on re-election in non-crisis times. However, we observe that citizens penalize legal rent extraction in the ballots during the crisis. Regarding the economic performance of the local governments, we find that its effect on re-election is important in non-crisis period. Nevertheless, in time of crisis, given that the economic situation is bad in general in the country, voters pay less attention to economic factors and focus on politicians’ behaviour. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 546-568 Issue: 4 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1585816 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1585816 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:4:p:546-568 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Thomas Elston Author-X-Name-First: Thomas Author-X-Name-Last: Elston Title: Performance goals in public management and policy: the nature and implications of goal ambiguity Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 599-602 Issue: 4 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1620519 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1620519 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:4:p:599-602 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Philipp Trein Author-X-Name-First: Philipp Author-X-Name-Last: Trein Title: Knowledge, policymaking and learning for European cities and regions Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 597-599 Issue: 4 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1620521 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1620521 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:4:p:597-599 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Tomas Maltby Author-X-Name-First: Tomas Author-X-Name-Last: Maltby Title: Power and capacity in urban climate governance: Germany and England compared Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 595-597 Issue: 4 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1620522 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1620522 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:4:p:595-597 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Paul Tobin Author-X-Name-First: Paul Author-X-Name-Last: Tobin Title: Governing climate change: polycentricity in action? Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 593-595 Issue: 4 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1620523 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1620523 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:4:p:593-595 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Yvonne Brunetto Author-X-Name-First: Yvonne Author-X-Name-Last: Brunetto Author-Name: Stephen Teo Author-X-Name-First: Stephen Author-X-Name-Last: Teo Author-Name: Rodney Farr-Wharton Author-X-Name-First: Rodney Author-X-Name-Last: Farr-Wharton Author-Name: Dennis Lambries Author-X-Name-First: Dennis Author-X-Name-Last: Lambries Author-Name: Patrick Gillett Author-X-Name-First: Patrick Author-X-Name-Last: Gillett Author-Name: William Tomes Author-X-Name-First: William Author-X-Name-Last: Tomes Title: A Comparison of Impact of Management on Local Government Employee Outcomes in US and Australia Abstract: This paper compares the impact of management practices on employee’s perception of resource adequacy and in turn engagement of local government employees in Australia and the USA. A survey design was used involving 250 local government employees working in Australia and 265 working in the USA. The overall findings identify significant paths from management practice, through to resource adequacy and in turn, employee engagement. Additionally, the findings identify a significant difference in perceptions of the work environment for US local government employees compared with those in Australia. In particular, employees in the US perceive a significantly higher level of satisfaction with management (both perceived organisational support and leader-member exchange), perceive significantly lower levels of resource inadequacy and are much more engaged than their local government counterparts in Australia. The implications are that the way management is conceptualised and practised in Australian local government is negatively impacting on employee engagement and therefore must change. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 495-515 Issue: 4 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2014.968707 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2014.968707 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:4:p:495-515 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Yongmao Fan Author-X-Name-First: Yongmao Author-X-Name-Last: Fan Title: The Centre Decides and the Local Pays: Mandates and Politics in Local Government Financial Management in China Abstract: In China, ‘the centre decides and the local pays’ means the central government decides on policies but requires its local subordinates to provide the financial resources. The politics of this practice implies that local government has to take different strategies to cope with the unfunded mandates with various consequences. As an empirical study framed by Niskanen’s rational choice theory and Dunleavy’s ‘bureau-shaping’ model, this paper examines how the unfunded mandates impact local government behaviour. Its main focus is the question of how the local officials respond, the extent to which they comply or resist and the techniques they use to adapt to these mandates. This paper finds when deciding how to pay the bill for the centre, local officials have to take a number of principles into consideration. They need to stick to the people-orientated principle and to finance money for salaries and operation to the extent that they can; they also have to see if the mandates are strictly implemented or popular among local people. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 516-533 Issue: 4 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2014.968706 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2014.968706 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:4:p:516-533 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Marie Kjaergaard Author-X-Name-First: Marie Author-X-Name-Last: Kjaergaard Title: The Flypaper Effect: Do Political Institutions Affect Danish Local Governments’ Response to Intergovernmental Grants? Abstract: Despite a large number of empirical studies on the flypaper effect, it remains disputed whether the effect exists and to what extent it is asymmetrical. The flypaper effect suggests that intergovernmental grants tend to result in higher increases in public expenditures than a similar increase in citizens’ private income would have led to. An asymmetrical effect exists when the fiscal response differs depending on whether grants are increased or decreased. By considering political institutions that moderate the effect of intergovernmental grants, this article offers a theoretical explanation that accounts for the mixed empirical evidence. The local response to intergovernmental grants is tested using a reform of the Danish intergovernmental grant scheme in 2007. In line with the expectation, the article finds a strong asymmetrical effect, but more surprisingly, this effect is found both when subnational budget institutions are centralised and when they are fragmented. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 534-552 Issue: 4 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2014.968708 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2014.968708 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:4:p:534-552 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Joyce Liddle Author-X-Name-First: Joyce Author-X-Name-Last: Liddle Author-Name: Christianne Ormston Author-X-Name-First: Christianne Author-X-Name-Last: Ormston Title: The Legacy of the Northern Way? Abstract: The Northern Way (NW) was a pan-regional, multi-level initiative between three English northern regions, set up to promote economic growth and close a £30 billion output gap. Some limited research on progress prior to 2006 exists, but hardly anything about achievements between 2008 and closure in 2011. This paper redresses the limitations with data from existing evaluations and key stakeholder interviews. Findings reveal that partners developed good collaborative working, gathered robust data on critical economic and social issues, and learnt much during 2004–2008. Between 2008 and 2011, activities were refocused on a narrower set of critical priorities and partners developed real policy learning and became a credible voice for the Northern regions. After closure, it became evident that NW left a ‘vacuum’ as an effective coordinator of evidence and views from three Northern regions. Many issues that it sought to address remain as critical today as they did when it was created. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 553-570 Issue: 4 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2015.1028623 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2015.1028623 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:4:p:553-570 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Nick Bailey Author-X-Name-First: Nick Author-X-Name-Last: Bailey Author-Name: Glen Bramley Author-X-Name-First: Glen Author-X-Name-Last: Bramley Author-Name: Annette Hastings Author-X-Name-First: Annette Author-X-Name-Last: Hastings Title: Symposium Introduction: Local Responses to ‘Austerity’ Abstract: This introduction to the symposium sets out the context for local government in the United Kingdom at the current time. It outlines the scale of the reductions in funding since 2010, showing how uneven these cuts have been across the country and the reasons for this. It also describes the increased exposure to risk of both local government and of the citizens and communities it serves. The central question for the papers which follow is how local government is responding to these twin challenges. The papers provide insights from a number of detailed studies of individual authorities, exploring the strategies adopted to manage in response. The analyses focus on the distributive consequences for individuals and communities, but they also reflect on the wider consequences for local government itself. A particular concern is whether local responses are changing as austerity moves from its initial to its later phase. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 571-581 Issue: 4 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2015.1036988 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2015.1036988 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:4:p:571-581 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Amanda Fitzgerald Author-X-Name-First: Amanda Author-X-Name-Last: Fitzgerald Author-Name: Ruth Lupton Author-X-Name-First: Ruth Author-X-Name-Last: Lupton Title: The Limits to Resilience? The Impact of Local Government Spending Cuts in London Abstract: Compared with other service areas, spending on local government has suffered particularly large cuts under the austerity measures of the Coalition government in England since 2010. This article provides detailed evidence from three London boroughs as to the impacts of these cuts. Following an analysis of the scale and distribution of the cuts, we describe how local authorities have responded, utilising categories of efficiencies, reinvestment and retrenchment. We then address the extent to which these responses demonstrate local authority resilience. We find that the boroughs have demonstrated, in the period covered, a capacity to ‘bounce forward’ from the external shock of the cuts, corresponding to a concept of ‘resilience as transformation’. However, we conclude that a broader notion of resilience is also needed, taking into account not only the nature of organisational responses but also the extent of their capacity to support the needs of residents, which a focus on transformation may too easily obscure. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 582-600 Issue: 4 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2015.1040154 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2015.1040154 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:4:p:582-600 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Annette Hastings Author-X-Name-First: Annette Author-X-Name-Last: Hastings Author-Name: Nick Bailey Author-X-Name-First: Nick Author-X-Name-Last: Bailey Author-Name: Maria Gannon Author-X-Name-First: Maria Author-X-Name-Last: Gannon Author-Name: Kirsten Besemer Author-X-Name-First: Kirsten Author-X-Name-Last: Besemer Author-Name: Glen Bramley Author-X-Name-First: Glen Author-X-Name-Last: Bramley Title: Coping with the Cuts? The Management of the Worst Financial Settlement in Living Memory Abstract: The scale of the cuts to local government finance, coupled with increasing demand for services, has led to unprecedented ‘budget gaps’ in council budgets. Arguably, two competing narratives of the trajectory of local government have emerged in which contrasting futures are imagined for the sector – a positive story of adaptation and survival and more negative one of residualisation and marginalisation. Drawing on case study evidence from three English local authorities, the paper distinguishes and provides examples of three strategic approaches to managing austerity – efficiency, retrenchment and investment. It demonstrates how and why the balance of these strategies has shifted between the early and later phases of austerity and considers the extent to which the evidence of the case studies provide support for either the survival or marginalisation narrative. The paper concludes by arguing that a third narrative – responsibilisation – captures more fully the trajectory of local government in England. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 601-621 Issue: 4 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2015.1036987 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2015.1036987 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:4:p:601-621 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Patricia Kennett Author-X-Name-First: Patricia Author-X-Name-Last: Kennett Author-Name: Gerwyn Jones Author-X-Name-First: Gerwyn Author-X-Name-Last: Jones Author-Name: Richard Meegan Author-X-Name-First: Richard Author-X-Name-Last: Meegan Author-Name: Jacqui Croft Author-X-Name-First: Jacqui Author-X-Name-Last: Croft Title: Recession, Austerity and the ‘Great Risk Shift’: Local Government and Household Impacts and Responses in Bristol and Liverpool Abstract: A key feature of the rise of neoliberal politics and policy has been the progressive shift of risk from corporations and national states to the local government, individuals and households. In this article, we argue that, in the UK, ‘great risk shift’ has not only been intensified by recession and austerity but has also been marked by the unevenness of the redistribution of risk and insecurity across scales and places, and between different types of household. In order to capture the differentiated nature of experiences and impacts of recession, risk and insecurity, this article first considers the spatial and temporal dynamics of recession and the great risk shift. It then goes on to localise and embed these dynamics within the city regions and local authorities of Bristol and Liverpool, drawing on a quantitative survey of 1,013 households, across a range of different household types. The survey was segmented geographically and by ten different household types using Ipsos-MORI’s (ACORN) classification of residential neighbourhoods. Whilst the evolving crisis and subsequent austerity measure have been a ‘moving target’ for cities, the local government and households, the household survey was undertaken in the two city regions in the winter of 2011 and explored experiences and impacts since 2008. It will seek to demonstrate the nature, impact and ‘lived experience’ of the ‘risk shift’ during this period and consider the ongoing and broader implications for households, and national and local policymakers. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 622-644 Issue: 4 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2015.1036986 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2015.1036986 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:4:p:622-644 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Phillip Cole Author-X-Name-First: Phillip Author-X-Name-Last: Cole Title: Katherine Tonkiss, Migration and Identity in a Post-National World Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 645-647 Issue: 4 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2015.1041337 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2015.1041337 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:4:p:645-647 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: George Jones Author-X-Name-First: George Author-X-Name-Last: Jones Title: Richard Carr, One Nation Britain: History, the Progressive Tradition, and Practical Ideas for Today’s Politicians Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 647-648 Issue: 4 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2015.1041339 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2015.1041339 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:4:p:647-648 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Anne-Marie Reynaers Author-X-Name-First: Anne-Marie Author-X-Name-Last: Reynaers Title: Richard C. Box, Public Service Values Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 648-650 Issue: 4 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2015.1041771 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2015.1041771 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:4:p:648-650 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Steve Leach Author-X-Name-First: Steve Author-X-Name-Last: Leach Title: Peter Macfadyen, Flatpack Democracy: A DIY Guide to Creating Independent Politics Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 650-652 Issue: 4 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2015.1041772 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2015.1041772 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:4:p:650-652 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Lex Drennan Author-X-Name-First: Lex Author-X-Name-Last: Drennan Author-Name: Lochlan Morrissey Author-X-Name-First: Lochlan Author-X-Name-Last: Morrissey Title: Resilience policy in practice — Surveying the role of community based organisations in local disaster management Abstract: This paper explores how government policy and research understanding of the importance of CBOs has translated to local level disaster management practice. The paper presents findings of a review of all Local Government Disaster Management plans in Queensland, Australia. We explore factors affecting the role of CBOs including median local government area income, disaster experience, local government area population size and the number of CBOs in a given area. We find that the population of a Local Government Area and the number of CBOs within that local government area exert a far greater effect on determining the role of CBOs in that local government area than either income or number of disaster events. Our findings suggests that post-disaster learning and adaptation is not occurring at the local level. We discuss this failing in policy implementation and the implications for government to build community disaster resilience. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 328-349 Issue: 3 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1541795 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1541795 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:3:p:328-349 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Fatih Demiroz Author-X-Name-First: Fatih Author-X-Name-Last: Demiroz Author-Name: Thomas W. Haase Author-X-Name-First: Thomas W. Author-X-Name-Last: Haase Title: The concept of resilience: a bibliometric analysis of the emergency and disaster management literature Abstract: Resilience has become an important concept in the fields of emergency and disaster management. Despite the increased use of resilience in the academic and public policy arenas, the intellectual topography of this subject as it relates to emergency and disaster management contexts remains under-investigated. This article provides a snapshot of the intellectual structure of resilience studies. Using bibliometric data collected from 20 emergency and disaster management journals, this article argues that the interdisciplinary nature of resilience research comes from its historical roots. The findings also demonstrate that resilience research in the emergency and disaster management fields is organised into three primary clusters: environmental and ecological issues, emergency and disaster management, and public policy and administration. The article concludes with implications for policymakers, as well as recommendations for future research. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 308-327 Issue: 3 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1541796 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1541796 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:3:p:308-327 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Ray HsienHo Chang Author-X-Name-First: Ray HsienHo Author-X-Name-Last: Chang Author-Name: Alex Greer Author-X-Name-First: Alex Author-X-Name-Last: Greer Author-Name: Haley Murphy Author-X-Name-First: Haley Author-X-Name-Last: Murphy Author-Name: Hao-Che (Tristan) Wu Author-X-Name-First: Hao-Che (Tristan) Author-X-Name-Last: Wu Author-Name: Steven Melton Author-X-Name-First: Steven Author-X-Name-Last: Melton Title: Maintaining the status quo: understanding local use of resilience strategies to address earthquake risk in Oklahoma Abstract: Earthquakes have become more common in Oklahoma. In the face of new hazards, previous studies suggest that communities should incorporate resilience strategies into their planning in order to cope with emerging hazards. Due to their novelty, particularly in relation to other hazards in the state, we know little about how emergency managers are planning for earthquakes. This research uses in-depth interviews to explore how key stakeholders in local governments are adjusting to this newfound risk across the state. In general, participants describe utilising strategies that reinforce the status quo, rather than building resiliency in response to the shaking. We conclude with recommendations for how local governments can build more resilient communities when faced with new hazards. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 433-452 Issue: 3 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1552145 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1552145 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:3:p:433-452 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Skip Krueger Author-X-Name-First: Skip Author-X-Name-Last: Krueger Author-Name: Julie Winkler Author-X-Name-First: Julie Author-X-Name-Last: Winkler Author-Name: Ronald L. Schumann Author-X-Name-First: Ronald L. Author-X-Name-Last: Schumann Title: Residential taxable value recovery in coastal Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina Abstract: The resilience of local fiscal resources is an important missing component of community recovery after disasters. We know little about how  quickly or fairly broad-based taxable economic activities return to pre-disaster levels. For example, property tax revenue, typically heavily dependent on residential properties, is commonly the largest source of General Fund revenue for local governments in the United States. Because residential properties are frequently impacted by natural hazards, understanding the linkage between housing and fiscal resilience is critical. Yet there exist very few broad-based studies of housing recovery. This paper helps fill that gap by evaluating housing recovery in a coastal portion of the U.S. state of Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina. We find that while the influence on housing values of Hurricane Katrina’s flood and wind damage dwindled over time, race and income remained salient factors in the level of recovery of single-family homes and their taxable values. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 372-393 Issue: 3 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1563541 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1563541 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:3:p:372-393 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Leah Cathryn Windsor Author-X-Name-First: Leah Cathryn Author-X-Name-Last: Windsor Author-Name: Andrew J. Hampton Author-X-Name-First: Andrew J. Author-X-Name-Last: Hampton Author-Name: James Grayson Cupit Author-X-Name-First: James Grayson Author-X-Name-Last: Cupit Author-Name: Alistair James Windsor Author-X-Name-First: Alistair James Author-X-Name-Last: Windsor Title: Local politics in an international context: a linguistic analysis of community resiliency in Memphis, TN Abstract: This paper utilises the framework of state capacity from international relations, including the quality of institutions, bureaucracy, and enforcement mechanisms, to evaluate community resiliency. We take a global perspective on the problems of disorder, crime, and social capital, contextualising these issues with a broader global literature of how communities respond to systemic stressors driven by both endogenous and exogenous factors, including social problems and corresponding policy prescriptions are defined in terms of poverty, inequality, and civic participation. Locally, these issues are framed as individual-level problems, such as crime and blight. Our work provides a bridge between the international relations perspective and the local governance perspective. Using macro-level global political research drawing on international relations scholarship on quality of governance, we examine micro-level processes with Memphis, Tennessee, USA as a case study. Our data include reports from the Memphis 3–1-1 system alongside crime, weather, social capital and governance indicators. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 350-371 Issue: 3 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1571998 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1571998 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:3:p:350-371 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Kirby Goidel Author-X-Name-First: Kirby Author-X-Name-Last: Goidel Author-Name: Jennifer A. Horney Author-X-Name-First: Jennifer A. Author-X-Name-Last: Horney Author-Name: Paul M. Kellstedt Author-X-Name-First: Paul M. Author-X-Name-Last: Kellstedt Author-Name: Emily Sullivan Author-X-Name-First: Emily Author-X-Name-Last: Sullivan Author-Name: Stephanie E. V. Brown Author-X-Name-First: Stephanie E. V. Author-X-Name-Last: Brown Title: Perceptions of disaster resilience in four Texas coastal communities Abstract: Scholars and practitioners have long noted the importance of community resilience to disaster recovery and environmental risk mitigation. Yet we know surprisingly little about how local residents perceive the resilience of their local communities, including how closely their perceptions align with objective measures of resilience or whether these perceptions affect community engagement and support for resilience building activities and policies. In this paper, we utilise the results of public opinion surveys of residents of four Texas coastal shoreline counties (Brazoria, Nueces, Galveston, and Cameron) to address this gap in the literature. The results reveal that perceptions of community preparedness largely reflect social trust and disaster awareness while perceptions of recovery reflect perceived risks and preparedness. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 413-432 Issue: 3 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1571999 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1571999 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:3:p:413-432 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Gina Yannitell Reinhardt Author-X-Name-First: Gina Yannitell Author-X-Name-Last: Reinhardt Author-Name: Kakia Chatsiou Author-X-Name-First: Kakia Author-X-Name-Last: Chatsiou Title: Using community education interventions to build resilience and avert crises: how accidental dwelling fires decreased in Essex County, UK Abstract: Can public administrators use community education interventions in disaster management? We examine community education interventions as tools that raise awareness of hazards, communicate risks, and develop resilience in communities. We study a programme in Essex County, UK, in which Essex County Fire and Rescue Services used the results of proportional hazards modelling to identify localities at risk of accidental dwelling fires and to target community education interventions. We then assess the intervention’s impact by comparing the incidence of accidental dwelling fires before and after the Parish Safety Volunteer programme began, as well as between treated and untreated areas, in a difference-in-difference regression. We find that there are greater reductions in accidental dwelling fires in treated areas than in untreated areas, and argue that community education interventions can forge vital networks and increase safety for vulnerable people, as well as build trust and resilience important for disaster and crisis prevention. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 394-412 Issue: 3 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1573729 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1573729 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:3:p:394-412 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Gina Yannitell Reinhardt Author-X-Name-First: Gina Yannitell Author-X-Name-Last: Reinhardt Author-Name: Lex Drennan Author-X-Name-First: Lex Author-X-Name-Last: Drennan Title: Local emergency management special issue: guest editors’ introduction Abstract: We synthesise the themes and contributions of this special issue on local emergency management. Despite extensive international efforts focused on climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction and management, these challenges are local. Local governments are the first line of response and management, dealing with the intersection of climate change, disaster response and fiscal austerity. We contribute to the local government and hazard management literature by engaging the ongoing debate to define resilience and adaptation, locating these concepts within local administrative practice. We demonstrate that international relations paradigms can help conceptualise local governance challenges. We draw out themes of social capital, information, and collaboration between government and non-government actors in building resilience. Ultimately, we provide insight into the emerging challenges and pioneering approaches undertaken to building resilience across multiple countries, along with evidence-based strategies and practical approaches to juggling the demands of service delivery, austerity and an evolving hazard-scape. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 293-301 Issue: 3 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1598382 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1598382 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:3:p:293-301 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Barry Quirk Author-X-Name-First: Barry Author-X-Name-Last: Quirk Title: Local emergency management special issue: a foreword by Dr Barry Quirk CBE Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 302-307 Issue: 3 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1598708 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1598708 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:3:p:302-307 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Axel Kaehne Author-X-Name-First: Axel Author-X-Name-Last: Kaehne Title: Multi-Agency Protocols as a Mechanism to Improve Partnerships in Public Services Abstract: Partnerships in public service delivery have received attention from researchers and policy-makers since the late 1990s. However, there has been less research on one critical mechanism to aide partnership processes: multi-agency protocols. The study investigated the role of protocols in the creation of multi-agency partnerships in transition support services for young people with intellectual disabilities. We found that protocols can clarify roles for multi-agency partnerships and may assist in clearly allocating tasks and responsibilities to individual agencies. They can be useful for services insofar as they identify clear procedures and practices for each organisation. Early involvement in protocol formulation may, for example, lead to better working knowledge of protocol contents amongst staff. However, in our case, respondents were disappointed that formulating and implementing partnership protocols failed to overcome entrenched professional divisions, or to address the exclusion of some important stakeholders. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 321-338 Issue: 3 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2013.861819 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2013.861819 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:3:p:321-338 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Bjørn Ervik Author-X-Name-First: Bjørn Author-X-Name-Last: Ervik Title: Does the Mayor’s Party Brand Matter? The Prospect of Statewide Parties’ Policy in Local Government Abstract: Recent reform trends in local government ‘constitution’ have aimed at invigorating local democracy by strengthening local executive powers and making political leadership more visible through direct mayor elections. However, observers still tend to paint a gloomy picture of local democracy in contexts where reforms have been implemented. This article evaluates the notion of marginalised local democracy by adopting mandate theory. A data set on Norwegian mayors and deputy mayors provides evidence that mayors elected by the council are more confident in their own success regarding fulfilment of pre-election announcements than deputy mayors are. The mayoral advantage disappears if the mayor is directly elected. Regarding implementation of idiomatic party policy, political cohesion between the mayor and the deputy mayor (coalition or party conjunction) increases the confidence of both. Yet, cohesion does not increase confidence in fulfilling pre-election announcements, thus suggesting a rupture between issues emphasised in campaigns to local election and idiomatic party policy. While results are unfavourable to direct mayor elections, they do not otherwise support the gloomy picture of marginalised local democracy. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 339-361 Issue: 3 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2013.836493 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2013.836493 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:3:p:339-361 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Paul Bunyan Author-X-Name-First: Paul Author-X-Name-Last: Bunyan Title: Regenerating the City: People, Politics, Power and the Public Sphere Abstract: The transformative potential that has come to be associated with networking in all areas of social, economic and political life, not least initiatives designed to tackle urban deprivation, is premised upon the idea that better outcomes prevail when state, market and civil society actors work together in partnership to agree and implement change. Such a perspective is informed by two underlying and related assumptions; first, an understanding of democracy as being essentially deliberative in nature; second, an understanding of social and political change as being essentially consensus based. An agonistic model and alternative explanation questioning these assumptions and the ‘transformative’ claims made on behalf of partnership is presented in this article. In contrast to what is termed a ‘neo-liberal orthodox’ approach an alternative interpretation of regeneration located within a radical conceptualisation of civil society is proposed. Regeneration, it is argued, is better conceptualised in terms of contestation between state, market and third-sector interests with better outcomes for communities prevailing when third-sector actors develop the legitimacy and power to engage politically within the context of a contested public sphere. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 362-378 Issue: 3 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2014.982109 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2014.982109 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:3:p:362-378 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Eoin Reeves Author-X-Name-First: Eoin Author-X-Name-Last: Reeves Author-Name: Donal Palcic Author-X-Name-First: Donal Author-X-Name-Last: Palcic Author-Name: Darragh Flannery Author-X-Name-First: Darragh Author-X-Name-Last: Flannery Title: PPP Procurement in Ireland: An Analysis of Tendering Periods Abstract: The relative complexity of procurement under public–private partnership (PPP) means that tendering periods can be longer compared to traditional procurement models. Reducing the tendering period is therefore an important challenge if PPP is to deliver infrastructure on time and within budget. Using data from 59 PPP projects in Ireland we find that the average tendering period has been 34 months. Analysis using duration analysis shows that tendering periods have fallen over time and are positively but not strongly associated with the capital value of projects. Tendering periods are longer for projects that do not involve private finance with the majority of such projects procured by local authorities. We use two case studies of PPP procurement to explore these issues further. Both cases highlight the complex array of factors that can impact on tendering periods some of which are outside the control of the procurement authority. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 379-400 Issue: 3 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2014.982108 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2014.982108 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:3:p:379-400 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Gerard Turley Author-X-Name-First: Gerard Author-X-Name-Last: Turley Author-Name: Geraldine Robbins Author-X-Name-First: Geraldine Author-X-Name-Last: Robbins Author-Name: Stephen McNena Author-X-Name-First: Stephen Author-X-Name-Last: McNena Title: A Framework to Measure the Financial Performance of Local Governments Abstract: A framework to assess the financial performance of local governments is presented in this paper. The framework adapts and extends an earlier methodology and includes new financial performance measures reflecting considerations in the literature of appropriate financial performance measures for local government units. Using 14 indicators, five broad financial performance measures are employed, assessing liquidity, autonomy, operating performance, collection efficiency and solvency. We apply this numerical and narrative analysis of key financial performance indicators to Ireland’s primary local authorities during the recent boom and bust period. Through application of this financial performance measurement framework using a benchmarking methodology, we identify relatively strong and weak local authority financial performance. We recommend the adoption of this framework as an extension to the annual financial statements of local authorities to help users more easily assess financial performance and to distinguish between relatively well-performing councils and those showing signs of financial trouble, with a view to early identification of councils in financial difficulty. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 401-420 Issue: 3 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2014.991865 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2014.991865 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:3:p:401-420 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Alejandro Sáez Martín Author-X-Name-First: Alejandro Author-X-Name-Last: Sáez Martín Author-Name: Arturo Haro de Rosario Author-X-Name-First: Arturo Author-X-Name-Last: Haro de Rosario Author-Name: María Del Carmen Caba Pérez Author-X-Name-First: María Del Carmen Author-X-Name-Last: Caba Pérez Title: Using Twitter for Dialogic Communication: Local Government Strategies in the European Union Abstract: Social networks have changed the way in which governments communicate with citizens, encouraging them to participate in decision-making processes. Nevertheless, few studies have specifically addressed the use of social networks in public sector from the standpoint of dialogic communication theory. The aim of this study is, first, to analyse the extent to which European local governments are developing dialogic strategies in their Twitter profiles in order to establish and enhance relations with their citizens and then to examine the impact of certain factors on the implementation of these dialogic strategies. The findings show that the situation is open to improvement, because local governments are mostly unaware of the benefits offered by the use of dialogic principles when establishing online relationships with stakeholders. Therefore, this paper sheds light on the dialogic potential that social networks provide in public sector, and particularly, it offers a guide regarding how local government should implement Twitter to foster the dialogic communication with citizens. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 421-444 Issue: 3 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2014.991866 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2014.991866 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:3:p:421-444 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Mehmet Zahid Sobaci Author-X-Name-First: Mehmet Zahid Author-X-Name-Last: Sobaci Author-Name: Kadir Y. Eryigit Author-X-Name-First: Kadir Y. Author-X-Name-Last: Eryigit Title: Determinants of E-Democracy Adoption in Turkish Municipalities: An Analysis for Spatial Diffusion Effect Abstract: This article aims to analyse the extent to which metropolitan and provincial municipalities in Turkey take advantage of the opportunities offered by information and communications technologies to strengthen democracy and to evaluate the factors affecting the e-democracy adoption of municipalities in Turkey within the framework of spatial data analysis. In this context, this study tries to contribute distinctively to the local e-democracy literature by focusing on the investigation of whether there are any spatial effects on e-democracy adoption of municipalities in Turkey. The findings of our analysis show that while being the members of the same political party and geographical contiguity do not have any impact, the variables of size, status, budget and Internet penetration have impacts on the level of e-democracy adoption of municipalities in Turkey. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 445-469 Issue: 3 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2014.995296 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2014.995296 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:3:p:445-469 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Roz Goldie Author-X-Name-First: Roz Author-X-Name-Last: Goldie Author-Name: Joanne Murphy Author-X-Name-First: Joanne Author-X-Name-Last: Murphy Title: Belfast beyond Violence: Flagging up a Challenge to Local Government? Abstract: Northern Ireland is emerging from violence but still living with conflict. The recent flags protests in Belfast represent a challenge to public administration to transcend the contested politics of local government in Northern Ireland and to navigate a way through a symbolic legacy issue. This article draws on a longitudinal hermeneutic analysis of empirical research conducted on Northern Ireland local government over a decade, where these concerns dominated much debate. Additional analysis of the research findings reveals broader problems applicable to any public administration faced with managing situations in which good governance in public participation and procedural correctness operates alongside fundamental political disagreement and distrust. These conclusions are particularly pertinent for local administrations in societies transitioning from conflict. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 470-488 Issue: 3 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2014.995295 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2014.995295 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:3:p:470-488 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Edoardo Ongaro Author-X-Name-First: Edoardo Author-X-Name-Last: Ongaro Title: Rethinking Public Strategy Sean Lusk and Nick Birks Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan, 2014, ISBN 9781137377579 (HC), 9781137377562 (PB), 9781137377586 (EB) Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 489-491 Issue: 3 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2015.1023082 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2015.1023082 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:3:p:489-491 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Joyce Liddle Author-X-Name-First: Joyce Author-X-Name-Last: Liddle Title: Participatory Democracy in Southern Europe: Causes, Characteristics and Consequences Joan Font, Donatella Porta, and Yves Sintomer (eds) London, Rowman and Littlefield International, 2014, ISBN 9781783480739 (HC), 9781783480746 (PB), 9781783480753 (EB) Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 491-493 Issue: 3 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2015.1023083 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2015.1023083 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:3:p:491-493 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: The Editors Title: Remembering Professor George Jones Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 693-696 Issue: 5 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1351195 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1351195 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:5:p:693-696 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: António F. Tavares Author-X-Name-First: António F. Author-X-Name-Last: Tavares Title: Ten years after: revisiting the determinants of the adoption of municipal corporations for local service delivery Abstract: Research on the use of municipal corporations to deliver local and regional public services has evolved significantly in the past decade. Most of this work addresses the performance of this service-delivery mode in relation to local bureaucracies. However, much less is known about the drivers for the adoption of municipal corporations in the first place. This article reviews the main determinants of adoption – service characteristics, institutional and regulatory settings, political constraints and financial conditions – and highlights the need for comparative research across countries. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 697-706 Issue: 5 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1356723 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1356723 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:5:p:697-706 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Hannes W. Lampe Author-X-Name-First: Hannes W. Author-X-Name-Last: Lampe Title: Municipalities’ willingness to adopt process innovations: evidence for higher cost-efficiency Abstract: In the public sector, innovation is understood as a major driver of public service performance improvement and excellence. On the one hand, previous research has proven a positive effect of innovation adoption on performance in the public sector. On the other hand, a broad literature proves positive effects of innovation antecedents on innovation adoption. This study bridges this gap and analyses the effect of an innovation antecedent – willingness to adopt a process innovation (accrual accounting) – on municipalities’ service provision cost-efficiency. Therefore, the author makes use of a panel data set of German municipalities, located in the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Evidence shows that a higher municipal willingness to innovate relates to higher cost-efficiency. A higher innovation willingness might have a maximal effect of 17 percentage points on municipality cost-efficiency. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 707-730 Issue: 5 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1324428 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1324428 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:5:p:707-730 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Nicola Headlam Author-X-Name-First: Nicola Author-X-Name-Last: Headlam Author-Name: Paul Hepburn Author-X-Name-First: Paul Author-X-Name-Last: Hepburn Title: What a difference a Mayor makes. A case study of the Liverpool Mayoral model Abstract: The city region devolution deals have ushered Directly Elected Mayors (DEMs) to the front and centre of the political and governance landscape within English metropolitan regions in the UK. DEMs are invested with high expectations to deliver a range of beneficial urban outcomes. Yet, there is little empirical evidence on the how such Mayoral leadership might act differently to other types of civic leadership to bring about these outcomes. This paper through the deployment of an innovative methodology, a diary analysis, examines how different this leadership model is when compared to its immediate predecessor; the council leader. It finds that the new Mayoral role is less about ‘city management’ and more about ‘city representation’ particularly on the national and international political stage. The paper concludes that this has implications for resourcing this particular leadership model and for the wider research agenda into political and executive leadership of our cities. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 731-751 Issue: 5 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1333429 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1333429 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:5:p:731-751 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Christopher V. Hawkins Author-X-Name-First: Christopher V. Author-X-Name-Last: Hawkins Title: Political incentives and transaction costs of collaboration among US cities for economic development Abstract: This study extends research on Institutional Collective Action by testing a transaction cost explanation for self-organising economic development agreements between US cities. We offer a unique contribution to this literature by identifying how these agreements between cities with similar political institutions mitigate the transaction costs of collaboration, and how characteristics of these agreements combine with political institutions to shape collective action. The results of an empirical analysis of data collected through a survey of local officials suggest the alignment of high-powered political incentives between cities mitigates the coordination and division problems of forming a joint venture. Agreements that enable elected officials to distribute the benefits of an agreement are also found to moderate this effect. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 752-775 Issue: 5 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1337568 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1337568 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:5:p:752-775 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Yu Noda Author-X-Name-First: Yu Author-X-Name-Last: Noda Title: Trust in the leadership of governors and participatory governance in Tokyo Metropolitan Government Abstract: This article examines the relationship between the trust in leadership of political leaders and citizen participation by analysing data on Tokyo residents. Among the four variables we used to designate types of, or attitudes towards, public participation, only actual participation has a positive influence on trust. The normative recognition of participation is associated with a critical attitude towards the government. As the unclear needs of citizens have the greatest impact on trust, citizens’ trust is built through relationships between citizens and not between citizens and their government. The importance of positive actions from the local government such as public officials and political leaders that stimulate citizen awareness to the point where citizens take interest in public administration, practice participation, and enlarge participation opportunities, is increasing. We also need to consider the limitations of citizen ability to understand public issues and reflection of their needs, and the limitations of participatory governance on the decision-making process. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 776-797 Issue: 5 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1333428 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1333428 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:5:p:776-797 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Vilde Hernes Author-X-Name-First: Vilde Author-X-Name-Last: Hernes Title: Central coercion or local autonomy? A comparative analysis of policy instrument choice in refugee settlement policies Abstract: Although existing literature on central–local governance includes comprehensive studies on how constitutional and financial frameworks regulate local government autonomy, this study seeks explanations for the introduction or absence of central coercion within these frameworks. The analysis studies six processes of policy instrument choice with different outcomes in Norway, Denmark and Sweden in the field of refugee settlement. It finds that a uniform perception of crisis and political compromises make political parties abandon their political–ideological standpoints relating to central–local governance. Additionally, the success and failure of political strategies of obfuscation and of dividing the opposition help to explain the different outcomes. The study reveals differences in the political salience of central–local governance in three countries that have systematically been categorised in the same groups in central–local studies. Consequently, more studies on how and why local autonomy is regulated within national frameworks are necessary to understand the actual autonomy that local governments enjoy. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 798-819 Issue: 5 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1342627 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1342627 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:5:p:798-819 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Bart Voorn Author-X-Name-First: Bart Author-X-Name-Last: Voorn Author-Name: Marieke L. van Genugten Author-X-Name-First: Marieke L. Author-X-Name-Last: van Genugten Author-Name: Sandra van Thiel Author-X-Name-First: Sandra Author-X-Name-Last: van Thiel Title: The efficiency and effectiveness of municipally owned corporations: a systematic review Abstract: Municipally owned corporations (MOCs) are increasingly utilised to provide local public services, but little remains known about their efficiency and effectiveness. In this article, we offer a typology of MOCs, explore the variables that affect their behaviour, and perform a systematic review of public administration articles published between 2001 and 2015 on their efficiency and effectiveness. We find that MOCs are often more efficient than local bureaucracies in the provision of services such as refuse collection, water distribution, and transit services, although they also have high initial failure rates. We conclude that municipally owned corporations are a viable means for delivering some local public services for localities capable of initiating and managing complex contracts. In light of the scarcity of literature on this topic, our conclusions remain tentative, and we encourage additional research into this growing phenomenon. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 820-841 Issue: 5 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1319360 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1319360 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:5:p:820-841 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Stephen Peckham Author-X-Name-First: Stephen Author-X-Name-Last: Peckham Author-Name: Erica Gadsby Author-X-Name-First: Erica Author-X-Name-Last: Gadsby Author-Name: Linda Jenkins Author-X-Name-First: Linda Author-X-Name-Last: Jenkins Author-Name: Anna Coleman Author-X-Name-First: Anna Author-X-Name-Last: Coleman Author-Name: Donna Bramwell Author-X-Name-First: Donna Author-X-Name-Last: Bramwell Author-Name: Neil Perkins Author-X-Name-First: Neil Author-X-Name-Last: Perkins Title: Views of public health leaders in English local authorities – changing perspectives following the transfer of responsibilities from the National Health Service to local government Abstract: This paper reports on the findings of a research project that examined the changes to the public health system in England introduced in 2013. Drawing on case study research and two national surveys the findings explore the impact of organisational change on the composition and role of public health teams. Views and experiences were obtained from public health leaders involved in the transfer of staff and functions from the National Health Service in England to local authorities. National surveys at two points in time aimed to compare and contrast views on the evolving changes. The new organisational and managerial arrangements had enabled public health professionals to widen their work and influence, and public health skills and budgets were welcomed by those in local government. Initially, in some areas, directors of public health were less certain of the benefits of the transfer to local government compared to high levels of confidence expressed by elected members, but perspectives changed over time and moved closer together. National headline figures were found to mask high levels of turbulence and churn being experienced by individual authorities identified in the case study research, and the trend of reducing capacity through cuts to staff, budget and services was a cause for serious concern. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 842-863 Issue: 5 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1322069 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1322069 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:5:p:842-863 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Sanja Korac Author-X-Name-First: Sanja Author-X-Name-Last: Korac Title: Beatriz Cuadrado-Ballesteros and Isabel Mária García-Sánchez, Local governments in the digital era. Looking for accountability Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 864-866 Issue: 5 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1351217 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1351217 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:5:p:864-866 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Peter Matthews Author-X-Name-First: Peter Author-X-Name-Last: Matthews Title: Stefan Müller-Doohm (tr. Daniel Steuer), Habermas: a biography Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 867-869 Issue: 5 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1351206 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1351206 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:5:p:867-869 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jason Lowther Author-X-Name-First: Jason Author-X-Name-Last: Lowther Title: Fiona Spotswood, Beyond behaviour change: key issues, interdisciplinary approaches and future directions Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 869-871 Issue: 5 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1351203 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1351203 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:5:p:869-871 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jason Lowther Author-X-Name-First: Jason Author-X-Name-Last: Lowther Title: Gerry Stoker and Mark Evans, Evidence-based policy making in the social sciences: methods that matter Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 871-873 Issue: 5 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1351205 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1351205 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:5:p:871-873 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Catherine Farrell Author-X-Name-First: Catherine Author-X-Name-Last: Farrell Author-Name: Sarah Titcombe Author-X-Name-First: Sarah Author-X-Name-Last: Titcombe Title: Gender and the experiences of local elected members – a focus on Wales Abstract: This article explores issue of gender in relation to the experiences of local elected members. Member experiences are important as this may be one of the factors which lie behind the under-representation of women in political life at all levels. This article is focused on Wales where women make up 26% of local councillors, hold only 20% of cabinet positions and occupy one Leader position. This article reports on the views of male and female councillors from a number of Welsh authorities who, when interviewed, identified very different experiences of elected office. Central to their experiences are their routes into office, personal circumstances and societal influences. The existence of a dominant male political culture is evident and this may have an impact on the participation of women in local political life. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 867-884 Issue: 6 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1207629 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1207629 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:6:p:867-884 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Joaquim Filipe Ferraz Esteves Araujo Author-X-Name-First: Joaquim Filipe Ferraz Esteves Author-X-Name-Last: Araujo Author-Name: Francisca Tejedo-Romero Author-X-Name-First: Francisca Author-X-Name-Last: Tejedo-Romero Title: Women’s political representation and transparency in local governance Abstract: Despite the growing interest on the influence of gender in local government, the relationship between women’s political representation on municipalities, as council member or as female mayors, and transparency is an under-researched topic. This article analyses the political representation of women in Spanish local councils and their influence on the level of transparency. Results show that women’s political representation in municipalities has a positive influence on the level of transparency, increasing information transparency and reducing information asymmetry. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 885-906 Issue: 6 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1194266 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1194266 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:6:p:885-906 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Allan Cochrane Author-X-Name-First: Allan Author-X-Name-Last: Cochrane Title: Thinking about the ‘Local’ of Local Government: a Brief History of Invention and Reinvention Abstract: In 2004, Local Government Studies published an article in which I reflected on the implications of new Labour’s modernisation agenda for the remaking of local government and the reshaping of the welfare state. Here I return to some of the issues raised in that paper in the different context of localism, austerity and dreams of urban entrepreneurialism. I argue that exploring the changing meanings of the local, as a contested political as well as geographical category, is a fundamental task for those of us seeking to understand the nature of contemporary local government; the wider processes of state restructuring which frame it; and the possibilities of local politics. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 907-915 Issue: 6 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1228530 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1228530 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:6:p:907-915 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Robert Rządca Author-X-Name-First: Robert Author-X-Name-Last: Rządca Author-Name: Marta Strumińska-Kutra Author-X-Name-First: Marta Author-X-Name-Last: Strumińska-Kutra Title: Local governance and learning: in search of a conceptual framework Abstract: This article proposes a conceptual framework explaining the phenomenon of local governance learning. The framework is grounded in organisational learning, institutional theory and in a case study of local governance practices undertaken in the process of public dispute resolution. Our analysis offers an advancement in the knowledge on governance learning by (1) specifying different types of governance learning, which are linked to the structure of learning not to its motivation, (2) linking the micro level of local governance practices with the mezzo level of organisational structures, and with the institutions regulating governance on the macro level and (3) explicating the difference between learning and institutional change. We introduce the category of astonishment, which we treat as a prerequisite of governance learning. It is defined as a cognitive state caused by a disruption of institutionalised patterns of thinking and behaviour deployed by a (public) organisation to deal with a specific (social) problem. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 916-937 Issue: 6 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1223632 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1223632 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:6:p:916-937 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Kees Terlouw Author-X-Name-First: Kees Author-X-Name-Last: Terlouw Title: Territorial changes and changing identities: how spatial identities are used in the up-scaling of local government in the Netherlands Abstract: This article analyses the use of local identities by local communities in two Dutch municipalities. This research was commissioned by the Dutch Ministry of the Interior to better understand the role of local identities in municipal amalgamations. This article develops a conceptual framework based on the distinction between a primary identity based on the widely recognised dominant characteristics of the local community, and a secondary identity based on how communities within a municipality have learned over time to deal with these different primary local identities. During an amalgamation, this secondary identity disappears with the old municipality. The disappearance of the protective shield of a secondary identity exposes the underlying primary local identities, and can bring local identities into the centre of the local political debate. They can become more ***inward-oriented and focus more on their historical roots and their differences with others; they ‘thicken’ into resistance identities. In other cases, the secondary identity of a municipality is too weak and indistinct to support the primary local identities. Municipal amalgamation can then help to promote a new more attractive secondary, ‘thin’ regional identity based on a selection of characteristics of established primary local identities. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 938-957 Issue: 6 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1186652 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1186652 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:6:p:938-957 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Samuel Carpintero Author-X-Name-First: Samuel Author-X-Name-Last: Carpintero Author-Name: Ole Helby Petersen Author-X-Name-First: Ole Author-X-Name-Last: Helby Petersen Title: Public–private partnerships (PPPs) in local services: risk-sharing and private delivery of water services in Spain Abstract: Local governments are increasingly utilising the public–private partnership (PPP) model as a means of organising service delivery in the public–private domain. This article examines the experiences with construction and operation of 131 PPP wastewater treatment plants in the region of Aragon, Spain. The study highlights how an inadequate management of construction risk and unsuitable transfer of demand and revenue risk resulted in significant time delays in execution of the PPP projects. The research also shows how the involvement of public bodies at local, regional and national level further added to the complexity of implementing the projects. The findings contribute to the literature on local service delivery and provide insights regarding risk transfer in long-term PPP contracts for the delivery of local services in general and water services in particular. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 958-979 Issue: 6 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1204297 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1204297 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:6:p:958-979 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Silvia Pazzi Author-X-Name-First: Silvia Author-X-Name-Last: Pazzi Author-Name: Emili Tortosa-Ausina Author-X-Name-First: Emili Author-X-Name-Last: Tortosa-Ausina Author-Name: Meryem Duygun Author-X-Name-First: Meryem Author-X-Name-Last: Duygun Author-Name: Simona Zambelli Author-X-Name-First: Simona Author-X-Name-Last: Zambelli Title: The cost efficiency of water utilities: when does public ownership matter? Abstract: This study explores the impact of different ownership types on the efficiency of water utilities. Theories and evidence have shown a puzzling relationship between ownership and performance. Moreover, relatively recent contributions (Andrews et al. 2011) have argued that this relationship can be further convoluted by the effect of organisational and environmental variables. The current study aims to contribute to this literature by providing some empirical evidence for Italy, by proposing a methodology that combines non-parametric efficiency estimation and cluster analysis. Our main findings indicate that privately owned utilities indirectly controlled by a public organisation reach the highest level of efficiency but, when size and geographical location enter the analysis, ownership has a stronger significant effect on efficiency, and mixed utilities gain higher cost efficiency. Therefore, we may conclude that administrative reforms about privatisation and the institutional setting should consider a set of variables that characterise each individual organisation. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 980-1003 Issue: 6 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1207630 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1207630 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:6:p:980-1003 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Marthe Liss Holum Author-X-Name-First: Marthe Liss Author-X-Name-Last: Holum Title: Governance of a public sector joint venture: the control challenges of dominated owners Abstract: Local governments increasingly choose to provide a wide range of services through cooperation with other local governments. Providing complex services through intergovernmental units creates collaboration risks and collective action dilemmas that need to be mitigated. Based on a longitudinal case study, an investigation is made into the dynamic processes in the governance of a public sector joint venture (JV) and the control challenges of dominated owners. The findings illustrate that the approach to mitigating collective action dilemmas is far less rational than that prescribed by the normative literature, resulting in control challenges at later stages in the relationship. Limitations in the assessment of collaboration risks are explained by drawing on resource dependence theory (RDT) arguments. Dynamic processes in the JV relationship create the need to adjust the governance system. However, adaptability is constrained by power asymmetry and control complexity. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1004-1023 Issue: 6 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1207631 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1207631 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:6:p:1004-1023 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Bligh Grant Author-X-Name-First: Bligh Author-X-Name-Last: Grant Author-Name: Brian Dollery Author-X-Name-First: Brian Author-X-Name-Last: Dollery Author-Name: Michael Kortt Author-X-Name-First: Michael Author-X-Name-Last: Kortt Title: Recasting Leadership Reform in Australian Local Government: A Typology from Political Theory Abstract: Changes to elected leadership in Australian local government have seen greater authority assigned to mayors in several jurisdictions. A Discussion Paper recently released under the auspices of the Australian Centre for Excellence in Local Government (ACELG) has recommended further reforms, arguing inter alia that mayors ought to enjoy a personal mandate and a stronger strategic role. This paper places these suggested reforms into context by developing a typology of local government leadership from political theory. We argue that this quadrilateral typology provides a critical portrait of recommendations for stronger leadership which, in this instance, have been transposed from two unitary systems of government (England and New Zealand) to the Australian federal system, without due consideration of the literature examining stronger mayoral roles. It is argued that caution should be exercised when redrafting legislation governing mayoral authority, a process presently underway in New South Wales (NSW). Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1024-1046 Issue: 6 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2013.861820 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2013.861820 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:6:p:1024-1046 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Graham Sansom Author-X-Name-First: Graham Author-X-Name-Last: Sansom Title: Reframing the role of Australian mayors: an update and rejoinder to Grant, Dollery and Kortt (2016) Abstract: Recent moves for local government reform in several states of Australia have focused in part on a perceived need for more effective civic leadership, and in particular the role of mayors. Proposed legislation in New South Wales and Victoria would expand the responsibilities of mayors in several areas, such as community engagement, partnerships with key stakeholders, strategic planning and providing guidance to the chief executive officer. In 2012 the Australian Centre of Excellence for Local Government (ACELG) published a discussion paper that canvassed these issues as well as the way in which mayors are elected. That paper elicited a strongly adverse critique by Grant, Dollery and Kortt, now published as an article in this issue of Local Government Studies. Regrettably their critique failed to offer a constructive contribution to the debate sought by ACELG, and the article contains a number of significant errors and misleading statements that demand a response. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1047-1059 Issue: 6 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1228564 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1228564 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:6:p:1047-1059 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Peter Matthews Author-X-Name-First: Peter Author-X-Name-Last: Matthews Title: Mario Diani, The cement of civil society: studying networks in localities Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1060-1062 Issue: 6 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1228563 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1228563 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:6:p:1060-1062 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Pawel Swianiewicz Author-X-Name-First: Pawel Author-X-Name-Last: Swianiewicz Title: If territorial fragmentation is a problem, is amalgamation a solution? – Ten years later Abstract: Over the last decade, municipal territorial amalgamation has occurred in 15 European countries. The same period has seen spectacular progress in research on the relationship between municipal size and the functioning of local governments, as well as the impacts of territorial reforms on economic performance and local democracy. Quasi-experimental designs treating territorial reforms as specific “research laboratories” have constituted an important part of that trend. However, there are still important gaps in the knowledge and the study results are often inconclusive. These observations call for a research agenda for the future. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1-10 Issue: 1 Volume: 44 Year: 2018 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1403903 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1403903 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:44:y:2018:i:1:p:1-10 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Germà Bel Author-X-Name-First: Germà Author-X-Name-Last: Bel Author-Name: Raymond Gradus Author-X-Name-First: Raymond Author-X-Name-Last: Gradus Title: Privatisation, contracting-out and inter-municipal cooperation: new developments in local public service delivery Abstract: We briefly review recent advances in the empirical analysis of the privatisation and inter-municipal cooperation of local public services and discuss the potential of these studies. The core issues examined include the identification of factors driving delivery choices and the effects of privatisation and cooperation on service provisions. In addition to reporting the specific empirical findings of each study, we highlight the innovative methodologies that they each adopt. Finally, we outline a number of potential avenues for further research. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 11-21 Issue: 1 Volume: 44 Year: 2018 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1403904 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1403904 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:44:y:2018:i:1:p:11-21 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Christian Bergholz Author-X-Name-First: Christian Author-X-Name-Last: Bergholz Title: Inter-municipal cooperation in the case of spillovers: evidence from Western German municipalities Abstract: This paper examines the question: Does the existence of regional spillovers have an impact on the emergence of inter-municipal cooperation (IMC) in tourism marketing? We use data from a survey conducted among Western German municipalities merged with official statistics regarding municipalities’ fiscal, political and demographic situation, as well as tourism-related characteristics. We are the first to apply a hazard model explaining the emergence of IMC. This method has serious advantages over the previously used methods. Surprisingly, our results show that especially municipalities with the opportunity to free ride start IMC more likely than municipalities without this opportunity. Apparently, under certain circumstances, municipalities are better off starting IMC than free riding. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 22-43 Issue: 1 Volume: 44 Year: 2018 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1403902 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1403902 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:44:y:2018:i:1:p:22-43 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Yunji Kim Author-X-Name-First: Yunji Author-X-Name-Last: Kim Title: Can alternative service delivery save cities after the Great Recession? Barriers to privatisation and cooperation Abstract: Cities continue to face fiscal challenges after the Great Recession and alternative service delivery is being emphasised as a solution. How promising is alternative service delivery as a solution and what are its barriers? Regression analyses using 2012 survey data of US local governments show that local governments manage procedural barriers, but structural barriers of economy and demography hinder privatisation and cooperation. Places with a housing bust (measured as decline in home values) can use privatisation, but not places with more or increased poverty. Cooperation is more promising for places with increased poverty, but lack of a willing partner hinders this spatially constrained tool. Neither cooperation nor privatisation is promising for places with low home values. State governments must level the playing field for localities with weak economies if market approaches to service delivery are the main tools for local governments to survive fiscal stress. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 44-63 Issue: 1 Volume: 44 Year: 2018 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1395740 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1395740 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:44:y:2018:i:1:p:44-63 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Andrej Christian Lindholst Author-X-Name-First: Andrej Christian Author-X-Name-Last: Lindholst Author-Name: Ole Helby Petersen Author-X-Name-First: Ole Author-X-Name-Last: Helby Petersen Author-Name: Kurt Houlberg Author-X-Name-First: Kurt Author-X-Name-Last: Houlberg Title: Contracting out local road and park services: economic effects and their strategic, contractual and competitive conditions Abstract: The economic rationale for contracting out local services is increasingly contested by empirical research. This article aims to contribute to this literature, first by scrutinising the economic effects of contracting out in local road and park services and, second, by exploring how characteristics such as markets, contracts, municipal strategies and contracting history influence these outcomes. Drawing on original survey data from Danish municipalities, we find that competitive tendering has on average reduced costs. Further analysis shows that savings are not associated with lower quality, thus indicating that ‘quality shading’ was not taking place. Another finding is that municipalities that repeatedly contract the services experience smaller savings, suggesting that competitive tendering is subject to declining marginal returns. Finally, we find that larger municipalities and those emphasising expenditure cuts realise larger savings, whereas the characteristics of markets and contracts do not seem to explain variations in cost savings. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 64-85 Issue: 1 Volume: 44 Year: 2018 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1398647 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1398647 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:44:y:2018:i:1:p:64-85 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Raymond Gradus Author-X-Name-First: Raymond Author-X-Name-Last: Gradus Author-Name: Martijn Schoute Author-X-Name-First: Martijn Author-X-Name-Last: Schoute Author-Name: Elbert Dijkgraaf Author-X-Name-First: Elbert Author-X-Name-Last: Dijkgraaf Title: The effects of market concentration on costs of local public services: empirical evidence from Dutch waste collection Abstract: Different concentration indexes are calculated for the Dutch waste collection market and all show that this market was highly concentrated in 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2014. The estimation results in 2002 show that private collection is cheaper but high concentration increases costs of private collection and therefore (partly) offsets the advantage of contracting out. In 2006, the savings gained from privatisation and also the effect of concentration disappear, probably due to the introduction of a VAT-compensation fund. In 2010, for an area with a radius of 30 km, high concentration increases costs, but for larger areas, this effect mostly disappears. For 2014, in most estimations, this concentration effect disappears. If we include fixed effects for a panel, the cost advantage of inter-municipal cooperation is larger than that of private production and concentration effects also disappear. Overall, these estimation results are rather independent of the concentration indexes used, if we investigate several indexes as an alternative for the Herfindahl–Hirschman index. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 86-104 Issue: 1 Volume: 44 Year: 2018 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1380629 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1380629 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:44:y:2018:i:1:p:86-104 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jana Soukopová Author-X-Name-First: Jana Author-X-Name-Last: Soukopová Author-Name: Gabriela Vaceková Author-X-Name-First: Gabriela Author-X-Name-Last: Vaceková Title: Internal factors of intermunicipal cooperation: what matters most and why? Abstract: This paper focuses on the internal aspects of intermunicipal cooperation, providing a new and innovative approach to the cost effectiveness of municipal waste management. We examine a sample of 658 municipalities in the Czech Republic’s South Moravian Region and 205 cooperating municipalities separately during 2012–2014. The results, based on ordinary least-squares regression, show that cost reduction is significantly influenced by the institutional arrangement of intermunicipal cooperation, the participation of municipal representatives in management, and professional managers. The paper shows that a crucial role in cost reduction is played by internal factors that have been investigated only marginally so far. Cost increases are related to municipality sizes larger than 10,000 inhabitants and to profit-oriented behaviours of waste collection companies. The results differ in the size samples of municipalities; only the impact of institutional arrangement is significant in all groups of municipalities. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 105-126 Issue: 1 Volume: 44 Year: 2018 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1395739 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1395739 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:44:y:2018:i:1:p:105-126 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Maarten A. Allers Author-X-Name-First: Maarten A. Author-X-Name-Last: Allers Author-Name: J.A. de Greef Author-X-Name-First: J.A. Author-X-Name-Last: de Greef Title: Intermunicipal cooperation, public spending and service levels Abstract: Local governments can increase size in particular policy fields through cooperation with other local governments. This is often thought to improve efficiency, but there is little empirical evidence supporting this hypothesis. We study the case of the Netherlands, which has been a veritable laboratory of intermunicipal cooperation (IMC), using panel data for 2005–2013. We find no evidence that IMC reduces total spending of the average municipality. Indeed, IMC seems to increase spending in small and large municipalities, leaving spending in mid-sized municipalities unaffected. In one specific field, tax collection, spending may be reduced through IMC. Spending in this field is low, which may explain why total spending is unaffected. Instead of lowering spending, municipalities may have used possible cost savings as a result of IMC to improve public service levels. We do not find evidence substantiating this hypothesis, however. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 127-150 Issue: 1 Volume: 44 Year: 2018 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1380630 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1380630 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:44:y:2018:i:1:p:127-150 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Frédéric Blaeschke Author-X-Name-First: Frédéric Author-X-Name-Last: Blaeschke Author-Name: Peter Haug Author-X-Name-First: Peter Author-X-Name-Last: Haug Title: Does intermunicipal cooperation increase efficiency? A conditional metafrontier approach for the Hessian wastewater sector Abstract: This paper analyses the relationship between intermunicipal cooperation and efficiency of public service provision. Organisational arrangements of public service production, including self-provision, joint provision or contracting, affect incentives and internal transaction costs. Hence, cooperation gains from scale effects need to be balanced against technical inefficiencies. We analyse relative efficiency of wastewater disposal for German municipalities. We employ a conditional analysis in conjunction with a metafrontier approach to calculate relative efficiency measures and technology gap ratios controlling for organisational arrangements and further environmental variables. Jointly providing municipalities and contractor municipalities exhibit lower technical efficiency than self-providing and contracting municipalities. As confirmed by previous research, scale effects from cooperation and contracting apply to small municipalities primarily. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 151-171 Issue: 1 Volume: 44 Year: 2018 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1395741 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1395741 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:44:y:2018:i:1:p:151-171 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: The Editors Title: Erratum Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1-1 Issue: 1 Volume: 44 Year: 2018 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1167393 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1167393 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:44:y:2018:i:1:p:i-i Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: The Editors Title: Corrigendum Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1-1 Issue: 1 Volume: 44 Year: 2018 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1422088 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1422088 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:44:y:2018:i:1:p:ii-ii Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Björn Egner Author-X-Name-First: Björn Author-X-Name-Last: Egner Title: Parliaments in Disguise? How German Councillors perceive Local Councils Abstract: Drawing on a survey among German local councillors, the article is discussing the question if German local councils do constitute ‘parliamentary’ bodies. To which extent do local councillors perceive the council as a parliament and themselves as members of a parliament? This question is especially interesting in Germany, where the public largely associates terms like ‘parliament’ with the local council and ‘government’ with the mayor and the executive officers, even if local institutions by law all belong to the executive branch. Despite the institutional setup, I claim that councillors perceive themselves as ‘local MPs’. By using the concept of parliamentarism, this article analyses the self-assessments of nearly 900 German local councillors. The article shows that German local councillors act in a quasi-parliamentarian style by controlling the executive, but take important decisions within the frame of ‘local laws’ and seek to implement their party’s programme. Councillors, representing their respective party in the council, also negotiate coalitions and divide themselves into ‘majority’ and ‘minority’ benches, resembling the setup of a ‘real’ parliament. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 183-201 Issue: 2 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2013.874342 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2013.874342 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:2:p:183-201 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Ellen Olislagers Author-X-Name-First: Ellen Author-X-Name-Last: Olislagers Author-Name: Kristof Steyvers Author-X-Name-First: Kristof Author-X-Name-Last: Steyvers Title: Choosing Coalition Partners in Belgian Local Government Abstract: Government formation is a crucial phase after elections. This article focusses on coalition formation in Belgian local government after the elections in 2006. Coalition theories have mainly been developed at the national level, but they are also applicable to the local level where there is no shortage of coalitions. This level offers the opportunity to not only test rather classic coalition theories such as minimum size theories or the coalitions’ incumbency status. In a federal state like Belgium we can compare the local coalitions with coalitions made at higher levels. The results show that the local political parties prefer to form minimal winning and minimum parties coalitions, but not the smallest coalition that is possible. Coalitions are also more likely to form when they represent the incumbent coalition. Finally, political parties prefer congruent coalitions with the federal and regional government. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 202-219 Issue: 2 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2014.884496 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2014.884496 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:2:p:202-219 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Michael Cole Author-X-Name-First: Michael Author-X-Name-Last: Cole Author-Name: Laura McAllister Author-X-Name-First: Laura Author-X-Name-Last: McAllister Title: Evaluating and Theorising Committee Scrutiny: A UK Comparative Perspective Abstract: This article addresses committee scrutiny undertaken through the three main UK devolved institutions (the Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales and the Northern Ireland Assembly). This is undertaken using a framework derived from scholarship about House of Commons select committees and a substantive comparative literature. Devolved committee scrutiny is thus compared and contrasted in relation to a three-phase analysis in terms of selection, evaluative and output elements.The findings are also discussed in relation to core elements of institutional theory – institutional path dependency, ideational path dependency, the logic of appropriateness and the logic of consequence. This connection is used to develop several testable theoretical propositions concerning committee scrutiny. Findings about UK devolved committee scrutiny (and also scrutiny undertaken through House of Commons select committees) are also related to scholarship about local government scrutiny in Britain and contrasts and similarities specified. Furthermore, some testable theoretical propositions are applied to British local scrutiny. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 220-239 Issue: 2 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2014.904226 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2014.904226 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:2:p:220-239 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Merethe Dotterud Leiren Author-X-Name-First: Merethe Dotterud Author-X-Name-Last: Leiren Title: Reintegration Failure and Outsourcing Upside: Organisation of Public Transport in Norway Abstract: After two decades of public sector outsourcing, debates for reintegration of services back into the public sector have emerged. However, so far outsourcing remains prevalent and reintegration is sparsely utilised. An in-depth analysis of the reorganisation of public transport in a Norwegian county, Sør-Trøndelag, provides three key reasons as to why there is an ‘outsourcing upside’. Firstly, existing structures limit available alternatives for legislators, thereby making reintegration of public services back into public hands difficult. Secondly, under certain conditions competitive tendering may enhance political steering and thus make outsourcing politically desirable. Thirdly, the establishment of a quasi-autonomous agency allows the opportunity for economies of scale through cooperation with other counties and cities, thereby improving co-ordination in the public transport system. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 240-259 Issue: 2 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2014.901216 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2014.901216 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:2:p:240-259 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Wahed WahedUzzaman Author-X-Name-First: Wahed Author-X-Name-Last: WahedUzzaman Author-Name: Quamrul Alam Author-X-Name-First: Quamrul Author-X-Name-Last: Alam Title: Democratic Culture and Participatory Local Governance in Bangladesh Abstract: The government of Bangladesh has introduced several initiatives seeking to develop participatory governance at the local level in order to maximise the outcomes of aid-assisted development projects. This article examines the impact of these initiatives and demonstrates that participatory local governance faces a number of challenges in Bangladesh, in particular, absence of democratic culture and tradition and disengagement of citizens, asymmetric distribution of patronage and weak institutions. In theory, political elites and bureaucrats in Bangladesh advocate democracy, accountability and local-level participation, but in practice, they have an affinity for power and centralised authority. Their reform initiatives seem half-hearted and disjointed restricting the growth of democratic culture and participatory local governance at the local level in Bangladesh. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 260-279 Issue: 2 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2014.901217 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2014.901217 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:2:p:260-279 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Arild Wæraas Author-X-Name-First: Arild Author-X-Name-Last: Wæraas Title: Making a Difference: Strategic Positioning in Municipal Reputation Building Abstract: This article adds to current literature on municipal competitiveness by examining the positioning strategies of Norwegian municipalities. Norwegian municipalities are faced with strong similarity pressures from both central government and regional peers, but are also expected to differentiate and tailor services to local needs. Following the introduction of reputation management, differentiation pressures grow stronger. This study shows how concerns of reputation, differentiation and municipal competitiveness are connected and integrated into strategic thinking, but also that similarity concerns and pressures influence the level of differentiation. The article discusses the general implications of these findings for our understanding of the tension between similarity and difference in a local government context as it relates to reputation management work at the municipal level of government. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 280-300 Issue: 2 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2014.930025 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2014.930025 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:2:p:280-300 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: David Feltenius Author-X-Name-First: David Author-X-Name-Last: Feltenius Title: Multi-Level Governance as ‘Post-Constitutional’ Politics: Subnational Actors and the Swedish Constitution Abstract: In 2011, an amendment was introduced to the Swedish constitution to provide stronger protection for local self-government. This article seeks to explain this amendment in the light of the development of central-local relations towards multi-level governance (MLG). It explores the adaptation hypothesis, i.e. the developments in MLG are followed by an adjustment in constitutional policy that is influenced by subnational actors, through an empirical study of the most prominent Swedish subnational actor – the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SALAR). The research showed that SALAR developed an agenda for the regulation of central-local relations in the constitution. SALAR was able to exert influence with this agenda by participating in the policy-making process prior to the amendment of the constitution. The research findings underscore that even though MLG per se has little to do with constitutional policy, it has consequences for such policy due to the role played by subnational actors. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 301-319 Issue: 2 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2014.919267 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2014.919267 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:2:p:301-319 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Trudie Walters Author-X-Name-First: Trudie Author-X-Name-Last: Walters Author-Name: Lisa Chandler Author-X-Name-First: Lisa Author-X-Name-Last: Chandler Author-Name: Stephen Clark Author-X-Name-First: Stephen Author-X-Name-Last: Clark Title: Towards a framework for measuring local government return on investment in arts and cultural development Abstract: Local governments make a significant annual investment in arts and cultural development programmes. However, the practicalities of measuring the return on this investment have been largely overlooked by researchers, and investigations into return on investment have frequently focused on the economic return. Here, it is argued that intrinsic social and cultural returns on investment are equally important. A further issue is that measurement frameworks have often taken an outputs-based approach, seeking to evaluate the performance of one-off events rather than measuring the outcomes or impact of the total investment in arts and cultural development over the life of a policy or strategy. This paper therefore takes a broader, outcomes-based approach and offers a practical evaluation framework. An implementation-ready method is presented which will allow local government policy-makers to provide evidence of medium- and long-term outcomes and impacts of their arts and cultural development programmes and weigh this against their investment. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 262-280 Issue: 2 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1518220 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1518220 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:2:p:262-280 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Emilio J. de la Higuera-Molina Author-X-Name-First: Emilio J. Author-X-Name-Last: de la Higuera-Molina Author-Name: Ana M. Plata-Díaz Author-X-Name-First: Ana M. Author-X-Name-Last: Plata-Díaz Author-Name: Antonio M. López-Hernández Author-X-Name-First: Antonio M. Author-X-Name-Last: López-Hernández Author-Name: José L. Zafra-Gómez Author-X-Name-First: José L. Author-X-Name-Last: Zafra-Gómez Title: Dynamic-opportunistic behaviour in local government contracting-out decisions during the electoral cycle Abstract: A major question for public managers is whether municipal services should be rendered in-house or contracted out. In view of the negative perceptions often aroused by contracting out, this political decision might be framed within a theoretical model that we term ‘dynamic-opportunistic behaviour’. According to this model, the probability of municipal services being contracted out is greater in the years immediately following elections; moreover, during this period the decision is taken more quickly. In this theoretical model, not all factors (budgetary, economic, political, service characteristics and socio-economic) have an equal impact on the contracting-out decision during each year of the electoral cycle. The model was applied to a sample of 2,274 Spanish municipalities, with respect to a broad time horizon (2002–2014), and the results obtained confirm our hypotheses regarding dynamic-opportunistic behaviour in the contracting out of local public services. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 175-195 Issue: 2 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1533819 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1533819 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:2:p:175-195 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: José Nederhand Author-X-Name-First: José Author-X-Name-Last: Nederhand Author-Name: Martijn Van Der Steen Author-X-Name-First: Martijn Author-X-Name-Last: Van Der Steen Author-Name: Mark Van Twist Author-X-Name-First: Mark Author-X-Name-Last: Van Twist Title: Boundary-spanning strategies for aligning institutional logics: a typology Abstract: This article critically examines strategies used by boundary spanners to align the institutional logics of bureaucracy, management and networks in citizen-state interactions. In-depth interviews conducted within the Dutch municipality of Rotterdam reveal that boundary spanners use entrepreneurial, mediation, and hierarchical strategies to align institutional logics. By providing insight into the strategic toolbox of boundary spanners and the perceived effectiveness of these tools, this article enhances empirical understanding of how the interplay between older and newer institutional logics within public organisations takes shape and how boundary spanners make strategic use of hierarchy to overcome institutional barriers. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 219-240 Issue: 2 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1546172 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1546172 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:2:p:219-240 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Hester M. van de Bovenkamp Author-X-Name-First: Hester M. van de Author-X-Name-Last: Bovenkamp Author-Name: Hans Vollaard Author-X-Name-First: Hans Author-X-Name-Last: Vollaard Title: Strengthening the local representative system: the importance of electoral and non-electoral representation Abstract: Local democracy has increasingly faced problems such as declining voter turnout and decreasing trust in political parties. Certain forms of participatory democracy have been introduced to address political disengagement. Often these efforts do not deliver the envisaged results, as they exacerbate existing inequalities by attracting only certain groups of citizens. This paper takes a close look at representation to find out if and how it can strengthen local democracy. Non-electoral representation, as manifested by representative claims based on non-electoral grounds, such as identity and expertise, made by local councillors, as well as non-elected individuals and organisations, might serve to mitigate democratic problems. We empirically study manifestations of electoral and non-electoral representation and their interactions. We conclude that non-electoral representation can strengthen local democracy, but its relationship with electoral representation can also be problematic. We make suggestions as to how these problems might be overcome in an effort to strengthen the local representative system. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 196-218 Issue: 2 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1548351 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1548351 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:2:p:196-218 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Pawel Swianiewicz Author-X-Name-First: Pawel Author-X-Name-Last: Swianiewicz Author-Name: Anna Kurniewicz Author-X-Name-First: Anna Author-X-Name-Last: Kurniewicz Title: Coming out of the shadow? Studies of local governments in Central and Eastern Europe in European academic research Abstract: This article is an analysis of the changing role of research on local governments in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) within mainstream European studies. It refers to dependency theory (Wallerstein, Prebish) as applied to scientific research. It classifies CEE as being in the semi-periphery of academic research. The empirical analysis consists of two parts: (1) qualitative review of the most important of the comparative studies of European local governments. It includes a discussion on the role of local governments and researchers from CEE in these studies; (2) quantitative based on an analysis of articles published in international journals and citations for those articles in Scopus. The analysis covers 14 countries (all new member states who joined the EU from 2004 onwards, plus the Balkan countries: Albania, Macedonia, and Serbia). Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 153-174 Issue: 2 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1548352 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1548352 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:2:p:153-174 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jongmin Shon Author-X-Name-First: Jongmin Author-X-Name-Last: Shon Author-Name: Junghack Kim Author-X-Name-First: Junghack Author-X-Name-Last: Kim Title: The impact of revenue diversification on municipal debts: comparing short-term and long-term debt levels Abstract: The extant literature has offered two competitive implications of revenue diversification: revenue stabilisation and fiscal illusion. Stabilisation helps governments have less revenue volatility, while fiscal illusion expands tax burdens through the increase in expenditure. The competitive views on revenue diversification leave a niche to explore the association between revenue diversification and debt levels in local governments. We estimate the static and dynamic effects of revenue diversification on both short-term and long-term debt levels in 150 fiscally standardised cities. Our findings show that local governments with greater revenue diversification are more likely to reduce short-term debts while expanding long-term debts. The findings imply that a stabilised revenue structure helps local governments better manage operational budgets but also invest in capital projects with greater debt capacity. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 241-261 Issue: 2 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1552144 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1552144 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:2:p:241-261 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Ian C. Elliott Author-X-Name-First: Ian C. Author-X-Name-Last: Elliott Title: Reimagining the future public service workforce Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 281-283 Issue: 2 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1570047 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1570047 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:2:p:281-283 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Sarah Ball Author-X-Name-First: Sarah Author-X-Name-Last: Ball Title: How far to nudge? Assessing behavioural public policy Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 283-286 Issue: 2 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1570048 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1570048 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:2:p:283-286 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jason Lowther Author-X-Name-First: Jason Author-X-Name-Last: Lowther Title: How far to nudge? Assessing behavioural public policy Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 286-287 Issue: 2 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1570049 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1570049 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:2:p:286-287 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Mark Sandford Author-X-Name-First: Mark Author-X-Name-Last: Sandford Title: How language works in politics Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 288-290 Issue: 2 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1570050 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1570050 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:2:p:288-290 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jason Lowther Author-X-Name-First: Jason Author-X-Name-Last: Lowther Title: Kill it to save it: an autopsy of capitalism’s triumph over democracy Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 290-292 Issue: 2 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1570051 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1570051 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:2:p:290-292 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Germà Bel Author-X-Name-First: Germà Author-X-Name-Last: Bel Author-Name: Xavier Fageda Author-X-Name-First: Xavier Author-X-Name-Last: Fageda Title: What have we learned from the last three decades of empirical studies on factors driving local privatisation? Abstract: Scholarly empirical studies on factors that motivate local privatisation have greatly grown in the last decade. As well, having available better and more comprehensive databases and using more refined empirical techniques have made possible to enhance our understanding of the dynamics of local privatisation, particularly in many European countries. The influence of fiscal stress, cost considerations – scale economies as well as transaction costs – and political partisan interests is usually confirmed. Furthermore, ideological attitudes appear to be more influential than they seemed to be, particularly when considering social services, rather than the technical ones. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 503-511 Issue: 4 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1303486 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1303486 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:4:p:503-511 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Turid Moldenæs Author-X-Name-First: Turid Author-X-Name-Last: Moldenæs Author-Name: Harald Torsteinsen Author-X-Name-First: Harald Author-X-Name-Last: Torsteinsen Title: Re-politicisation as post-NPM response? Municipal companies in a Norwegian context Abstract: This is an exploratory study of re-politicisation of municipal companies in one Norwegian municipality. Unlike re-municipalisation, which seems to imply the reversal of privatisation and out-contracting, and the reinstitution of municipal ownership, the Norwegian case demonstrates a continued adherence to the provision of certain public services through municipal companies. However, our study reveals increasing re-politicisation, especially with respect to board composition. The mechanisms behind this process seem first and foremost to be a post-new public management (NPM) response (re-centring) combined with efforts of rebalancing NPM-inspired solutions without changing them in any fundamental way (learning from experience). Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 512-532 Issue: 4 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1305954 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1305954 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:4:p:512-532 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Thomas Niaounakis Author-X-Name-First: Thomas Author-X-Name-Last: Niaounakis Author-Name: Jos Blank Author-X-Name-First: Jos Author-X-Name-Last: Blank Title: Inter-municipal cooperation, economies of scale and cost efficiency: an application of stochastic frontier analysis to Dutch municipal tax departments Abstract: Inter-municipal cooperation is increasingly popular in European countries. Saving cost is a key motivation. This paper analyses the relation between inter-municipal cooperation and cost efficiency among Dutch municipal tax departments between 2005 and 2012. Motivated by the notion that cost savings are ascribed to scale economies, the relation between cooperation and cost is modelled explicitly through scale. The size of the cooperation is incorporated as a determinant of cost efficiency. The results indicate that inter-municipal cooperation can contribute to reducing cost and that the relation can be explained by scale. Municipalities or cooperations sized around 10,000 inhabitants are estimated up to 30% inefficient. At 60,000 inhabitants, the benefits of scaling are largely exhausted. Other than through scale, municipalities that cooperate are not estimated to operate significantly more or less efficient. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 533-554 Issue: 4 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1322958 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1322958 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:4:p:533-554 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jostein Askim Author-X-Name-First: Jostein Author-X-Name-Last: Askim Author-Name: Jan Erling Klausen Author-X-Name-First: Jan Erling Author-X-Name-Last: Klausen Author-Name: Signy Irene Vabo Author-X-Name-First: Signy Irene Author-X-Name-Last: Vabo Author-Name: Karl Bjurstrøm Author-X-Name-First: Karl Author-X-Name-Last: Bjurstrøm Title: Territorial upscaling of local governments: a variable-oriented approach to explaining variance among Western European countries Abstract: Local government systems change at varying speeds. While some countries have dramatically reduced the number of local governments during a short period of time, other countries have seen only incremental change or relative inertia. A number of explanations for structural change have been put forward in the comparative local government literature, but these explanations have to a small extent been tested empirically. This article uses statistical indicators to analyse changes in the local government systems in 17 Western European countries between 2004 and 2014. Some often-cited explanations for what drives structural change receive little support. Still, the article demonstrates that changes tend to occur in situations marked by different combinations of decentralisation, urbanisation, fiscal stress and a recent history of territorial upscaling. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 555-576 Issue: 4 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1310102 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1310102 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:4:p:555-576 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jone Martínez-Palacios Author-X-Name-First: Jone Author-X-Name-Last: Martínez-Palacios Title: Inclusive local governance: normative proposals and political practices Abstract: This article specifies the conditions that a democratic expansion process would require in order to be inclusive in the face of complex forms of inequality. The dialogue between the qualitative analysis of an inclusive local governance experience initiated in Ottawa in 2004 and proposals to integrate the egalitarian perspective of critical deliberative theory and intersectionality theories throws up two elements that facilitate inclusive deliberative governance: (1) the incorporation of the intersectional perspective into the design and running of local governance apparatuses and (2) the implementation of enclave deliberation. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 577-597 Issue: 4 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1303485 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1303485 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:4:p:577-597 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Nivi Gal-Arieli Author-X-Name-First: Nivi Author-X-Name-Last: Gal-Arieli Author-Name: Itai Beeri Author-X-Name-First: Itai Author-X-Name-Last: Beeri Author-Name: Eran Vigoda-Gadot Author-X-Name-First: Eran Author-X-Name-Last: Vigoda-Gadot Author-Name: Amnon Reichman Author-X-Name-First: Amnon Author-X-Name-Last: Reichman Title: New localism or fuzzy centralism: policymakers’ perceptions of public education and involvement in education Abstract: This research examines local authority involvement in education as a function of local policymakers’ perceptions of education as a public service – namely, whether public education is for the benefit of society as a whole, or for individual students and parents. Perceptions of education and involvement in education were assessed through 107 questionnaires returned by mayors and heads of local education departments in Israel. The results show that (1) local policymakers tend to perceive public education as a general public service, and (2) the relationship between this perception and involvement in education varies with the locality’s centre-periphery status. In peripheral localities, perceiving education as a general public service and an understanding of ‘society’ as the local community leads to greater involvement in education. In central localities, involvement rose with a more individualised perception. Implications of the findings are discussed in line with viewing education in the spirit of new localism. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 598-620 Issue: 4 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1305955 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1305955 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:4:p:598-620 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Lluís Medir Author-X-Name-First: Lluís Author-X-Name-Last: Medir Author-Name: Esther Pano Author-X-Name-First: Esther Author-X-Name-Last: Pano Author-Name: Alba Viñas Author-X-Name-First: Alba Author-X-Name-Last: Viñas Author-Name: Jaume Magre Author-X-Name-First: Jaume Author-X-Name-Last: Magre Title: Dealing with Austerity: a case of local resilience in Southern Europe Abstract: Southern countries are undergoing a severe economic crisis that has renewed debates about the available strategies to economise their public resources. Political leaders have launched a wide range of different strategies aimed at reducing spending. According to generally accepted political discourse, drastic actions should be taken to guarantee economic and financial sustainability in times of austerity. We explore the main measures adopted by Spanish municipalities in order to examine their impact in budgetary terms. First of all, we identify the most frequently implemented mechanisms including organisational structure, public services and operational economic restructuration. After their quantification, we monitor the presence and impact of each set of policies to analyse the relationship between concrete measures and effective economic impact. The effective reduction of budgets is being implemented but data show that local governments are resilient to non-compulsory changes. The ‘government at a distance’ policy pursued by the central state administration has effectively reduced budgets but has not affected the institutional core of Spanish local governments. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 621-644 Issue: 4 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1310101 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1310101 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:4:p:621-644 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Sanghee Park Author-X-Name-First: Sanghee Author-X-Name-Last: Park Title: Local revenue structure under economic hardship: reliance on alternative revenue sources in California counties Abstract: This article investigates how a worsening economy affects local revenue structure, and whether the impact is moderated by the fiscal relationship within higher levels of government. The revenue potential of nontax sources – fees/charges and fines/forfeitures – is considerable for local governments under economic hardship. With the panel data from California counties over a period of 11 years (2000–2010), this article shows that reliance on nontax revenue largely depends on the economic and fiscal factors that vary across counties, and the effect of economy is contingent on local dependence on intergovernmental transfers. Counties are likely to raise nontax revenue when the economy worsens and their transfer-dependence increases, while the marginal effect of the economic indicators changes from negative to positive as transfer dependence increases. This article illuminates the characteristics of the two types of nontax sources in terms of the mechanisms of incentivising human behaviour and concludes with policy implications for researchers and practitioners. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 645-667 Issue: 4 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1305956 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1305956 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:4:p:645-667 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Mattias Haraldsson Author-X-Name-First: Mattias Author-X-Name-Last: Haraldsson Title: When revenues are not revenues: the influence of municipal governance on revenue recognition within Swedish municipal waste management Abstract: This paper explores the influence of municipal governance forms and structures on accounting compliance in municipal organisations. If municipal governance forms and structures influence accounting compliance, then understanding these relationships becomes important when discussing heterogeneous practice and efficient accounting regulation. The context and object of analysis is the practices of revenue recognition within the Swedish municipal solid waste management sector. Overall, this analysis identifies that financial accounting compliance is influenced by municipal governance forms and structures, and the results further highlight how financial accounting practices might diffuse through local intra-organisational processes. The results emphasise that municipal governance forms and structures are important factors when considering heterogeneous accounting practices in the municipal sector which complement the more conventional analysis of how external institutional, political and economic forces influence accounting choice and compliance. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 668-689 Issue: 4 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1322068 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1322068 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:4:p:668-689 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Laurence Ferry Author-X-Name-First: Laurence Author-X-Name-Last: Ferry Title: David Dewar and Warwick Funnell, A history of British National Audit: the pursuit of accountability Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 690-691 Issue: 4 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1329251 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1329251 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:4:p:690-691 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Grigorii V. Golosov Author-X-Name-First: Grigorii V. Author-X-Name-Last: Golosov Author-Name: Kristina Gushchina Author-X-Name-First: Kristina Author-X-Name-Last: Gushchina Author-Name: Pavel Kononenko Author-X-Name-First: Pavel Author-X-Name-Last: Kononenko Title: Russia’s local government in the process of authoritarian regime transformation: incentives for the survival of local democracy Abstract: In 2003, the authorities of Russia launched a comprehensive reform of local government. One of the elements of this reform was the replacement of the previously predominant form of local government, characterised by the presence of directly elected mayors, with the council-manager model. While originally motivated largely by the desire to enhance the efficacy of local government, the reform was implemented concurrently with Russia’s transition to electoral authoritarianism, with the council-manager model emerging as a major tool of authoritarian transformation. This study uses the data from 79 capitals of Russia’s regions in order to identify those factors that facilitated the survival of directly elected mayors in these cities. The analysis reveals that the past trajectories of regime transitions at the regional level in the form of elite settlement, economic resourcefulness, and the lack of politically motivated deference to the federal authorities contributed to the survival of local democracy in Russia. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 507-526 Issue: 4 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1154848 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1154848 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:4:p:507-526 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Amir Hefetz Author-X-Name-First: Amir Author-X-Name-Last: Hefetz Title: The communicative policy maker revisited: public administration in a twenty-first century cultural-choice framework Abstract: In recent years, public administration thinking shifts the focus from the internal public organisation behaviour towards cross-boundary operation that is, operation across governments and sectors. Public bureaucrats become agents in a multiple-interest political environment within which not only technical management issues are discussed, but also dynamic public values are shaped through a dialogical process. In a cultural choice framework, governments operate different service portfolios and the source of allocation problems occurs due to interdependencies between these functions and variation in public preferences. Beyond service production costs, there exist variable characteristics, such as citizen interest, market competition, and managerial structure and operating behaviour in the aggregate responsibilities governments take. Progressive public administrators need to respond to a threefold challenge: The global versus local challenge to define cultural variability; the leadership challenge to interact with citizens; and the cross-boundary challenge to develop a collaborative rather than a competitive future. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 527-535 Issue: 4 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1181060 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1181060 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:4:p:527-535 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Abdullah Abid Oztoprak Author-X-Name-First: Abdullah Abid Author-X-Name-Last: Oztoprak Author-Name: Erna Ruijer Author-X-Name-First: Erna Author-X-Name-Last: Ruijer Title: Variants of transparency: an analysis of the English Local Government Transparency Code 2015 Abstract: Transparency policies and initiatives at the local level have expanded around the world but our academic understanding is still limited. Few studies have systematically analysed transparency practices at the local government level. This paper develops an analytical framework to examine local government transparency practices based on the literature. The framework is used to analyse the English Local Government Transparency Code 2015. The study shows that the Code delivers openness to a partial extent but has not yet met all criteria for transparent practices. The findings could contribute to the development and improvement of transparency practices at local governments. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 536-556 Issue: 4 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1154845 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1154845 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:4:p:536-556 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Gary Brown Author-X-Name-First: Gary Author-X-Name-Last: Brown Author-Name: Michael Cole Author-X-Name-First: Michael Author-X-Name-Last: Cole Title: The ‘shared workplace’ agenda in Northern Ireland: lessons from local government Abstract: The study considers the ‘Shared’ Workplace agenda in Northern Ireland, which is a significant aspect of the reconciliation process. Our emphasis is on the capacity of a wide group of work-based social identifications to affect, limit, and frustrate this policy. Specifically, we address the impact of spatial and functional factors as well as occupational and professional characteristics through fieldwork in three local authorities. Interviews were held with a cross section of 65 subjects, each of whom had either been employed by or worked in partnership with one of these authorities. Our study thus contrasts with much of the literature on Northern Ireland, which is concerned with the impact of Protestant/Catholic or Unionist/Nationalist identities on such reconciliation processes in the workplace and more widely. This approach enables us to develop insights about implementation of such agendas, specifically concerning Northern Ireland and other deeply divided societies. In the conclusion, connections are also made between our findings and consociational forms of governance. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 557-578 Issue: 4 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1167043 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1167043 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:4:p:557-578 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Davide Vampa Author-X-Name-First: Davide Author-X-Name-Last: Vampa Title: Declining partisan representation at the sub-national level: assessing and explaining the strengthening of local lists in Italian municipalities (1995–2014) Abstract: In Western democracies political representation at the national level is still dominated by (old and new) political parties. This article shows that, instead, the representative role of parties may have declined at the local level. In Italy, for instance, the average share of municipal seats held by non-partisan councillors has almost tripled in the last 20 years. By using an original data set, this article classifies different types of Italian local lists, assesses their relationship with traditional parties and explains territorial variation in their success. The results suggest that local lists have become substantially stronger in small municipalities, in regions characterised by weak or declining political subcultures and where regionalist parties are absent or irrelevant. Finally, contrary to the expectation that declining partisanship is linked to modernisation processes and direct civic engagement, local lists have achieved their best results in the less developed areas of the country. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 579-597 Issue: 4 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1146137 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1146137 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:4:p:579-597 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jordi Muñoz Author-X-Name-First: Jordi Author-X-Name-Last: Muñoz Author-Name: Eva Anduiza Author-X-Name-First: Eva Author-X-Name-Last: Anduiza Author-Name: Aina Gallego Author-X-Name-First: Aina Author-X-Name-Last: Gallego Title: Why do voters forgive corrupt mayors? Implicit exchange, credibility of information and clean alternatives Abstract: Corruption cases have limited electoral consequences in many countries. Why do voters often fail to punish corrupt politicians at the polls? Previous research has focused on the role of lack of information, weak institutions and partisanship in explaining this phenomenon. In this paper, we propose three micro-mechanisms that can help understand why voters support corrupt mayors even in contexts with high information and strong institutions: implicit exchange (good performance can make up for corruption), credibility of information (accusations from opposition parties are not credible) and the lack of credible alternatives (the belief that all politicians are corrupt). We test these mechanisms using three survey experiments conducted in Catalonia. Our results suggest that implicit exchange and credibility of information help explain voters’ support for corrupt politicians. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 598-615 Issue: 4 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1154847 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1154847 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:4:p:598-615 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Markus Freitag Author-X-Name-First: Markus Author-X-Name-Last: Freitag Author-Name: Maya Ackermann Author-X-Name-First: Maya Author-X-Name-Last: Ackermann Title: The impact of associational life on trust in local institutions: a comparison of 57 Swiss municipalities Abstract: In this paper, we evaluate the impact of associational life on individual political trust in 57 Swiss municipalities. Our hierarchical regression models show that individual political trust is not only affected by individual associational membership but also by the exchange between associations and local political authorities in a community. In other words, if political authorities and associations are linked at the community level, citizens will place more trust in their local institutions. Furthermore, we find clear evidence for the rainmaker hypothesis: our results show that the positive effect of a vibrant connection between associational life and local politics on political trust is not solely confined to the associational members themselves, but rather indicate that the structure of the local civic culture fosters political trust among members and non-members at the same time. However, the internal democratic processes of associations have no effect on individuals’ trust in local political institutions. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 616-636 Issue: 4 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1154846 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1154846 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:4:p:616-636 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Mark Sandford Author-X-Name-First: Mark Author-X-Name-Last: Sandford Title: Public services and local government: the end of the principle of ‘funding following duties’ Abstract: Recent attention to local government finance in England has focused on the substantial cuts in grant funding during the 2010–15 Parliament. However, the newly introduced Business Rates Retention Scheme, which links the distribution of central funding to business rate revenue raised in each local area, constitutes a historically significant disjuncture in the funding of English local authorities. Since the nineteenth century, with the exception of one short period, funding of English local government has followed statutory duties set by Parliament, a principle which underlay a variety of central control and audit regimes throughout the twentieth century. The new system breaks that link, implying a rejection of responsibility for local services by central government. This plays into demands for greater ‘autonomy’ currently emanating from local authorities, but this may not be a panacea for the stretched financial situation that many of them are experiencing at present. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 637-656 Issue: 4 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1171753 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1171753 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:4:p:637-656 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Olimpija Hristova Zaevska Author-X-Name-First: Olimpija Author-X-Name-Last: Hristova Zaevska Title: Agustina Giraudy, Democrats and autocrats: pathways of subnational undemocratic regime continuity within democratic countries Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 657-659 Issue: 4 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1180916 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1180916 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:4:p:657-659 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Caitlin McMullin Author-X-Name-First: Caitlin Author-X-Name-Last: McMullin Title: Catherine Durose and Liz Richardson, Designing public policy for co-production: theory, practice and change Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 659-661 Issue: 4 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1180915 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1180915 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:4:p:659-661 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Richard Kerley Author-X-Name-First: Richard Author-X-Name-Last: Kerley Title: Paul Joyce, John Bryson and Marc Holzer, Developments in Strategic and Public Management: Studies in the US and Europe Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 661-663 Issue: 4 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1180914 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1180914 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:4:p:661-663 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Isabel Narbón-Perpiñá Author-X-Name-First: Isabel Author-X-Name-Last: Narbón-Perpiñá Author-Name: Maria Balaguer-Coll Author-X-Name-First: Maria Author-X-Name-Last: Balaguer-Coll Author-Name: Emili Tortosa-Ausina Author-X-Name-First: Emili Author-X-Name-Last: Tortosa-Ausina Title: Evaluating local government performance in times of crisis Abstract: In recent years, Spanish local governments have come under increasing pressure to accommodate severe economic restrictions while maintaining their provision of local public services. We analyse overall cost efficiency in Spanish local governments during the period of the economic crisis (2008–2013), under four different non-parametric methodologies. Moreover, given how problematic it is to precisely define what municipalities do, we compare three different output models with various measures of quantity as well as quality. Results suggest that Spanish local government efficiency improved over the period 2008–2013 since budget expenditures (inputs) fell while local public services and facilities (outputs) were maintained. We also find evidence of the possible implications of service quality when measuring municipalities’ efficiency, and of structural differences in the average efficiency between municipalities located in different Spanish regions. Finally, our results confirm that the level and variation of efficiency scores are affected by the approach taken. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 64-100 Issue: 1 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1507908 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1507908 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:1:p:64-100 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Michael Greyson Mgonja Author-X-Name-First: Michael Greyson Author-X-Name-Last: Mgonja Author-Name: Japhace Poncian Author-X-Name-First: Japhace Author-X-Name-Last: Poncian Title: Managing revenue collection outsourcing in Tanzania’s local government authorities: a case study of Iringa Municipal Council Abstract: Due to their critical role in development and governance, local governments need adequate financial resources to deliver the many developmental functions. However, such financial resources are either not available or inadequate. One way of rising to this challenge has been scaling up revenue collection from local revenue sources. This is done through either in-house collection or outsourcing revenue collection. Extant research has focused on the benefits and challenges of outsourcing. This paper expands this body of knowledge by studying how local governments manage private collectors to maximise benefits of outsourcing. From interviews conducted with Iringa Municipality officials and staff, the paper shows that revenue collection outsourcing can be an effective tax administration strategy if properly managed. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 101-123 Issue: 1 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1518219 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1518219 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:1:p:101-123 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Giorgio Di Pietro Author-X-Name-First: Giorgio Author-X-Name-Last: Di Pietro Title: Do citizens hold mayors accountable for local conditions? Evidence from Italian municipalities Abstract: Using data on 75 big Italian municipalities between 2010 and 2015, this paper looks at the extent to which citizens’ evaluations of mayors are responsive to changes in local performance indicators. While local economic and crime measures are found not be associated with mayoral approval ratings, there is a correlation between mayors’ popularity and indicators for local public transportation and air quality. Mayors of municipalities where more individuals use public transport and where there is less polluted air enjoy higher approval ratings. Additional analysis shows that this result is driven by very big municipalities (with a population over 500,000) that are more likely to be exposed to high levels of traffic congestion and pollution. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 24-42 Issue: 1 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1530658 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1530658 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:1:p:24-42 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Roy Liff Author-X-Name-First: Roy Author-X-Name-Last: Liff Title: Political board’s contribution to strategic management: a case study Abstract: This study examines the support, control and strategic functions of an executive hospital political board from the perspective of how institutionalised internal procedures influence board functions. Board members and leading hospital managers were interviewed about politicians’ ways of working, managers’ preparation of decision issues and board work under the presidency model. The politicians strengthened the decision-making processes by requesting additional supporting documents, and by defending the hospital from public criticism. However, the board exercises weak strategic and control functions; it absorbs the responsibilities of the hospital managers and the upper political levels as it reaffirms its executive authority. Nonetheless, the study suggests that abolishing or replacing the board with a non-political board may not improve organisational governance. The study gives insights in politicians’ contribution to strategic public management, an aspect lacking in existing literature. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 43-63 Issue: 1 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1530659 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1530659 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:1:p:43-63 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Falk Ebinger Author-X-Name-First: Falk Author-X-Name-Last: Ebinger Author-Name: Sabine Kuhlmann Author-X-Name-First: Sabine Author-X-Name-Last: Kuhlmann Author-Name: Joerg Bogumil Author-X-Name-First: Joerg Author-X-Name-Last: Bogumil Title: Territorial reforms in Europe: effects on administrative performance and democratic participation Abstract: Territorial reform is the most radical and contested reorganisation of local government. A sound evaluation of the outcome of such reforms is hence an important step to ensure the legitimation of any decision on the subject. However, in our view the discourse on the subject appears to be one sided, focusing primarily on overall fiscal effects scrutinised by economists. The contribution of this paper is hence threefold: Firstly, we provide an overview off territorial reforms in Europe, with a special focus on Eastern Germany as a promising case for cross-country comparisons. Secondly, we provide an overview of the analytical classifications of these reforms and context factors to be considered in their evaluation. And thirdly, we analyse the literature on qualitative performance effects of these reforms. The results show that territorial reforms have a significant positive impact on functional performance, while the effects on participation and integration are indeed ambivalent. In doing so, we provide substantial arguments for a broader, more inclusive discussion on the success of territorial reforms. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1-23 Issue: 1 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1530660 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1530660 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:1:p:1-23 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Anna Uster Author-X-Name-First: Anna Author-X-Name-Last: Uster Author-Name: Itai Beeri Author-X-Name-First: Itai Author-X-Name-Last: Beeri Author-Name: Dana Vashdi Author-X-Name-First: Dana Author-X-Name-Last: Vashdi Title: Don’t push too hard. Examining the managerial behaviours of local authorities in collaborative networks with nonprofit organisations Abstract: In recent years, collaborative networks have been at the forefront of theoretical, empirical and practical research into local governance. Nevertheless, the managerial behaviours local managers should employ in order to improve the performance of these networks are unclear. Following scholars' examinations of governance and the complementary relationship between government bodies and nonprofit organisations, we empirically examined – so far as we know for the first time – the relationship between local authority managerial behaviours towards nonprofit organisations, and the performance of collaborative networks. We found that above and beyond micro- and macro-level factors, the more the local authority employs inclusive governance and financial support behaviours towards the nonprofit organisation, the higher the performance of the collaborative network. In addition, the more the local authority employs monitoring-controlling behaviours, the lower the performance of the collaborative network. Theoretical and practical implications of our findings are developed in the context of local governance. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 124-145 Issue: 1 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1533820 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1533820 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:1:p:124-145 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jason Lowther Author-X-Name-First: Jason Author-X-Name-Last: Lowther Title: Handbook of policy formulation Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 146-147 Issue: 1 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1551474 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1551474 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:1:p:146-147 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Nick Turnbull Author-X-Name-First: Nick Author-X-Name-Last: Turnbull Title: Policy problems and policy design Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 147-149 Issue: 1 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1551475 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1551475 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:1:p:147-149 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jason Lowther Author-X-Name-First: Jason Author-X-Name-Last: Lowther Title: Substance not spin: an insider’s view of success and failure in government Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 149-152 Issue: 1 Volume: 45 Year: 2019 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1551476 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1551476 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:45:y:2019:i:1:p:149-152 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Darinka Asenova Author-X-Name-First: Darinka Author-X-Name-Last: Asenova Author-Name: Stephen Bailey Author-X-Name-First: Stephen Author-X-Name-Last: Bailey Author-Name: Claire McCann Author-X-Name-First: Claire Author-X-Name-Last: McCann Title: Managing Municipal Austerity: Mitigation of Social Risks Abstract: The overarching objective of this article is to stimulate debate about how local authorities could and should manage their austerity measures because the speed, scale and aggregation of the UK public spending cuts risk adversely affecting already disadvantaged and vulnerable groups, exacerbating social exclusion and leading to higher costs for councils in the future. It presents the results of research conducted during 2011–2012 focusing on if and how five Scottish case study councils attempted to mitigate social risks. It found that they were using equalities impact assessment (EIA) procedures in their decision-making. However, EIAs are not fit for purpose as a risk mitigation tool and fail to take account of all groups which may also be adversely affected by service cuts. Hence, this article recommends a more innovative approach in local decision-making processes based on a social risk impact assessment (SRIA) model within a preventative approach to social policy. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1-19 Issue: 1 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2014.919268 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2014.919268 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:1:p:1-19 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Gerard Breeman Author-X-Name-First: Gerard Author-X-Name-Last: Breeman Author-Name: Peter Scholten Author-X-Name-First: Peter Author-X-Name-Last: Scholten Author-Name: Arco Timmermans Author-X-Name-First: Arco Author-X-Name-Last: Timmermans Title: Analysing Local Policy Agendas: How Dutch Municipal Executive Coalitions Allocate Attention Abstract: This article provides an analysis of the allocation of attention to policy problems on the local level, focusing on the executive agenda of six municipalities in the Netherlands over a 25-year period. It reveals that there is specifically a local politics of attention, showing differences between national and local policy agendas in specific policy areas. We did not find evidence that the political composition of the local executive coalitions leads to agenda differences, revealing the more problem-oriented and pragmatic nature of local politics. We did find evidence of an effect of institutional arrangements between national and local government on shifting patterns of attention, such as due to decentralisation. This shows that the local politics of attention is limited in scope and conditioned by the functions of local government and the institutional arrangements of policy making in the Dutch decentralised unitary state and that rearrangements affect these patterns of attention. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 20-43 Issue: 1 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2014.930024 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2014.930024 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:1:p:20-43 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Laurens de Graaf Author-X-Name-First: Laurens Author-X-Name-Last: de Graaf Author-Name: Merlijn van Hulst Author-X-Name-First: Merlijn Author-X-Name-Last: van Hulst Author-Name: Ank Michels Author-X-Name-First: Ank Author-X-Name-Last: Michels Title: Enhancing Participation in Disadvantaged Urban Neighbourhoods Abstract: Participation in neighbourhoods is a highly valued phenomenon. Participation is the basis of a shared social life, but it also makes everyday life, and the lived experience of people participating in it, political. From a public administration perspective, governance and formal policy-making are increasingly reaching out to citizens, instead of drawing solely on representative mechanisms of local government. This paper investigates how practitioners working in disadvantaged neighbourhoods in Dutch cities enhance participation. Using empirical data from research in disadvantaged neighbourhoods in The Netherlands, the paper shows that these practitioners either start projects that connect people in their own life world or connect policy-makers and policy to initiatives on the ground. As a result, they create the opportunity for many to develop their citizenship and become a more active participant in their local communities. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 44-62 Issue: 1 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2014.908771 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2014.908771 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:1:p:44-62 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Niklas Hanes Author-X-Name-First: Niklas Author-X-Name-Last: Hanes Title: Amalgamation Impacts on Local Public Expenditures in Sweden Abstract: This paper concerns amalgamation impacts on local public expenditures. The empirical analysis is based on the extensive 1952 municipal reform in Sweden. The 1952 reform amalgamated municipalities in a way that they had at least 2,000–3,500 inhabitants. This was done in the belief that larger municipalities would improve administration efficiency and public services by exploiting economies of scale. The results show that the reform had a negative impact on expenditures as long as the municipalities did not exceed a critical size. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 63-77 Issue: 1 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2013.869496 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2013.869496 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:1:p:63-77 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Kurt Houlberg Author-X-Name-First: Kurt Author-X-Name-Last: Houlberg Author-Name: Lene Holm Pedersen Author-X-Name-First: Lene Holm Author-X-Name-Last: Pedersen Title: Political Consensus and Fiscal Outcomes Abstract: It is becoming difficult to maintain consensus in a period of economic austerity, and this possibly challenges the ability of democratic institutions to take decisions on tough economic questions. In order to find out how political consensus influences fiscal outcomes, this article sets out to analyse the association between political consensus and public expenditure growth. The results show that political consensus is positively associated with both budgeted and actual expenditure growth, but also negatively associated with budget overruns. This indicates that political consensus comes at a cost, while at the same time politicians may be better at sticking to budgets if political consensus exists. The analysis is based on a pooled regression analysis of the local governments in Denmark in the years 2008 and 2009 using a data set combining survey data with administrative data on the local governments. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 78-99 Issue: 1 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2014.908770 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2014.908770 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:1:p:78-99 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Ulrik Kjaer Author-X-Name-First: Ulrik Author-X-Name-Last: Kjaer Author-Name: Robert Klemmensen Author-X-Name-First: Robert Author-X-Name-Last: Klemmensen Title: What are the Local Political Costs of Centrally Determined Reforms of Local Government? Abstract: Taking advantage of a quasi-experimental setting and drawing upon analysis of electoral results and a survey of voters, this article explores the political costs of reform through the example of the 2009 local elections in Denmark. The article finds that the local parties of mayors were punished at the polls for implementing municipal amalgamations decided by the central government. However, the effect on the mayoral parties’ electoral result is more indirect than direct. Analyses of the electoral results demonstrates that the political parties holding the mayoralty in times of amalgamations tend to nominate very tenured mayors as candidates, thereby missing the positive first-term incumbency effect, which a new mayor could have acquired. And analyses of a survey of voters demonstrates higher levels of dissatisfaction with the municipal service in amalgamated municipalities, leading to a higher cost of ruling for mayoral parties which have led the implementation of an amalgamation. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 100-118 Issue: 1 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2014.887564 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2014.887564 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:1:p:100-118 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Muhammad Kurniawan Author-X-Name-First: Muhammad Author-X-Name-Last: Kurniawan Author-Name: Walter T. de Vries Author-X-Name-First: Walter T. Author-X-Name-Last: de Vries Title: The Contradictory Effects in Efficiency and Citizens’ Participation when Employing Geo-ICT Apps within Local Government Abstract: With the increasing use of web-based mapping applications, inter-mediation between public planning agencies and citizens is changing. This article investigates how one form of inter-mediation, geo-ICT-enabled apps (applications on mobile phones and/or internet that use maps or locations as basic references for any functional analysis), influences the degree of efficiency and participation in managing public space. The theoretical assumption here is that such apps encourage information disclosure and therefore have the potential to make a local government more responsive and transparent. Drawing on observation, interviews, and document and web content analysis conducted as part of a case study, this article suggests that the apps have indeed enhanced one municipality’s response and have made citizens more active in uploading their complaints. However, unexpected and contradictory effects include an increase in trivial complaints, which has made the handling of reports less efficient, and the emergence of opportunistic behaviour by third parties on the basis of the complaints, which has made the services less effective. Consequently, the assumed causal relation between enhanced citizen participation and increased transparency and information disclosure requires an adaptation that incorporates such wicked effects. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 119-136 Issue: 1 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2014.937001 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2014.937001 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:1:p:119-136 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Gert-Jan Put Author-X-Name-First: Gert-Jan Author-X-Name-Last: Put Author-Name: Bart Maddens Author-X-Name-First: Bart Author-X-Name-Last: Maddens Author-Name: Jef Smulders Author-X-Name-First: Jef Author-X-Name-Last: Smulders Title: Buying Local Votes: The Effect of Individual Campaign Spending Under a Semi-Open PR System in the Belgian Local Elections Abstract: This article analyses the effect of campaign spending on the individual result of party candidates in the Belgian local elections. An analysis of data concerning the 2012 local elections in the Flemish region shows that candidates who spend more in absolute terms or outspend their rivals (at the list and the municipality level) obtain a better result, even though the size of the effect is small. Contrary to what was found for national elections, there are indications that spending affects the odds of obtaining a seat in the local council. The spending effect tends to be weaker for candidates holding an executive office in the municipality. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 137-155 Issue: 1 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2014.904227 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2014.904227 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:1:p:137-155 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Marit Reitan Author-X-Name-First: Marit Author-X-Name-Last: Reitan Author-Name: Kari Gustafsson Author-X-Name-First: Kari Author-X-Name-Last: Gustafsson Author-Name: Arild Blekesaune Author-X-Name-First: Arild Author-X-Name-Last: Blekesaune Title: Do Local Government Reforms Result in Higher Levels of Trust in Local Politicians? Abstract: Local government reforms have been carried out in a number of European countries, aiming at both more effective service production and increased citizen participation in local politics. Although extensive research has been carried out analysing the content and background of these reforms, few if any, studies have considered the democratic effects of these reforms at the level of the individual citizen. This article investigates relationship between local government reforms and citizen trust in local government, focusing on individual-level data on local government reforms in Norway in 2008. The analysis shows that it is difficult to find a clear relationship between reform policies and trust in local politicians. These findings parallel other contributions in concluding that it is difficult to find substantial effects from local government re-organisations. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 156-179 Issue: 1 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2014.891983 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2014.891983 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:1:p:156-179 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Andrew Coulson Author-X-Name-First: Andrew Author-X-Name-Last: Coulson Title: Symphony Hall: A Dream Realised Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 180-181 Issue: 1 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2014.981402 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2014.981402 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:1:p:180-181 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Colin Combe Author-X-Name-First: Colin Author-X-Name-Last: Combe Title: Privacy, Big Data, and the Public Good: Frameworks for Engagement Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 181-182 Issue: 1 Volume: 41 Year: 2015 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2014.981403 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2014.981403 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:41:y:2015:i:1:p:181-182 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Germà Bel Author-X-Name-First: Germà Author-X-Name-Last: Bel Author-Name: Robert Hebdon Author-X-Name-First: Robert Author-X-Name-Last: Hebdon Author-Name: Mildred Warner Author-X-Name-First: Mildred Author-X-Name-Last: Warner Title: Beyond privatisation and cost savings: alternatives for local government reform Abstract: Unsatisfactory results from privatisation have caused local governments to seek alternative reforms. Inter-municipal cooperation, mixed public/private delivery and contract reversals are three alternatives that have gained traction in the last decade. These alternatives help local governments manage markets for public service delivery as a dynamic process. They maximise government/market complementarities and address a wider array of public goals beyond cost efficiency concerns. The alternative reforms show how local governments balance citizen, labour and community interests to ensure efficiency, coordination and stability in public service delivery. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 173-182 Issue: 2 Volume: 44 Year: 2018 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1428190 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1428190 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:44:y:2018:i:2:p:173-182 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Anna Kern Author-X-Name-First: Anna Author-X-Name-Last: Kern Title: What happens after a local referendum? The effect of direct democratic decision-making on protest intentions Abstract: Proponents of direct democracy claim that participation in decision-making stimulates future engagement. However, there is also evidence showing that participation is lower in systems that provide comparatively more opportunities for direct democratic involvement. Hence, it is unclear whether direct democratic involvement promotes or discourages other forms of political participation. In this study, the relationship between direct democratic involvement and the intention for political protest is evaluated empirically, based on data that was gathered in the scope of a local referendum in Belgium. Unique two-wave panel data from before and after the referendum is complemented by qualitative data from semi-structured interviews with local policymakers and citizens. While the findings generally support the claim that direct democratic involvement fosters future participation, there is no indication that the relationship is mediated by political efficacy. Apparently, the theory of participatory democracy is also useful in societies that have little experience with direct democratic decision-making. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 183-203 Issue: 2 Volume: 44 Year: 2018 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1411809 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1411809 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:44:y:2018:i:2:p:183-203 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Oliver Dlabac Author-X-Name-First: Oliver Author-X-Name-Last: Dlabac Title: Mayoral scalar strategies and the role of the central state after the financial crisis Abstract: Much has been written about state rescaling, politics of scale and the rise of cities and regions in Europe. Little is known, however, about the impact of the financial crisis on these processes. By taking the view of city mayors, this paper presents a comprehensive and timely re-evaluation of central tenets of this literature in the turbulent aftermath of the financial crisis. The analysis shows the variegated pathways of state rescaling before and after the financial crisis, the multifaceted scalar strategies with which mayors have responded in different countries and cities, and the impact of such strategies on their perception of a centralisation towards the national state. The paper concludes by emphasising the continued dominance of the central state, whereas potentials for the rise of cities are rather to be sought at subnational than at European or global scales. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 204-228 Issue: 2 Volume: 44 Year: 2018 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1398648 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1398648 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:44:y:2018:i:2:p:204-228 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Oliver Dlabac Author-X-Name-First: Oliver Author-X-Name-Last: Dlabac Author-Name: Lluís Medir Author-X-Name-First: Lluís Author-X-Name-Last: Medir Author-Name: Mariona Tomàs Author-X-Name-First: Mariona Author-X-Name-Last: Tomàs Author-Name: Marta Lackowska Author-X-Name-First: Marta Author-X-Name-Last: Lackowska Title: Metropolitan challenges and reform pressures across Europe – the perspectives of city mayors Abstract: Metropolitan governance arrangements and their policy purposes have been a matter of debate among researchers and practitioners around the globe. While we may trace three broad schools of metropolitan governance – reform school, public choice theory and new regionalism – with each still having its proponents, we are interested to learn whether there are assumptions on metropolitan governance that have today become general knowledge among urban political elites. By investigating the attitudes and perceptions of city mayors across Europe, we show that functional multipurpose governance bodies are indeed more generally associated with equitable service distribution, whereas the preconditions for cost-efficiency and sustainable development are more equivocally placed at different modes of governance. Moreover, we show that a perceived general lack of problem-solving capacities does not automatically translate into pressures for metropolitan reform, but it is only in combination with a general disaffection with the governance structures currently in place. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 229-254 Issue: 2 Volume: 44 Year: 2018 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1411811 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1411811 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:44:y:2018:i:2:p:229-254 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Roberto Cabaleiro Casal Author-X-Name-First: Roberto Author-X-Name-Last: Cabaleiro Casal Author-Name: Enrique Buch Gómez Author-X-Name-First: Enrique Author-X-Name-Last: Buch Gómez Title: Adjustments in municipal fiscal crises. Are they different according to the gender of the mayor? Abstract: The literature on gender has attempted to explain the differences between the public outcome depending on whether the ruler is male or female, on the basis that men and women have different preferences. This scientific research has not yet examined issues related to fiscal crises, and our research aims to fill this gap. In a context of generalised economic crisis, our research examines if the gender of the mayor affected the fiscal adjustment policies carried out by municipalities with fiscal deficits in the Spanish region of Galicia. Our paper suggests that although gender of the mayor does not seem to have affected the level of adjustment in total current expenditure, it does seem to have influenced the way in which social and non-social spending were adjusted. Our study also highlights that female mayors are associated with lower levels of tax revenues and this could slow the adjustment processes of fiscal imbalances. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 255-274 Issue: 2 Volume: 44 Year: 2018 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1387538 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1387538 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:44:y:2018:i:2:p:255-274 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jan Pavel Author-X-Name-First: Jan Author-X-Name-Last: Pavel Author-Name: Jan Slavík Author-X-Name-First: Jan Author-X-Name-Last: Slavík Title: The relationship between competition and efficiency of waste-collection services in the Czech Republic Abstract: This paper examines the role of the competition on the waste-collection market. Based on the case study of the Czech Republic, we evaluate the influence of competition intensity on supply side of the market on efficiency of waste-collection services. The rate of competition was approximated by the number of submitted bids to public tenders and efficiency was measured by per capita expenditures for municipal waste-collection services. We developed two regression models – the first model verified a competitive effect on the public procurement market for the provision of waste-collection services; the second model identified factors that affected municipal expenditures for waste-collection services per capita. We concluded that the competition in the waste-collection market increases by organising open tenders for suppliers at regular intervals, by adapting the duration of contracts to economic life of fixed assets, by sustaining pressure on service providers through a change in suppliers or the distribution of contracts among jurisdictions. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 275-296 Issue: 2 Volume: 44 Year: 2018 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1411812 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1411812 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:44:y:2018:i:2:p:275-296 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Peter Eckersley Author-X-Name-First: Peter Author-X-Name-Last: Eckersley Title: Local government in England: centralisation, autonomy and control, by Colin Copus, Mark Roberts and Rachel Wall, London, Palgrave Macmillan, 2017, 206 pp., £59.99 (hardback), £47.99 (eBook), ISBN 978-1-137-26417-6 (hardback); 978-1-137-26418-3 (eBook) Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 297-298 Issue: 2 Volume: 44 Year: 2018 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1429071 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1429071 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:44:y:2018:i:2:p:297-298 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Chris Game Author-X-Name-First: Chris Author-X-Name-Last: Game Title: Centralisation, devolution and the future of local government in England, by Steve Leach, John Stewart and George Jones, Abingdon, Routledge, 2017, 180 pp., £120.00 (hardback), £32.99 (paperback), £32.99 (eBook), ISBN 97811387222373 (hardback), 9781138222380 (paperback); 9781315407944 (eBook) Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 299-301 Issue: 2 Volume: 44 Year: 2018 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1429070 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1429070 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:44:y:2018:i:2:p:299-301 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Tony Smith Author-X-Name-First: Tony Author-X-Name-Last: Smith Title: Centralisation, devolution and the future of local government in England, by Steve Leach, John Stewart and George Jones, Abingdon, Routledge, 2017, 180 pp., £120.00 (hardback), £32.99 (paperback), £32.99 (eBook), ISBN 97811387222373 (hardback), 9781138222380 (paperback); 9781315407944 (eBook) Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 301-303 Issue: 2 Volume: 44 Year: 2018 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1429072 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1429072 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:44:y:2018:i:2:p:301-303 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Joshua L. Mitchell Author-X-Name-First: Joshua L. Author-X-Name-Last: Mitchell Title: Examining media markets’ influence on the diffusion of antismoking legislation in US counties Abstract: This article assesses the role of mass media markets in the diffusion of antismoking legislation in the state of Missouri in the US. Testing multiple diffusion theories, this study finds that media markets can facilitate the diffusion of policies among local jurisdictions by exacerbating intercounty competition. More attention should be given to media markets when assessing policy diffusion mechanisms at the local level. Media markets can be an important source for policy information conveyance among counties over a large geographic area. Furthermore, traditional diffusion studies that rely on geographical contiguity measures may not be completely capturing the existence of diffusion by excluding media markets. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 665-688 Issue: 5 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1167044 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1167044 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:5:p:665-688 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Raymond Gradus Author-X-Name-First: Raymond Author-X-Name-Last: Gradus Author-Name: Elbert Dijkgraaf Author-X-Name-First: Elbert Author-X-Name-Last: Dijkgraaf Author-Name: Martijn Schoute Author-X-Name-First: Martijn Author-X-Name-Last: Schoute Title: Is there still collusion in the Dutch waste collection market? Abstract: Concentration indexes based on regional markets show that the Dutch market for refuse collection is highly concentrated in 2002 and 2010. Similar to earlier work in 2007, the results indicate some evidence that high concentration increases costs and therefore (partly) offsets the advantage of contracting out. In 2002, results with respect to concentration are somewhat less robust. In 2010, the cost-advantage effect of private provision becomes smaller. However, for this year, we have a stronger indication that the cost advantage of private provision depends negatively on regional concentration measured by the Hirschman–Herfindahl Index. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 689-697 Issue: 5 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1194267 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1194267 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:5:p:689-697 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Peter Murphy Author-X-Name-First: Peter Author-X-Name-Last: Murphy Author-Name: Martin Jones Author-X-Name-First: Martin Author-X-Name-Last: Jones Title: Building the next model for intervention and turnaround in poorly performing local authorities in England Abstract: This paper examines the design and implementation of the two recent models or strategies adopted for the intervention and turnaround of poorly performing local authorities in England in the two distinct periods of 2002–2008 and 2011–2015. The first was integral to the Comprehensive Performance Management regimes, while the second was developed under the Sector Led Improvement regime. The intention is not to determine which regime has, or had, the most merit or inadequacies, but rather to synthesise knowledge and identify areas that could be improved as policy and practice moves forward, particularly in the light of the recent general election in the UK. The paper finds that both models have merits as well as weaknesses, dependent upon context and policy priorities. It provides a review of when and where alternative models should be used, and a contribution to the development of the next regime. This, the authors contend, should have a greater emphasis on achieving more appropriate levels of public assurance than the current model is providing. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 698-716 Issue: 5 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1171755 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1171755 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:5:p:698-716 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Maarten A. Allers Author-X-Name-First: Maarten A. Author-X-Name-Last: Allers Author-Name: Bernard van Ommeren Author-X-Name-First: Bernard Author-X-Name-Last: van Ommeren Title: Intermunicipal cooperation, municipal amalgamation and the price of credit Abstract: In many countries, local government size is increasingly thought to be insufficient to operate efficiently. Two possible solutions to this problem are amalgamation and intermunicipal cooperation. This paper applies a novel methodology to shed light on the efficiency implications of this choice. Using a unique and rich micro-level dataset, we find that intermunicipal organisations (IOs) in the Netherlands consistently pay higher interest rates than municipalities, while there is no economic reason to do so. We interpret this as a form of inefficiency. Municipal amalgamation, on the other hand, does not result in higher interest rates. Our analysis eliminates one possible explanation, dispersed ownership of IOs, as the number of partners cooperating in an IO does not affect interest rates (no ‘law of 1/n’). This leaves the introduction of extra hierarchical layers as a result of cooperation, and the ensuing reduction in monitoring, as the most probable explanation. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 717-738 Issue: 5 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1171754 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1171754 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:5:p:717-738 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Andrea Stefano Patrucco Author-X-Name-First: Andrea Stefano Author-X-Name-Last: Patrucco Author-Name: Davide Luzzini Author-X-Name-First: Davide Author-X-Name-Last: Luzzini Author-Name: Stefano Ronchi Author-X-Name-First: Stefano Author-X-Name-Last: Ronchi Title: Evaluating the Effectiveness of Public Procurement Performance Management Systems in Local Governments Abstract: Increasing the effectiveness, efficiency, and compliance of public procurement (PP) has become an ongoing concern for governments. Public administrations at different levels are realising that – in order for PP to fulfil its mission – appropriate control and diagnostic systems must be put in place. This study aims to investigate the architecture of PP performance measurement systems (PP-PMSs) in local governments, drawing on four case studies from Italy and four from Wales. The theoretical background is provided by the emerging literature on procurement PMSs in the private context as well as the specific literature on the public sector. PP-PMSs are specifically analysed with respect to performance areas covered (i.e., cost, quality, time, compliance, innovation, sustainability). Results show that performance dimensions should be extended beyond traditional cost measures, with KPIs not limited to those imposed by national/regional regulation. Furthermore, we show that this is likely to happen where the procurement function is recognised as strategic in the public institution. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 739-761 Issue: 5 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1181059 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1181059 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:5:p:739-761 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Deborah Platts-Fowler Author-X-Name-First: Deborah Author-X-Name-Last: Platts-Fowler Author-Name: David Robinson Author-X-Name-First: David Author-X-Name-Last: Robinson Title: Community resilience: a policy tool for local government? Abstract: In many countries, local government has been a prime target of austerity measures. In response, local authorities are exploring a new repertoire of policy approaches in a bid to provide more with less. In England, local authorities have been drawn to community resilience as a pragmatic response to the challenge of deploying shrinking resources to support communities exposed to social and economic disruption. This application of resilience thinking is not without its challenges. It demands a working definition of community resilience that recognises the potential for communities to prove resilient to shocks and disruptions, but avoids blaming them for their predicament. There is also the practical challenge of developing and targeting interventions to promote and protect resilience. This paper sets out to explore these issues and establish the potential utility of community resilience as a policy tool through case study analysis in the city of Sheffield. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 762-784 Issue: 5 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1186653 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1186653 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:5:p:762-784 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Monika Köppl Turyna Author-X-Name-First: Monika Author-X-Name-Last: Köppl Turyna Author-Name: Grzegorz Kula Author-X-Name-First: Grzegorz Author-X-Name-Last: Kula Author-Name: Agata Balmas Author-X-Name-First: Agata Author-X-Name-Last: Balmas Author-Name: Kamila Waclawska Author-X-Name-First: Kamila Author-X-Name-Last: Waclawska Title: The effects of fiscal decentralisation on the strength of political budget cycles in local expenditure Abstract: In this article we analyse the effects of political business cycles and fiscal decentralisation on the expenditure categories of Polish municipalities. We find convincing evidence demonstrating the impact of strong political business cycles in almost all expenditure categories, particularly for the categories of expenditure relevant to electoral success, such as infrastructure and social programmes. We find evidence that transfers to municipalities increase the strength of the electoral cycle. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 785-820 Issue: 5 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1181620 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1181620 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:5:p:785-820 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Kurt Houlberg Author-X-Name-First: Kurt Author-X-Name-Last: Houlberg Author-Name: Asmus Leth Olsen Author-X-Name-First: Asmus Leth Author-X-Name-Last: Olsen Author-Name: Lene Holm Pedersen Author-X-Name-First: Lene Holm Author-X-Name-Last: Pedersen Title: Spending and cutting are two different worlds: experimental evidence from Danish local councils Abstract: This article investigates politicians’ preferences for cutting and spending. The research questions are where do politicians prefer to cut, where do they prefer to spend and how is this influenced by political ideology? These questions are investigated in a large-scale survey experiment fielded to Danish local councillors, who are randomly assigned to a decision-making situation, where the block grant provided to their municipality is either increased or reduced. The results show that the politicians’ preferences for cutting and spending are asymmetric, in the sense that the policy areas, which are assigned the least cuts when the grant is reduced, are rarely the ones which are assigned extra money when the grant is increased. Areas with well-organised interests and a target group which is perceived as deserving are granted more money, whereas policy areas where the target group is perceived as less deserving receive the highest cuts. Ideology matters as left-wing councillors prefer more vague categories when cutting and prioritise childcare and unemployment policies when increasing spending. In contrast, right-wing councillors prefer to cut administration and increase spending on roads. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 821-841 Issue: 5 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1189414 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1189414 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:5:p:821-841 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Peter Thijssen Author-X-Name-First: Peter Author-X-Name-Last: Thijssen Author-Name: Wouter Van Dooren Author-X-Name-First: Wouter Author-X-Name-Last: Van Dooren Title: Going online. Does ICT enabled-participation engage the young in local governance? Abstract: Local governments increasingly use online strategies to strengthen political participation of citizens in policy and politics. Young people, however, are generally under-represented. This article studies age patterns of participation across offline and online forms of action to test whether online initiatives are able to overcome this age bias. We first report a case study of online and offline problem reporting to local authorities. We find that simply going from offline to online participation reinforces rather than mitigates age bias. We then report a case study of message posting on an online political forum. In this case, age bias disappears. In contrast to the traditional instrumental modes, a forum is an expressive form of online participation. The young seem to value the act of participating over the outcomes of participation. For practice, these findings suggest a need for participation policies that speak to these expressive needs of young. In recent years, social media have reinforced the potential for expressive participation. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 842-862 Issue: 5 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1189413 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1189413 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:5:p:842-862 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Graham Sansom Author-X-Name-First: Graham Author-X-Name-Last: Sansom Title: Timothy P. R. Weaver, Blazing the neoliberal trail: urban political development in the United States and the United Kingdom Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 863-865 Issue: 5 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1204820 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1204820 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:5:p:863-865 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: The Editors Title: Erratum Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: iii-iii Issue: 5 Volume: 42 Year: 2016 Month: 9 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2016.1195613 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2016.1195613 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:42:y:2016:i:5:p:iii-iii Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Ank Michels Author-X-Name-First: Ank Author-X-Name-Last: Michels Author-Name: Laurens De Graaf Author-X-Name-First: Laurens Author-X-Name-Last: De Graaf Title: Examining citizen participation: local participatory policymaking and democracy revisited Abstract: This article discusses developments in citizen participation and its contribution to democracy since the publication of the original article. It evaluates the continued relevance of the use of a normative framework to assess different forms of citizen participation, nuances some of the conclusions and shows how inclusion and a connection with formal decision-making remain central issues that need more scholarly attention. Moreover, the article shows how the framework has been used in advising councillors and organisers of local citizen initiatives. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 875-881 Issue: 6 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1365712 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1365712 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:6:p:875-881 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jonathan Morris Author-X-Name-First: Jonathan Author-X-Name-Last: Morris Author-Name: John Harrison Author-X-Name-First: John Author-X-Name-Last: Harrison Author-Name: Andrea Genovese Author-X-Name-First: Andrea Author-X-Name-Last: Genovese Author-Name: Liam Goucher Author-X-Name-First: Liam Author-X-Name-Last: Goucher Author-Name: S. C. L. Koh Author-X-Name-First: S. C. L. Author-X-Name-Last: Koh Title: Energy policy under austerity localism: what role for local authorities? Abstract: In the UK, local authorities (LAs) have been placed at the forefront of domestic energy-reduction strategies as the responsible actors for coordinating policy in this sector. Yet, there has been little research regarding the role of LAs in this policy agenda, and their abilities to bring together stakeholders in the successful design and implementation of strategies to reduce energy demands. The paper aims to fill this gap by highlighting the relevance and importance of the energy policy sphere to local government studies, building on the idea of resilient LAs within the context of tensions between the localism agenda and the actual implementation of energy efficiency polices. This is achieved through multiple rounds of semi-structured interviews with LA officers. Our findings reveal that LAs, operating under a localism agenda, lack the freedoms and resources from central government to meet the needs of multiple stakeholders, resorting to short-term policies. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 882-902 Issue: 6 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1359164 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1359164 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:6:p:882-902 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Christopher Ansell Author-X-Name-First: Christopher Author-X-Name-Last: Ansell Author-Name: Martin Lundin Author-X-Name-First: Martin Author-X-Name-Last: Lundin Author-Name: PerOla Öberg Author-X-Name-First: PerOla Author-X-Name-Last: Öberg Title: How learning aggregates: a social network analysis of learning between Swedish municipalities Abstract: Using a unique data set of learning among all 290 Swedish municipalities, we use social network analysis to analyse how learning networks aggregate nationally. To facilitate this analysis, we describe five ideal-typical patterns of aggregation: core-periphery, small world, top-down regionalism, bottom-up regionalism and urban hierarchy. Each of these ideal-types has important implications for how ideas, information and innovation will circulate among municipalities. Social network analysis allows us to both isolate these patterns and to appreciate composite patterns. The analysis indicates that Swedish municipalities are a small-world network with regional and hierarchical elements. County seats serve an important role as network hubs. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 903-926 Issue: 6 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1342626 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1342626 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:6:p:903-926 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Chris Skelcher Author-X-Name-First: Chris Author-X-Name-Last: Skelcher Title: An enterprising municipality? Municipalisation, corporatisation and the political economy of Birmingham City Council in the nineteenth and twenty-first centuries Abstract: English local authorities not only have a high level of path dependency but also are capable of significant path-breaking innovations. Conventional ‘great man’ and punctuated equilibrium explanations of path-switching undervalue material factors. Theoretical sampling is used to develop and illuminate the way in which material conditions impact two significant changes in the institutional path of Birmingham City Council – the late nineteenth-century municipalisation of private providers (gas and water) and the early twenty-first century corporatisation of public services (back-office functions, building control, educational support, and museums and art galleries). Data are drawn from secondary sources including Council documents and contemporary accounts. Centrifugal pressure in the early twenty-first century result in arm’s length companies offering greater financial resilience. This contrasts with late nineteenth-century centripetal pressure to minimise the patchwork of private providers and trade for a wider public benefit. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 927-945 Issue: 6 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1359163 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1359163 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:6:p:927-945 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Lang (Kate) Yang Author-X-Name-First: Lang (Kate) Author-X-Name-Last: Yang Title: Financial management conservatism under constraints: tax and expenditure limits and local deficit financing during the Great Recession Abstract: This paper investigates the relationship between tax and expenditure limits (TELs) and local government deficit financing decisions following the recent recession. Cities under the resource constraints are hypothesised to practise conservatism in financial management decisions and thus less likely to deficit finance during difficult times. Using data from 2005 to 2012 Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports of the 50 largest US cities, this paper finds that cities subject to a binding TEL are more likely to control expenditure growth from pre-crisis years to years following the recession; these cities are also less likely to increase deficit financing following the recession, as indicated by a relative increase in their net assets. Although continuous deficit erodes fiscal sustainability and is an undesirable management practice, deficit financing during recessions may be needed for smoothing expenditure and sustaining service provision. The management conservatism associated with the fiscal rules may contribute to the cyclicality of local spending. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 946-965 Issue: 6 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1365711 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1365711 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:6:p:946-965 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Daniel Bailey Author-X-Name-First: Daniel Author-X-Name-Last: Bailey Author-Name: Matthew Wood Author-X-Name-First: Matthew Author-X-Name-Last: Wood Title: The metagovernance of English devolution Abstract: Metagovernance refers to a theory of how governments steer decentralised networks by indirectly shaping the rules and norms of those networks. This article develops metagovernance conceptually and empirically by looking at the use of ‘hands-off’ metagovernance tools in the case of English devolution, which encompass the ‘designing’ and ‘framing’ of local governance networks in the process of their reconfiguration. These concepts provide insights into how a Conservative-led Coalition Government subtly centralised power in the process of devolution to city-regions. Our analysis shows how discursive framing, fiscal conditioning and the recomposition of local governance networks produced a reworking of centre-local and intra-local power relations in a way which allowed the Treasury to shape the priorities of a set of ‘devolution deals’ with regional authorities, emphasising boosting economic growth and improving public services. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 966-991 Issue: 6 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1359165 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1359165 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:6:p:966-991 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Yanwei Li Author-X-Name-First: Yanwei Author-X-Name-Last: Li Author-Name: Joop Koppenjan Author-X-Name-First: Joop Author-X-Name-Last: Koppenjan Author-Name: Vincent Homburg Author-X-Name-First: Vincent Author-X-Name-Last: Homburg Title: Governing environmental conflicts: A comparative analysis of ten protests against industrial facilities in urban China Abstract: With the increasing numbers of environmental conflicts in recent years, Chinese local governments are deploying a variety of strategies to address them. Using the method of agreement and the method of difference, this article explores the question of why local governments adopt particular strategies during conflicts over the construction or operation of industrial facilities. The findings reveal that the position of higher-level governments, the costs involved in adapting projects and the threats posed by the form of protest to social stability are important conditions in explaining the differences in the patterns of government strategies. The authoritarian responsiveness that characterises Chinese government strategies results in high political, economic and environmental costs. The big challenge for Chinese governments is to develop policies, institutions and capacities to deal with environmental concerns in a more proactive and balanced way. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 992-1013 Issue: 6 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1375409 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1375409 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:6:p:992-1013 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Stephen Leach Author-X-Name-First: Stephen Author-X-Name-Last: Leach Title: Local government, local legislation: municipal initiative in parliament from 1858–1872, by R.J.B. Morris, Abingdon, Routledge, 2017, 251 pp., £110 (hardcover), ISBN 978-1-138-69611-2 Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1014-1016 Issue: 6 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1377005 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1377005 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:6:p:1014-1016 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Robyn Hollander Author-X-Name-First: Robyn Author-X-Name-Last: Hollander Title: Local government in Australia: history, theory and public policy, by Bligh Grant and Joseph Drew, Singapore, Springer, 2017, 445 pp., £112 (eBook), ISBN 9789811038679 Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1016-1017 Issue: 6 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1377003 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1377003 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:6:p:1016-1017 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Bligh Grant Author-X-Name-First: Bligh Author-X-Name-Last: Grant Title: Directly elected mayors in urban governance: impact and practice, edited by David Sweeting, Bristol, Policy Press, Published 15 March 2017, 1+296 pp., £75.00 (hbk), ISBN: 978-14473027011 Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1018-1020 Issue: 6 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1377002 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1377002 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:6:p:1018-1020 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Anssi Paasi Author-X-Name-First: Anssi Author-X-Name-Last: Paasi Title: Local identities and politics: negotiating the old and the new, by Kees Terlouw, Routledge Focus, London, 2017, 139pp., £45 (hbk), ISBN 978-1-138-20925-1; £10.50 (ebk), ISBN 978-1-315-45753-6 Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1020-1023 Issue: 6 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1377000 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1377000 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:6:p:1020-1023 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: The Editors Title: Corrigendum Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: iii-iii Issue: 6 Volume: 43 Year: 2017 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1386950 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1386950 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:43:y:2017:i:6:p:iii-iii Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Simon Otjes Author-X-Name-First: Simon Author-X-Name-Last: Otjes Title: Pushed by national politics or pulled by localism? Voting for independent local parties in the Netherlands Abstract: This study examines why citizens in the Netherlands vote for independent local parties. These are parties that run in municipal council elections, but do not run in elections at higher levels. This article examines a number of expectations: namely that voters vote for these parties out dissatisfaction with established parties, that they do so because they have a 'localist' political orientation or that they do so because their own national party is not running in the municipal elections. More support is found for the idea that voters vote for local parties because they are pushed away by national parties (either because they do not participate in some municipalities or because voters distrust them) than for the idea that voters vote for local parties for positive reasons, such as a localist political orientation. This article examines two surveys concerning voting behaviour in the 2014 Dutch municipal elections. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 305-328 Issue: 3 Volume: 44 Year: 2018 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1427072 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1427072 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:44:y:2018:i:3:p:305-328 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Tomáš Dvořák Author-X-Name-First: Tomáš Author-X-Name-Last: Dvořák Title: The use of local direct democracy in the Czech Republic: how NIMBY disputes drive protest behaviour Abstract: Over the past 15 years there has been an increase in the use of local direct democracy in the Czech Republic. The analysis shows that the primary cause has been the regulation of development projects. Using transaction costs economics (TCE) approach it is shown how the regulation related to the siting of development projects leads to a not-in-my-backyard (NIMBY) response resulting in political activism that uses institutions of local direct democracy. Drawing from the TCE perspective, in this article it is argued that the key sources of this political mobilisation have been the existence of contractual hazards related to development projects and an inability to form credible commitments between developers and communities. The article highlights a previously neglected explanation for the increased use of direct democracy because sources outside the political system often go unnoticed and contributes to the research on NIMBY disputes and on the expansion of direct democracy. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 329-349 Issue: 3 Volume: 44 Year: 2018 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1433661 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1433661 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:44:y:2018:i:3:p:329-349 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Austin M. Aldag Author-X-Name-First: Austin M. Author-X-Name-Last: Aldag Author-Name: Mildred Warner Author-X-Name-First: Mildred Author-X-Name-Last: Warner Title: Cooperation, not cost savings: explaining duration of shared service agreements Abstract: Among local governments, inter-municipal cooperation is the growing reform; but the literature is silent regarding the determinants of longer-term shared service agreements. We conducted a survey of all local governments in New York State in 2013 to assess the level of sharing across 29 public services. The duration of shared service agreements varies from 1 to 80 years. What explains this difference? Our hierarchical linear model shows that service sharing agreements fall along a cooperation continuum, where cost savings are a determinant of shorter agreements, while the public values of service quality and cross-jurisdictional coordination explain longer-term agreements. We also find that positive past experience with sharing partners increases the duration of sharing agreements. Our analysis lays the foundation for new theories of shared services that build directly from the benefits of improved regional coordination, inter-municipal reciprocity and service quality, not from theories based solely on competition and costs. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 350-370 Issue: 3 Volume: 44 Year: 2018 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2017.1411810 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2017.1411810 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:44:y:2018:i:3:p:350-370 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Bjørnulf Arntsen Author-X-Name-First: Bjørnulf Author-X-Name-Last: Arntsen Author-Name: Dag Olaf Torjesen Author-X-Name-First: Dag Olaf Author-X-Name-Last: Torjesen Author-Name: Tor-Ivar Karlsen Author-X-Name-First: Tor-Ivar Author-X-Name-Last: Karlsen Title: Drivers and barriers of inter-municipal cooperation in health services – the Norwegian case Abstract: Inter-municipal cooperation in service delivery is widespread, as is the notion that this type of cooperation is primarily driven by economies of scale. However, the empirical results appear to be inconclusive, suggesting that additional explanatory factors are needed to explain why municipalities cooperate. This study aimed to identify the factors and conditions that influence the level of inter-municipal cooperation in health services by exploring a broad set of explanatory factors that go beyond simple economic concerns. In addition to confirming that a small population-size and fiscal stress constitute important drivers of inter-municipal cooperation, the results from this study also demonstrates the need to consider geographical location and heterogeneity relative to neighbouring municipalities as potential barriers to such cooperation. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 371-390 Issue: 3 Volume: 44 Year: 2018 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1427071 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1427071 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:44:y:2018:i:3:p:371-390 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Calum J. R. Webb Author-X-Name-First: Calum J. R. Author-X-Name-Last: Webb Author-Name: Paul Bywaters Author-X-Name-First: Paul Author-X-Name-Last: Bywaters Title: Austerity, rationing and inequity: trends in children’s and young peoples’ services expenditure in England between 2010 and 2015 Abstract: This article investigates local authority (LA) trends in expenditure on Children’s and Young Peoples’ services in England between 2010 and 2015, a period of government characterised by measures of fiscal austerity. We draw on a rationing framework to contextualise the levels and trends in expenditure under observation. The article analyses trends in various groupings of expenditure, using a latent growth modelling approach to identify significant trajectories in spending across LAs with different deprivation tertile membership. We find that although some kinds of children’s and young peoples’ services expenditure have been largely maintained during this period, preventive family support and early intervention services (such as Sure Start Children’s centres) have seen substantial reductions in expenditure, in contrast to the dominant narrative that children’s services have been protected. LAs in the most deprived tertile have faced the greatest cuts, mirroring other research findings on the distribution of austerity measures. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 391-415 Issue: 3 Volume: 44 Year: 2018 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1430028 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1430028 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:44:y:2018:i:3:p:391-415 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Yu Shi Author-X-Name-First: Yu Author-X-Name-Last: Shi Author-Name: Jie Tao Author-X-Name-First: Jie Author-X-Name-Last: Tao Title: ‘Faulty’ fiscal illusion: examining the relationship between revenue diversification and tax burden in major US cities across the economic cycle Abstract: We investigate how revenue diversification affects tax burden in major U.S cities as it interacts with fiscal balance reported in the general fund over the economic cycle. We find that more diversified cities have higher tax burdens, and that this effect is strengthened when cities maintain a large surplus in the general fund. We also test models of revenue diversification's impact on tax burden using data from 1995 to 2010, separated into good fiscal years (1995-2001, 2004-2007, 2010) and bad fiscal years (2002-2003, 2008-2009). Model estimates show that greater revenue diversification leads to higher tax burden in bad fiscal years but this outcome is not found in good fiscal years. Cities seek greater revenue diversification when they are experiencing economic recessions. This study contains important implications for local financial management and contributes to the literature on revenue diversification and tax burden. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 416-435 Issue: 3 Volume: 44 Year: 2018 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1433662 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1433662 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:44:y:2018:i:3:p:416-435 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Averill Campion Author-X-Name-First: Averill Author-X-Name-Last: Campion Title: ‘Joined-up’ local governments? Restructuring and reorganising internal management Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 436-438 Issue: 3 Volume: 44 Year: 2018 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1475171 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1475171 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:44:y:2018:i:3:p:436-438 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Emily St Denny Author-X-Name-First: Emily Author-X-Name-Last: St Denny Title: Kittens are evil: Little heresies in public policy Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 438-441 Issue: 3 Volume: 44 Year: 2018 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2018.1475169 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2018.1475169 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:44:y:2018:i:3:p:438-441 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Catherine Durose Author-X-Name-First: Catherine Author-X-Name-Last: Durose Author-Name: Liz Richardson Author-X-Name-First: Liz Author-X-Name-Last: Richardson Title: Editorial Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 337-338 Issue: 3 Volume: 40 Year: 2014 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2014.913828 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2014.913828 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:40:y:2014:i:3:p:337-338 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Marcel Boogers Author-X-Name-First: Marcel Author-X-Name-Last: Boogers Title: Pulling the Strings: An Analysis of Informal Local Power Structures in Three Dutch Cities Abstract: The study of local power structures is highly relevant for a better understanding of local governance networks. Not only does it draw attention to the power dimension of local governance, it also brings to focus the individuals who play a role on and behind the scenes of governance networks. This article gives a comparative analysis of informal local power structures in three Dutch cities. Drawing on the classical reputational method of Hunter, it presents the 25 most influential persons of each city, their organisational backgrounds and influence resources. The results show that local power structures mainly consist of government executives (mayors, aldermen), entrepreneurs and directors of third sector organisations; local councillors and local civil servants are virtually absent on the lists of influential persons. Comparative analyses demonstrate that the composition of a local power structure is linked with the strategic policy objectives of the city. The article concludes with a brief summary of the findings and points to the value of local power studies for local governance research. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 339-355 Issue: 3 Volume: 40 Year: 2014 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2013.841579 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2013.841579 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:40:y:2014:i:3:p:339-355 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Colin Cresswell Author-X-Name-First: Colin Author-X-Name-Last: Cresswell Author-Name: Jonathan Moizer Author-X-Name-First: Jonathan Author-X-Name-Last: Moizer Author-Name: Jonathan Lean Author-X-Name-First: Jonathan Author-X-Name-Last: Lean Title: The Role of Organisational Culture in the Merger of English Local Authorities into a Single Unitary Authority Abstract: Cornwall Council is a new ‘unitary’ local authority which was created following the merger of six district councils and one county council on 1 April 2009. A questionnaire survey based on specific ‘dimensions’ of organisational culture was circulated to staff prior to the merger date. Overall, the results indicated a generally congruent culture characterised by a strong team spirit and commitment to the workplace. A number of differences were observed between the cultural orientations of the seven councils, but there was only weak evidence of differences between tiers of management or professional groupings. The study suggests that the new organisation will have to find ways of ‘unfreezing’ staff from their established ways of thinking and working before changes can be properly embedded. It is recommended that the organisational change process shifts from a top-down ‘planned’ approach to a more ‘emergent’ approach to facilitate learning and organisational development. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 356-379 Issue: 3 Volume: 40 Year: 2014 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2013.787413 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2013.787413 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:40:y:2014:i:3:p:356-379 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Richard Elling Author-X-Name-First: Richard Author-X-Name-Last: Elling Author-Name: Kelly Krawczyk Author-X-Name-First: Kelly Author-X-Name-Last: Krawczyk Author-Name: Jered Carr Author-X-Name-First: Jered Author-X-Name-Last: Carr Title: What Should We Do? Public Attitudes about How Local Government Officials Should Confront Fiscal Stress Abstract: Despite strong scholarly interest in the topic of fiscal stress, little attention has been paid to understanding how the general public thinks local governments should respond to situations where declining revenues endanger service levels. This study reports findings from a survey of 660 residents undertaken between November 2006 and January 2007 in the US state of Michigan to examine their support for eight potential strategies to cope with fiscal stress in five different local government services. We find that the public has a surprisingly nuanced perspective about these strategies and on their use for different services. Our findings may provide local policymakers with some insights about how to respond to fiscal stress. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 380-402 Issue: 3 Volume: 40 Year: 2014 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2013.823408 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2013.823408 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:40:y:2014:i:3:p:380-402 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Gro Sandkjaer Hanssen Author-X-Name-First: Gro Sandkjaer Author-X-Name-Last: Hanssen Author-Name: Eva Irene Falleth Author-X-Name-First: Eva Irene Author-X-Name-Last: Falleth Title: Market-Oriented Urban Planning – Constraining Citizen Participation Abstract: Urban planning in Norway can be characterised as market oriented, with responsibilities for the formulation of planning largely delegated to private developers. Even though the principle of citizen participation has a strong and longstanding tradition in Norway, the market-oriented practices challenge the ability of citizens to influence their spatial surroundings. Based on broad surveys and qualitative case studies, this article maps the attitudes of developers, councillors and planners towards citizen participation and studies the strategies of local community associations. Our analysis shows that developers value citizen participation to a much lesser degree than councillors and planners, which can explain the lack of participatory channels in early phases. Official avenues for participation occur later, primarily through hearings. Local associations find this to be too late, characterising urban planning as a path dependent process; as a consequence, local associations attempt to influence planning processes in a more informal way by contacting councillors directly. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 403-428 Issue: 3 Volume: 40 Year: 2014 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2013.834254 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2013.834254 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:40:y:2014:i:3:p:403-428 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Vincent Homburg Author-X-Name-First: Vincent Author-X-Name-Last: Homburg Author-Name: Andres Dijkshoorn Author-X-Name-First: Andres Author-X-Name-Last: Dijkshoorn Author-Name: Marcel Thaens Author-X-Name-First: Marcel Author-X-Name-Last: Thaens Title: Diffusion of Personalised Services among Dutch Municipalities: Evolving Channels of Persuasion Abstract: In many European countries, municipalities are becoming increasingly important as providers of electronic public services to their citizens. One of the horizons for further expansion is the delivery of personalised electronic services. In this article we describe the diffusion of personalised services in the Netherlands over the period 2006–2009 and investigate how and why various municipalities adopted personalised electronic services. In achieving this, we analyse data that were gathered during interviews with key stakeholders in 10 selected Dutch municipalities. We synthesise the findings in an explanatory model of personalised electronic service delivery diffusion. The model emphasises persuasive pressures that are channelled to potential adopters of personalised services. Furthermore, the model shows how persuasive pressure (as perceived by adopters) is followed-up by organisational search activities, and how, in various circumstances, the idea of personalised services is ‘framed’ by innovation champions, knowledge brokers and new members of staff as to appeal to specific organisational priorities and ambitions. In doing so, this article contributes to an institutional view on adoption and diffusion of innovations, in which (1) horizontal and vertical channels of persuasion and (2) human agency, rather than technological opportunity and rational cost-benefit considerations, account for actual diffusion of innovations. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 429-450 Issue: 3 Volume: 40 Year: 2014 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2013.795892 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2013.795892 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:40:y:2014:i:3:p:429-450 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Peter Matthews Author-X-Name-First: Peter Author-X-Name-Last: Matthews Title: Being Strategic in Partnership – Interpreting Local Knowledge of Modern Local Government Abstract: Broad and international literature exists on networked governance which has both described and informed recent transformations in local government. Reforms in the UK have led to the development of strategic partnerships to join up services and solve wicked issues. In Scotland, these are referred to as Community Planning Partnerships. Evidence from numerous studies has highlighted the partial nature of this transformation, particularly around community engagement, with some of the pioneers of this work now questioning earlier assumptions. This article presents an interpretive policy analysis of strategic partnership in Scotland to add three themes to this literature. First, to demonstrate the historical contingency of ‘joined-up government’; second, to explore the practices and meanings used by policy actors to understand ‘strategic’ and ‘partnerships’. Finally, the article problematises strategic partnership working, suggesting that in and of itself it creates effective barriers to community empowerment and even engagement. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 451-472 Issue: 3 Volume: 40 Year: 2014 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2013.859141 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2013.859141 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:40:y:2014:i:3:p:451-472 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Mark Smith Author-X-Name-First: Mark Author-X-Name-Last: Smith Title: Integrating Policies, Plans and Programmes in Local Government: An Exploration from a Spatial Planning Perspective Abstract: Local government bodies are increasingly attempting to integrate different functions and departments in the production of policies, plans and programmes. Despite this interest, a general lack of conceptualisation around integration currently exists, presenting difficulties for local government practitioners to pursue such integration. This article reports findings of an ESRC PhD case study into integration in local government, and presents a conceptualisation which seeks to resolve these outstanding issues surrounding integration. These findings are particularly apt given the ongoing changes to local government in England. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 473-493 Issue: 3 Volume: 40 Year: 2014 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2013.823407 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2013.823407 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:40:y:2014:i:3:p:473-493 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Marieke Van Genugten Author-X-Name-First: Marieke Author-X-Name-Last: Van Genugten Author-Name: Sandra Van Thiel Author-X-Name-First: Sandra Author-X-Name-Last: Van Thiel Author-Name: Bart Voorn Author-X-Name-First: Bart Author-X-Name-Last: Voorn Title: Local governments and their arm’s length bodies Abstract: In this paper, we discuss the state of the art on the creation of arm’s length bodies (ALBs) by local governments. We make three main contributions. First, there are many different types of ALBs and each country has its own categories; an expert survey was held identifying three common types of body, to enable future comparative research. Second, we point out that the creation of ALBs has led to a number of new challenges for local governments, particularly regarding governing bodies at arm’s length to ensure ALBs’ good performance. A lack of capacity and information have to be countered, for example, by increased monitoring – also for democratic accountability purposes. Special attention is needed for the multiple principal problem that arises when local governments jointly create ALBs. Third, research into local ALBs is still in its early stages. We present a research agenda to develop knowledge on the topic. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1-21 Issue: 1 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1667774 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1667774 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:1:p:1-21 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Sergi Ferrer Author-X-Name-First: Sergi Author-X-Name-Last: Ferrer Title: Responsibility attribution for corruption scandals Abstract: This paper studies the effect of the type of government on responsibility attribution for corruption scandals. Most studies on corruption voting have assumed that voters punish all kinds of governments. This article challenges this assumption by distinguishing between two types of governments: single-party majority governments and minority/coalition governments. This hypothesis is tested using data from the 2011 Spanish local elections. Our findings reveal that the effect of coalition governments on corruption voting is not statistically different than majority ones. However, when we differentiate between welfare-enhancing and welfare decreasing corruption, we find that welfare-decreasing corruption has a clear negative effect on the electoral performance of the mayor’s party when it impacts single-party majority governments, but not when the mayor needs the support of other parties (minority or coalition governments). Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 22-43 Issue: 1 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1583560 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1583560 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:1:p:22-43 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Shuo Sun Author-X-Name-First: Shuo Author-X-Name-Last: Sun Author-Name: Rhys Andrews Author-X-Name-First: Rhys Author-X-Name-Last: Andrews Title: The determinants of fiscal transparency in Chinese city-level governments Abstract: The transparency of the fiscal performance of governments has attracted attention from researchers, policy-makers and practitioners around the world. This study examines the determinants of fiscal transparency in the city-level governments of China, which has become a key issue in the drive to modernise the Chinese state. Employing cross-sectional data from the 2017 Statistical Yearbooks published by the official statistical institutions and the 2017 Fiscal transparency report of city-level governments edited by the Tsinghua University, this study finds that economic development, economic openness, and dependence on transfer payments are associated with weaker fiscal transparency. Large cities, those with high levels of internet usage and cities higher up within the Chinese administrative hierarchy are associated with stronger fiscal transparency. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 44-67 Issue: 1 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1608828 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1608828 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:1:p:44-67 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Hugo Consciência Silvestre Author-X-Name-First: Hugo Consciência Author-X-Name-Last: Silvestre Author-Name: Rui Cunha Marques Author-X-Name-First: Rui Cunha Author-X-Name-Last: Marques Author-Name: Brian Dollery Author-X-Name-First: Brian Author-X-Name-Last: Dollery Author-Name: Aldenísio Moraes Correia Author-X-Name-First: Aldenísio Moraes Author-X-Name-Last: Correia Title: Is cooperation cost reducing? An analysis of public–public partnerships and inter-municipal cooperation in Brazilian local government Abstract: In local government systems worldwide, financial pressures have obliged local authorities to focus on cost-efficient methods for providing local services, including inter-municipal agreements and public–public partnerships. However, in comparison with municipal mergers, privatisation and other approaches to the problem, the cost impact of the cooperative provision has not yet been thoroughly examined empirically. Moreover, available empirical research has largely concentrated on waste disposal in developed countries. The present paper seeks to contribute to the empirical literature on inter-municipal agreements and public–public partnerships by comparing their impact on costs with ‘stand-alone’ provision in a range of non-waste local services. In contrast to the bulk of existing studies, our analysis takes place in a developing country context by examining Brazilian local government over the period 2013/15. We found that – on the whole – cooperative provision is less expensive than the ‘stand-alone’ provision for the services studied. Our results can be explained by the size and composition of the population, together with the politics for cooperation. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 68-90 Issue: 1 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1615462 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1615462 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:1:p:68-90 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Simon Otjes Author-X-Name-First: Simon Author-X-Name-Last: Otjes Title: Going Local. Voting for independent local Parties in the Netherlands 1986-2010 Abstract: This paper examines why the support of independent local parties has grown substantially in the Netherlands. These are parties that run in municipal council elections, but do not run in elections at higher levels, specifically the national level. Such parties saw their support double in the Netherlands between 1986 and 2010. Parties of this type have also grown in other Western European states. This paper examines two possible explanations: declining political trust on the level of voters and, on the supply side, the rise of parties that are not rooted at the local level. The evidence shows that the rise of independent local parties reflects the rise of national political parties that do not run in many municipal elections. This article examines the case of the Netherlands, pooling five surveys from the 1986–2010 period. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 91-115 Issue: 1 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1619555 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1619555 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:1:p:91-115 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Steven R. Henderson Author-X-Name-First: Steven R. Author-X-Name-Last: Henderson Title: Local government advocacy in the ‘suburban age’: an institutionalist interpretation of Melbourne’s evolving sub-metropolitan regional structures Abstract: The ‘suburban age’ has been conceptualised as the dominant global urban spatial reality for the 21st Century, yet the politics associated with this heightened expansiveness remain underdeveloped. Of relevance is the potential for suburban discontentment across a myriad of spaces centred upon the under provision of infrastructure and employment. With urban regions often highly fragmented by local government boundaries, bottom-up inter-local government responses assume significance, including sub-regional advocacy given enduring hierarchical government dependencies. In consideration of the evolving strength of sub-regional advocacy, three institutionalist themes are introduced: credibility, coherency and coordination. Empirical insights are presented from chief executive officer (CEO)-based interviews conducted across expansive Melbourne, Australia. In Melbourne, a ‘weak mayor/strong CEO’ local government system predominates beneath a state government with extensive metropolitan responsibilities. Melbourne’s sub-metropolitan regional structures have recently looked to strengthen their external presence through actions illustrative of the identified themes, with local government CEOs playing a key role in directing their evolving character. The global ‘suburban age’ must be associated with heightened sub-regional competition across enlarged urban regions, the management of which will present a growing spatial challenge for political leaders. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 116-138 Issue: 1 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1619556 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1619556 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:1:p:116-138 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Eva Sørensen Author-X-Name-First: Eva Author-X-Name-Last: Sørensen Author-Name: Tina Bentzen Author-X-Name-First: Tina Author-X-Name-Last: Bentzen Title: Public administrators in interactive democracy: a multi-paradigmatic approach Abstract: Currently, interactive forms of democracy that bring local politicians into dialogue and collaboration with relevant and affected citizens are mushrooming. While some research has investigated how interactive democracy affects citizens and politicians, we know little about what interactive democracy means for public administrators. This article presents the results of a case study of role perceptions and coping strategies among public administrators assisting a new type of interactive political committee in two Nordic municipalities. Guided by a multi-paradigmatic conceptual framework featuring public administrators’ roles and coping strategies in interactive governance, the study shows that individual public administrators identify with different administrative roles, and that political and administrative leadership sentiments condition their choice of coping strategies. Moreover, the coping strategy that public administrators select to handle intra- and inter-paradigmatic role dilemmas can have dire consequences for the interplay between interactive democracy and local representative government. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 139-162 Issue: 1 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1627335 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1627335 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:1:p:139-162 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jochen Franzke Author-X-Name-First: Jochen Author-X-Name-Last: Franzke Title: The Routledge handbook of international local government Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 163-165 Issue: 1 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1702771 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1702771 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:1:p:163-165 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Charlotte Pell Author-X-Name-First: Charlotte Author-X-Name-Last: Pell Title: Troublemakers: the construction of ‘troubled families’ as a social problem Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 165-168 Issue: 1 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 1 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1702772 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1702772 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:1:p:165-168 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jacob Brix Author-X-Name-First: Jacob Author-X-Name-Last: Brix Author-Name: Hanne Kathrine Krogstrup Author-X-Name-First: Hanne Kathrine Author-X-Name-Last: Krogstrup Author-Name: Nanna Moeller Mortensen Author-X-Name-First: Nanna Moeller Author-X-Name-Last: Mortensen Title: Evaluating the outcomes of co-production in local government Abstract: New Public Governance assumes that co-production leads to beneficial outcomes, such as increased efficiency and better citizen well-being. However, few empirical studies have documented these outcomes, and some have demonstrated that the assumed outcomes do not emerge. This study establishes that co-production is a complex, social phenomenon, which implies that there cannot be a clear cause-effect relationship between co-production activities and their outcomes. To qualify and enable further empirical investigation of the outcomes of co-production, the study proposes that contribution analysis should be applied as an appropriate evaluation paradigm to theoretically reduce complexity and define a generic programme theory for co-production. The study also discusses how the creation and operationalisation of a local co-production programme theory can take place to evaluate the relationship between co-production initiatives and outcomes on a localised level. Finally, directions are provided for how the outcomes of co-production can be co-evaluated with citizens. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 169-185 Issue: 2 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1702530 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1702530 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:2:p:169-185 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Bethany Rex Author-X-Name-First: Bethany Author-X-Name-Last: Rex Title: Which museums to fund? Examining local government decision-making in austerity Abstract: The paper develops a conceptual framework to analyse empirical data relating to the bases, both ‘evidence’ and assumptions, on which decisions about museum provision were made by two local authorities where budget cuts prompted the restructuring of museum services. Its specific focus is on why some museums retain funding and status as part of direct public provision while others are identified to be transferred to community groups via the asset transfer process. The paper demonstrates why certain types of museum are more vulnerable to funding cuts and being transferred to community-management. Whilst acknowledging the pressure local authorities are under to both save and generate money from their museums, the article questions the implications of this approach to deciding which museums should be transferred as it indicates a reworking of conventional notions of universal entitlement and results in transferring museums that may prove to be financially unviable without continued state support. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 186-205 Issue: 2 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1619554 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1619554 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:2:p:186-205 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Shihyun Noh Author-X-Name-First: Shihyun Author-X-Name-Last: Noh Author-Name: Ji Hyung Park Author-X-Name-First: Ji Hyung Author-X-Name-Last: Park Title: Factors influencing the extent of local public spending through contracting-out and intermunicipal contracting in New York: focusing on institutional constraints, histories, and fiscal capacity Abstract: This research considered levels of public service spending according to the alternative service arrangements, and examined how the property tax cap as an external constraint, local histories, and local fiscal capacity are related to the spending in the context of the state of New York. This study provides empirical evidence that the property tax cap positively influenced local spending through contracting out, while the same variable negatively affected the spending through intermunicipal contracting. Second, the previous level of public spending was positively associated with the current level of public spending through contracts with other municipalities, but this is not the case for contracts with nongovernmental providers. In addition, in deciding the extent of public spending through contracting out, local government officials were influenced by the factors of fiscal capacity, indicated by budget solvency and tax revenues. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 206-227 Issue: 2 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1670166 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1670166 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:2:p:206-227 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Mildred E. Warner Author-X-Name-First: Mildred E. Author-X-Name-Last: Warner Author-Name: Amir Hefetz Author-X-Name-First: Amir Author-X-Name-Last: Hefetz Title: Contracting dynamics and unionisation: managing labour, contracts and markets Abstract: What is the impact of unionisation on contracting dynamics? Using a panel of 523 US local governments from 2007 to 2012, we find the level of new contracting out is equal to contract reversals (re-municipalisation) among sampled municipalities. Interestingly, new contracts are higher among unionised municipalities, while reversals are higher among non-unionised municipalities. While public administration theory would expect the opposite results, we draw from industrial relations and pragmatic municipalism theory to explain these differences. Our regression models find unionised municipalities are better able to balance political and labour interests with contract and market management. Labour opposition has no effect on contracting dynamics, but unionised localities give more attention to contract monitoring and service characteristics. Unionised municipalities ensure the core features for successful contracting (monitoring, balancing interests, managing markets), but reverse contracts when those standards are not met. Thus, unionised localities represent better the institutional arrangements necessary for effective contracting. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 228-252 Issue: 2 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1670167 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1670167 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:2:p:228-252 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Robert Heuton Author-X-Name-First: Robert Author-X-Name-Last: Heuton Author-Name: John Strate Author-X-Name-First: John Author-X-Name-Last: Strate Title: Cutback management in Canadian cities Abstract: This study looks at the views of municipal managers in Canada about cutback management, using data from a national survey conducted in two waves: 2009 and 2015. The first period reflects the onset of the Great Recession, and the second its aftermath. We argue that the choice of cutback management strategies and tools in Canadian cities is driven by two concerns: taking actions that can be justified and avoiding losses in services. Other considerations include easy to use tools, having council support, and employing New Public Management practices. Municipal managers view increases in taxes and user fees to be very important. Improving in-house management practices are also very important. Targeted cuts, such as cuts to capital expenditures, are somewhat important. Cuts to human resources that involve large losses for employees and likely service reductions, are less important. Changes to the city's mission that reduce services and programmes are unimportant. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 253-277 Issue: 2 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1654999 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1654999 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:2:p:253-277 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Youngsung Kim Author-X-Name-First: Youngsung Author-X-Name-Last: Kim Author-Name: Gang Chen Author-X-Name-First: Gang Author-X-Name-Last: Chen Title: Cutback management and path dependency: evidence from the two recent recessions Abstract: Previous studies have shown that, in response to economic recessions, governments strategically choose certain strategies to cut spending and increase revenues. However, little is known about the factors that influence their decisions to rely on certain strategies rather than others. To fill this gap in the literature, this study examines and compares the cutback strategies of local governments across the two recent recessions – the ‘dot-com bubble’ in the early 2000s and the Great Recession in the late 2000s. Using general-purpose local governments in New York State as a sample, this study finds that local governments generally employ the same cutback strategies during multiple periods of fiscal stress, following a ‘path-dependent’ pattern. Based on this finding, we conclude that previous cutback actions play an important role in predicting a government’s current cutback strategies. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 278-305 Issue: 2 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1677624 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1677624 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:2:p:278-305 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Nicolas Keuffer Author-X-Name-First: Nicolas Author-X-Name-Last: Keuffer Author-Name: Katia Horber-Papazian Author-X-Name-First: Katia Author-X-Name-Last: Horber-Papazian Title: The bottom-up approach: essential to an apprehension of local autonomy and local governance in the case of Switzerland Abstract: Local autonomy has been the subject of increasing scrutiny in recent decades. The many studies published, based on indicators on the macro level, show that local autonomy in Switzerland is comparatively high, although its degree varies depending on the canton, the dimension of autonomy and the public policy involved. Some scholars criticise this reductive formal approach. Therefore, this article considers the cantonal legal framework but also follows a bottom-up and sectoral approach. It analyses local autonomy through its various dimensions and its relationship with the choice of governance arrangements for delivering a public service, calling the macro results into question. Methodologically, it is based on interviews in 16 Swiss municipalities selected according to the executive councillors’ perception of autonomy in sport and public-transport policies collected in a comprehensive survey. It emphasises the differences between formal, perceived and effective autonomy and enriches the debate on the various methodological approaches thereto. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 306-325 Issue: 2 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1635019 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1635019 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:2:p:306-325 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jim Chandler Author-X-Name-First: Jim Author-X-Name-Last: Chandler Title: Public enterprise and local place: new perspectives on theory and practice Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 326-327 Issue: 2 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1727634 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1727634 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:2:p:326-327 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Catherine Mangan Author-X-Name-First: Catherine Author-X-Name-Last: Mangan Title: Crossing boundaries in public policy and management, tackling the critical challenges Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 327-329 Issue: 2 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 3 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1727635 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1727635 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:2:p:327-329 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Joshua McDonnell Author-X-Name-First: Joshua Author-X-Name-Last: McDonnell Title: Municipality size, political efficacy and political participation: a systematic review Abstract: It is an old adage that local government is a training ground for democracy. Its human scale means that political amateurs can contribute effectively and meaningfully to the politics of a state. But in a political climate seemingly driven to consolidate local government into ever larger units, can a not so local local government still elicit an efficacious and participatory citizenry? This paper explores the effect of municipality population size on two important aspects of democratic culture: political efficacy and political participation. Via a two-part systematic review, the paper examines how extant empirical literature bears on the relationship between size and both of these aspects, hypothesising that political efficacy plays a mediating role between size and participation. The findings are unequivocal: citizens of smaller municipalities feel a greater sense of political efficacy and participate to a greater degree in local politics. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 331-350 Issue: 3 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1600510 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1600510 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:3:p:331-350 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Mats Fred Author-X-Name-First: Mats Author-X-Name-Last: Fred Title: Local government projectification in practice – a multiple institutional logic perspective Abstract: During the last couple of decades, we have witnessed a proliferation of the project as an organizational solution in sectors as diverse as IT, housing, social services, education and culture. Despite a growing interest in the phenomenon, we know surprisingly little of how processes of public sector projectification unfold in practice, especially at local government level. This article uses an institutional logic perspective to illustrate and argue that public sector projectification can be understood and conceptualized as the enactment of multiple, co-existing institutional logics, but where one particular logic is of growing importance – the project logic. It is argued that even though the project form is often perceived as more flexible than that of the bureaucracy, the practical outcome seldom represents a radical break with traditional, bureaucratic management models. Rather, it appears to aid a rediscovery and reuse of central bureaucratic practices and procedures such as reporting, documentation and standardization. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 351-370 Issue: 3 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1606799 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1606799 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:3:p:351-370 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Hiroki Baba Author-X-Name-First: Hiroki Author-X-Name-Last: Baba Author-Name: Yasushi Asami Author-X-Name-First: Yasushi Author-X-Name-Last: Asami Title: Municipal population size and the benefits of inter-municipal cooperation: panel data evidence from Japan Abstract: Intermunicipal cooperation (IMC) facilitates efficient public service delivery. This study measures how the benefits municipalities gain through IMC differ according to municipal population size and service provision type. Focusing on public health and fire protection services, this study employs panel data regression for 1,706 Japanese municipalities over a five-year period, 2012–2017. This study has several major findings. First, an increase in the IMC spending ratio reduces public spending in both the studied services. Second, the marginal effect of IMC varies depending on the size of the municipal population. More specifically, the marginal effect of IMC on public health has a narrow confidence interval with a wide ranging population scale, while the marginal effect of IMC on fire protection produces negative values for only 151 municipalities due to extensive standard error. These findings can help municipalities take advantage of IMC to improve public service delivery. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 371-393 Issue: 3 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1624257 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1624257 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:3:p:371-393 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Blane D. Lewis Author-X-Name-First: Blane D. Author-X-Name-Last: Lewis Title: How do mayors get elected? The causal effects of pre-electoral coalitions on mayoral election outcomes in Indonesia Abstract: What determines the election of mayors? The extent to which pre-electoral coalitions (PECs) influence mayoral election outcomes has not yet been subject to empirical analysis, despite the question’s fundamental theoretical and practical relevance. This note uses regression discontinuity methods to identify the causal effects of PECs on mayoral election results in Indonesia. The study finds that candidates backed by PECs comprising political parties that control council seat shares exceeding first-round mayoral electoral vote thresholds are 14–18 percentage points more likely to win those elections than their counterparts supported by smaller-sized PECs. The analysis determines that PECs are especially helpful in getting non-incumbent candidates elected, although they have no apparent impact on incumbents’ electoral success. PECs can assist candidates in gaining office, therefore, but they are established under corrupt conditions. Ultimately, governance issues surrounding the formation and functioning of PECs impose significant constraints on the development of local democracy in Indonesia. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 394-413 Issue: 3 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1627334 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1627334 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:3:p:394-413 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Isabelle Stadelmann-Steffen Author-X-Name-First: Isabelle Author-X-Name-Last: Stadelmann-Steffen Author-Name: Marlène Gerber Author-X-Name-First: Marlène Author-X-Name-Last: Gerber Title: Voting in the rain: the impact of rain on participation in open-air assemblies Abstract: The analysis of how weather conditions influence participation at the ballot and whether bad weather influences ballot decisions has recently gained momentum. This paper analyses the influence of rain on participation in the Landsgemeinde – the main decision-making body of two Swiss cantons, wherein citizens meet on the main square in order to debate and decide bindingly on political matters of all sorts. We rely on a survey with an in-built conjoint experiment that presents citizens with several hypothetical Landsgemeinde situations characterized by randomly varied combinations of weather and other conditions such as outcome favorability, the expected closeness of the vote and the company available during the event. We find that rain not only decreases overall participation but it also lowers participation when votes are expected to be uncontested and for individuals who do not primarily attend the Landsgemeinde for political reasons. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 414-435 Issue: 3 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1644319 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1644319 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:3:p:414-435 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Luan Vinicius Bernardelli Author-X-Name-First: Luan Vinicius Author-X-Name-Last: Bernardelli Author-Name: Michael A. Kortt Author-X-Name-First: Michael A. Author-X-Name-Last: Kortt Author-Name: Brian Dollery Author-X-Name-First: Brian Author-X-Name-Last: Dollery Title: Economies of scale and Brazilian local government expenditure: evidence from the State of Paraná Abstract: Controversy surrounds local government reform, particularly efforts directed at reducing the number of local authorities to secure economies of scale. We examine whether economies of scale exist in local government outlays by analysing the expenditure of 398 municipalities for the Brazilian state of Paraná using a 16-year panel dataset covering the period 2002–2017. We find evidence that municipal expenditure is characterised by substantial scale economies. However, given the strong correlation between population size and population density, it is important to ascertain whether the influence of population size on municipal expenditure is due to variations in population density or not. When local government areas are divided into sub-groups based on population density, evidence of scale economies remains with the majority of councils operating below optimal size. Municipal consolidations may thus lead to lower per capita expenditure. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 436-458 Issue: 3 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1635018 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1635018 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:3:p:436-458 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Yana Lu Author-X-Name-First: Yana Author-X-Name-Last: Lu Author-Name: Yanwei Li Author-X-Name-First: Yanwei Author-X-Name-Last: Li Title: Cross-sector collaboration in times of crisis: findings from a study of the Funing tornado in China Abstract: The recent occurrence of several large-scale crises, such as the Wenchuan and Yaan earthquakes, the Gansu mudslides, the Tianjin port blast, and the Funing tornado, has led decision makers in China to increasingly recognise the need to engage non-government organizations (NGOs) in responding to crises. In this study, we establish a framework to analyse collaboration between government and NGOs during crises. This framework consists of four levels for cross-sector collaboration, and six conditions explaining them. The framework is used to analyse a case study on collaboration between local government and NGOs during the Funing tornado. Collaboration occurred at the information sharing and action coordination levels. We conclude the formal collaboration between government and NGOs in this case was still limited and it was not based on negotiations and interactions. Instead, it was essentially hierarchical and control-oriented. This type of collaboration might have the advantage of responding to crises in an effective way, but it comes at the cost of trust, commitment and reciprocity. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 459-482 Issue: 3 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1677626 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1677626 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:3:p:459-482 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Tina Øllgaard Bentzen Author-X-Name-First: Tina Øllgaard Author-X-Name-Last: Bentzen Author-Name: Christian Lo Author-X-Name-First: Christian Author-X-Name-Last: Lo Author-Name: Marte Winsvold Author-X-Name-First: Marte Author-X-Name-Last: Winsvold Title: Strengthening local political leadership through institutional design: how and why Abstract: Over recent decades, the institutions of political leadership have been criticised for being caught up in outdated designs that are not adapting to societal changes. In many western countries, this diagnosis has spurred design reforms aimed at strengthening political leadership at the local level. Based on a study of reforms in Norwegian and Danish municipalities, this article first develops a typology of reforms aimed at strengthening local political leadership. Leadership reforms are categorised into four types aimed at strengthening Executive, Collective, Collaborative, or Distributive political leadership. The typology is used to map the prevalence of the different types of reforms in the two countries. The results show that design reforms as such are more widespread in Danish than in Norwegian municipalities. In particular, reforms aimed at strengthening Distributive political leadership are used more extensively in Denmark than in Norway. The article discusses the contextual differences that may explain this variation. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 483-504 Issue: 3 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 5 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1690994 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1690994 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:3:p:483-504 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Neil Barnett Author-X-Name-First: Neil Author-X-Name-Last: Barnett Author-Name: Steven Griggs Author-X-Name-First: Steven Author-X-Name-Last: Griggs Author-Name: Helen Sullivan Author-X-Name-First: Helen Author-X-Name-Last: Sullivan Title: Guest editors’ introduction: the power of now. Reimagining the future of local government through studies of ‘actually existing’ practice Abstract: This introduction contends that the study of UK local government, its institutions and actors is an increasingly ‘niche’ pursuit. We argue that the field is caught in a commonsense narrative that plays off local government institutional decline against a widespread belief in the future democratic and progressive value of the ‘council-to-come’. Identifying persistent appeals to such deficiency narratives, we suggest that ‘actually existing’ local government is reduced to the site of critical shortcomings in the present, while its agency is deferred to a future when the council has become what it is not. Such logics, we conclude, reach their height in recent studies of local austerity governance. In response, we call for a change of direction towards an ethos of municipal pragmatism that grounds inquiry in ‘real world’ problems, while developing richer or thicker understandings of the agency of local government that can generate alternative visions grounded in its everyday work. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 505-523 Issue: 4 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1783251 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1783251 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:4:p:505-523 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Allan Cochrane Author-X-Name-First: Allan Author-X-Name-Last: Cochrane Title: In and beyond local government: making up new spaces of governance Abstract: In the context of austerity, some of the taken for granted territorial boundaries of local government are being stretched and questioned. Here, these issues are explored with the help of two bodies of evidence: the creation of sets of interlocking arrangements on the edge of the London City region (most recently expressed in proposals for development along what has been identified as the Oxford-Milton Keynes-Cambridge Arc); and the experience of a Mayoral development corporation in the West of London, seeking to take advantage of the possibilities arising from major national and metropolitan investments in transport infrastructure. In both cases, project-based governance coupled with the promise of infrastructural investment, sub-regional visions and plans offer the basis on which new spaces of governance are being put together to fit with shifting economic geographies and changing political priorities. Instead of being institutionally fixed, the spaces of government themselves turn out to be malleable and contested. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 524-541 Issue: 4 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1644321 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1644321 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:4:p:524-541 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Madeleine Pill Author-X-Name-First: Madeleine Author-X-Name-Last: Pill Author-Name: Valeria Guarneros-Meza Author-X-Name-First: Valeria Author-X-Name-Last: Guarneros-Meza Title: The everyday local state? Opening up and closing down informality in local governance Abstract: Seeking to understand local governance under austerity localism raises questions about changing state-civil society relations. Polarised debates have resulted in different disciplines that can be bridged by considering the practice. We use the case of Cardiff, Wales, to consider how the practice is reshaping local governance, focusing on community service delivery and the role of the Council and of third sector organisations in creating new ways of coping, doing and working together and apart. Drawing from understandings of informality as a top-down as well as bottom-up process, we argue that both sides of (local) state-society relations got better at opening up informality and navigating its contradictions as austerity localism rolled out, underlining the mutually constitutive nature of the ‘everyday local state’. But over time we find that the ongoing strictures of funding cuts have closed down informality, constraining the creativity engendered, as the local state centralises in response. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 542-563 Issue: 4 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1624256 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1624256 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:4:p:542-563 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Richard Freeman Author-X-Name-First: Richard Author-X-Name-Last: Freeman Title: The role of the councillor and the work of meeting Abstract: This paper picks up a theme from the recent literature on the councillor, that of time spent in meeting, and suggests that if we are to understand the role of the councillor we must understand the work the meeting does. The discussion is based in a series of empirical studies and uses interactionist precepts to identify and explore the dynamics of the informal encounter, the more formal meeting and its associated paperwork, and the special if ambiguous function of meetings about meetings. It draws on recent institutionalist theorising to describe how the routines and processes of meeting must be inhabited and enacted in practice, positioning them in Arendt’s sense of politics as action and interaction. In concluding, it considers how future research might explore the ways that meetings are separated from the world to which they refer, and how different meetings and kinds of meeting are articulated one with another. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 564-582 Issue: 4 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1673740 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1673740 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:4:p:564-582 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Rachael Dobson Author-X-Name-First: Rachael Author-X-Name-Last: Dobson Title: Local government and practice ontologies: agency, resistance and sector speaks in homelessness services Abstract: Present accounts of local government under neoliberalism risk poorly characterising and conceptualising forms of resistance by local actors. Institutional actors, and statutory agents in particular, have long been subject to analyses in order to appraise their complicity with, and resistance to oppressive political rationalities. Debates have gathered pace under ‘austerity’ and swingeing fiscal cuts to local budgets. The article argues that at the heart of existing accounts is the failure to engage with how institutional structures come to formation and how human agents come to action. Informed by relational and ontological approaches to the ‘making-of’ state formations, the ‘sector speaks’ concept is introduced. The concept draws on local actors’ narratives from an empirical study of homelessness practices, demonstrating these as a governance-action interface, ‘lived’ through day-to-day actions and social practices. This approach provides alternative insight into human agency and resistance, and how these may be captured through local government research. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 583-603 Issue: 4 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1729748 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1729748 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:4:p:583-603 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Neil Barnett Author-X-Name-First: Neil Author-X-Name-Last: Barnett Title: English local government and the local trap Abstract: Local government in England faces unprecedented challenges, with ten years of austerity adding to longer-term concerns over its waning influence. Responses so far have involved dismissing local government for more radical alternatives or re-iterating increasingly shaky defences. I argue that resetting the debate around local government requires firstly addressing the meanings we have assigned to the local, which are at presentconstrained by the ‘Local Trap’, and that looking at the English case gives a particularly insightful view of its consequences. I set out the ‘Local Trap’ and identify three ways in which local government discourse is trapped; by assumptions about the ‘naturalness’ of the local; assumptions about its democratic qualities; and an adherence to scaler representations. I then argue that as a consequenceattention is diverted to either local government past or an elusive one to come, before setting out potential pathways out of the trap via engaging more robustly with practice. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 604-621 Issue: 4 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1761336 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1761336 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:4:p:604-621 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Naomi Aoki Author-X-Name-First: Naomi Author-X-Name-Last: Aoki Title: Uncovering the aspirations to be a leading local government: a content analysis approach Abstract: Some local governments lead by doing something new or doing it earlier than others, and they gain a reputation as pioneers, but to what extent do their policy makers have leadership aspirations – the desire to make their local governments achieve or maintain a leadership position? To address this question, this study makes the first unique attempt to systematically investigate and measure leadership aspirations at the level of local government by conducting a content analysis of the verbatim assembly minutes of Japanese prefectures. Leadership aspirations remained much lower in most, but not all, of the non-capital prefectures than in Tokyo. Policy makers across prefectures aspired to lead in different areas of action and within different bounds of the social system. These findings prompt future investigators to study the antecedents and determinants of leadership aspirations at the local level and suggest the best areas and social systems for local governments to target. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 622-640 Issue: 4 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1627333 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1627333 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:4:p:622-640 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Joanna Siwińska-Gorzelak Author-X-Name-First: Joanna Author-X-Name-Last: Siwińska-Gorzelak Author-Name: Grażyna Bukowska Author-X-Name-First: Grażyna Author-X-Name-Last: Bukowska Author-Name: Piotr Wójcik Author-X-Name-First: Piotr Author-X-Name-Last: Wójcik Title: The impact of revenue autonomy on the composition of local public spending: evidence from Poland Abstract: This paper studies the relationship between tax autonomy and the structure of local public expenditures. We rely on panel data from Poland for more than 2400 municipalities over the years 2002–2014. We use a measure of tax autonomy, based on ‘potential’ own revenues, defined as revenues that the authorities are entitled to collect, before local tax policies have been implemented. This measure alleviates to some extent the endogeneity of indicators based on actually collected own taxes. Our results suggest a U-shaped relationship between the ratio of own local taxes and the share of capital expenditures and a negative relationship between the former ratio and the share of education spending. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 641-665 Issue: 4 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1635017 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1635017 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:4:p:641-665 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Steven Griggs Author-X-Name-First: Steven Author-X-Name-Last: Griggs Title: Cities and regions in crisis. The political economy of sub-national economic development Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 666-668 Issue: 4 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1782605 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1782605 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:4:p:666-668 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Anna Ozolina Author-X-Name-First: Anna Author-X-Name-Last: Ozolina Title: Repowering cities: governing climate change mitigation in New York City, Los Angeles, and Toronto Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 668-671 Issue: 4 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 7 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1782604 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1782604 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:4:p:668-671 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Yu Shi Author-X-Name-First: Yu Author-X-Name-Last: Shi Title: The expansion of the public sector in federalism: a comparative analysis of a macro level governing structure and government size Abstract: Utilising Oates’ fiscal federalism theorem, the Tiebout model and Berry’s common pool model, this paper examines the effects of four characteristics of a macro level governing structure on public sector employment using a mixed method approach. Regression analysis explores the individual effect of fiscal decentralisation, spatial fragmentation, interjurisdictional competition and jurisdictional overlap on the levels of local public employment; and the qualitative comparative analysis explores the complexities between the four macro characteristics and their combined relations to the levels of state public employment. The results of the statistical analysis suggest that more labour inputs are required to produce public goods and services to meet the needs of local residents. Moreover, the qualitative comparative analysis reveals causality asymmetry between these characteristics and highlights how different interactions of characteristics of a macro level governing structure affect different levels of public sector employment. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 673-692 Issue: 5 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 09 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1644320 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1644320 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:5:p:673-692 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Juana Alonso-Cañadas Author-X-Name-First: Juana Author-X-Name-Last: Alonso-Cañadas Author-Name: Alejandro Sáez-Martín Author-X-Name-First: Alejandro Author-X-Name-Last: Sáez-Martín Author-Name: Carmen Caba-Pérez Author-X-Name-First: Carmen Author-X-Name-Last: Caba-Pérez Title: Changes in the dimensions of political competition in Europe and their impact on citizens’ engagement via Facebook Abstract: This article focuses on a little-explored area of research, seeking to explain how political changes influence the participation of citizens in the social networks of local governments. In the context of the recent upsurge of anti-system movements and political parties in the European Union, we analyse a new set of data on participation via local governments’ Facebook pages during a turbulent period in European politics. The results obtained show that when a local government is affected by changes in political competition there is a greater degree of citizens’ engagement through social networks. Our analytical framework shows that this increased engagement is directly associated with the vulnerability of political parties, especially when the governing party loses its absolute majority and is constrained or prevented from carrying out political initiatives. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 693-715 Issue: 5 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 09 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1644322 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1644322 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:5:p:693-715 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Shu Wang Author-X-Name-First: Shu Author-X-Name-Last: Wang Author-Name: Eric Scorsone Author-X-Name-First: Eric Author-X-Name-Last: Scorsone Title: Economic resilience after the Great Recession: an examination of unreserved fund balance in Michigan counties Abstract: This paper examines fiscal slack, in the form of unreserved fund balance, as a tool used by local governments to enhance economic resilience. It adapts ecological, engineering, and organisational definitions of economic resilience and investigate their relevance to local financial management in the United States after the Great Recession in 2008. Using group-based trajectory modelling, we identify different strategies of fund balances used by Michigan counties. The change of fund balance does not delineate any pattern theorised by the resilience concepts. We also find different factors that motivate local officials to manage their fund balances differently. The study suggests a nuanced understanding of fiscal slack used by local governments for economic resilience that goes beyond unreserved fund balance. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 716-733 Issue: 5 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 09 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1653285 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1653285 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:5:p:716-733 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Francesco Porcelli Author-X-Name-First: Francesco Author-X-Name-Last: Porcelli Author-Name: Francesco Vidoli Author-X-Name-First: Francesco Author-X-Name-Last: Vidoli Title: A comprehensive model for the evaluation of standard expenditure needs and standard level of local services Abstract: This paper addresses the problem of the simultaneous evaluation of local governments’ standard expenditure needs together with the related level of standard public services proposing a new approach to fiscal equalisation based on quantitative methods. Standard expenditure needs are estimated using quantile regression, moreover robust non-parametric methods are employed for the computation of composite indicators of demand and supply factors. Data from English local authorities over the period 1997–2006 have been used to test the internal and external validity of the model. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 734-762 Issue: 5 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 09 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1682558 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1682558 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:5:p:734-762 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jeremy Dodeigne Author-X-Name-First: Jeremy Author-X-Name-Last: Dodeigne Author-Name: Vincent Jacquet Author-X-Name-First: Vincent Author-X-Name-Last: Jacquet Author-Name: Min Reuchamps Author-X-Name-First: Min Author-X-Name-Last: Reuchamps Title: The attractiveness of local and national list labels: the role of socio-economic inequalities on the success of electoral lists Abstract: According to the nationalisation hypothesis, it is sometimes argued that electoral lists competing at local elections under a national party label are more likely to win. Yet, in many countries, local lists are still much present. This article seeks to assess the attractiveness of local and national list labels at local elections. Following Rokkan’s hypothesis of the nationalisation of local politics, we test the role of socio-economic inequality on the success of electoral lists across local polities. Based on an original dataset distinguishing the labels of 1.012 electoral lists – be they local, mixed or national – in the 262 Walloon municipalities in Belgium, the multilevel regression demonstrates that local and mixed labels present a significant electoral advantage vis-à-vis national party labels. However, the article shows that this electoral gain decreases as economic inequalities increase: national labels, especially left-wing parties, attract more voters as inequalities rise. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 763-779 Issue: 5 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 09 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1677625 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1677625 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:5:p:763-779 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Meng Yuan Author-X-Name-First: Meng Author-X-Name-Last: Yuan Author-Name: Scot Schraufnagel Author-X-Name-First: Scot Author-X-Name-Last: Schraufnagel Title: Two-dimensional legislative conflict: unique implications for the effectiveness of local councils Abstract: Organisational scholars argue there are two distinct types of conflict found in the private-sector workplace. One is referred to as task conflict and the other relational conflict. We use their insights to devise our own measures of conflict on local elected councils. As opposed to ‘task conflict’ we use the term ‘policy conflict’ and keep the same nomenclature ‘relational conflict.’ We will contend it is important to not conflate the two. In this work, we test our unique operationalisations of conflict on an established measure of Governing Board Effectiveness. Because of concerns over using the same survey instrument to measure both explanatory variables and the dependent variable we also test our thesis regarding two-dimensional legislative conflict on entirely exogenous measures of ‘healthy cities.’ We find that higher levels of policy conflict comport with good governance outcomes, while relational conflict provides no measurable benefit. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 780-799 Issue: 5 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 09 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1667773 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1667773 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:5:p:780-799 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Anna Bendz Author-X-Name-First: Anna Author-X-Name-Last: Bendz Author-Name: Åsa Boholm Author-X-Name-First: Åsa Author-X-Name-Last: Boholm Title: Indispensable, yet Invisible: Drinking water management as a local political issue in Swedish municipalities Abstract: Local policy-makers’ incentives to address an issue is conditioned by how they perceive public attention. Our study focuses on drinking water management at the municipal level in Sweden. Provisioning and management of drinking water is a responsibility of the local governments. Interviews with local politicians and public administrators in seven municipalities reveal that local policy-makers think that citizens view provisioning of drinking water as a taken for granted service, and also lack knowledge of and interest in drinking water issues. Public attention is further seen as a double-edged sword since engagement in water issues often is a result of problems with water provision. The findings are discussed from a theoretical perspective of the role of agenda-setting in public policy. It is argued that the view of policy-makers of citizens as unengaged negatively affects the incentives to bring drinking water to a prominent place on the local policy agenda. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 800-819 Issue: 5 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 09 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1682557 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1682557 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:5:p:800-819 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Mary K. Feeney Author-X-Name-First: Mary K. Author-X-Name-Last: Feeney Author-Name: Federica Fusi Author-X-Name-First: Federica Author-X-Name-Last: Fusi Author-Name: Leonor Camarena Author-X-Name-First: Leonor Author-X-Name-Last: Camarena Author-Name: Fengxiu Zhang Author-X-Name-First: Fengxiu Author-X-Name-Last: Zhang Title: Towards more digital cities? Change in technology use and perceptions across small and medium-sized US cities Abstract: There is continuous pressure on public managers to adopt information and communication technologies (ICTs) to transform the way cities work. E-government research provides insights on the institutional, organisational, and individual factors that shape technology adoption and use. Yet most studies on small and medium sized cities use cross-sectional data or rely on small samples. We lack a systematic understanding of how technology use in smaller cities has changed over time and where these cities are lagging. Drawing from a multi-year, multi-method national study of city government technology use, we describe advancements and gaps in the enactment of a range of technologies, from social media to open data portals, and explore variation across city population, department type, and manager age. Our findings show that smaller cities still lag in the adoption of key features while local government managers are more inclined to adopt and positively perceive social media than traditional ICTs. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 820-845 Issue: 5 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 09 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1690993 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1690993 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:5:p:820-845 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Twyla Blackmond Larnell Author-X-Name-First: Twyla Author-X-Name-Last: Blackmond Larnell Title: Governance networks and local economic development policy during the Great Recession in the US Abstract: Research shows that US cities increased their use of business incentives during the Great Recession. Drawing from governance-based theories’ emphasis on mutual resource dependency and the resourcefulness of larger networks, the analysis presented in this study examines whether expanding governance networks influenced this change in cities’ use of incentives. The dataset includes 162 council-manager cities that responded to both the 2004 and 2009 ICMA Economic Development Surveys. Most governance networks contracted during the recession. A large proportion of cities increased their use of business incentives regardless of any changes to the sizes of their decision-making networks. These findings suggest that the explanatory power of governance theories weaken during times of economic crisis. When facing severe resource constraints, many private actors abandon the network undoubtedly to focus on self-preservation instead of citywide development initiatives while cities attempt to subsidise their way out of economic decline. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 847-864 Issue: 6 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1719074 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1719074 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:6:p:847-864 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Paula Otero-Hermida Author-X-Name-First: Paula Author-X-Name-Last: Otero-Hermida Author-Name: Ramón Bouzas Lorenzo Author-X-Name-First: Ramón Bouzas Author-X-Name-Last: Lorenzo Title: Gender mainstreaming in Spain: policy instruments, influencing factors, and the role of local government Abstract: This article investigates equality policies in relation to gender mainstreaming in local governments, prior to the dismantling of equality policies in the wake of the financial crisis that began in 2008. Data from 198 municipalities based on the use of mainstreaming instruments revealed limited implementation of mainstreaming as a policy strategy. Similarly, a qualitative study on mainstreaming as a vision showed that the local level tended to reproduce supra-municipal deficits without offering a differential contribution. Lack of consistency was also observed between the role assigned to local entities by supra-municipal authorities and the role they actually played. Important influencing factors included the gender of the mayor, political colour of the local government, existence of a separate equality council, and adoption of an equality plan. The study concludes with recommendations for redefining local gender mainstreaming in a post-crisis scenario. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 865-887 Issue: 6 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1682556 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1682556 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:6:p:865-887 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: António Afonso Author-X-Name-First: António Author-X-Name-Last: Afonso Author-Name: Ana Venâncio Author-X-Name-First: Ana Author-X-Name-Last: Venâncio Title: Local territorial reform and regional spending efficiency Abstract: We study the effect of a Portuguese structural reform, which reduced the number of parishes, on municipality spending efficiency between 2011 and 2016. We build a composite output indicator and use Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) to compute efficiency scores. Then, we use a second-stage regression to evaluate the effect of the reform on municipal efficiency after controlling for socio-demographic, political and economic factors. Overall, we find efficiency gains in approximately 10% of municipalities. In some regions (e.g., Alentejo and Centro), more than 50% of the municipalities improved efficiency. The second-stage results show that the structural reform did not improve local spending efficiency in Mainland Portugal, particularly in the Centro, Lisbon and Vale do Tejo regions. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 888-910 Issue: 6 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1690995 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1690995 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:6:p:888-910 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Susanne Wallman Lundåsen Author-X-Name-First: Susanne Wallman Author-X-Name-Last: Lundåsen Title: Patterns of civil society organisations’ attempts to influence local politicians and local civil servants Abstract: The present study aims to analyse these tensions and investigate the importance of the local political context with regard to the ability of local civil society organisations to influence local politicians and local public administrators. This paper contributes new knowledge on the question of what types of relational and contextual factors affect the outcome of attempts to exert influence in local communities. The study investigates whether the connectedness of organisations and the local political context matter.This study uses data from a national survey distributed to a random sample of 740 voluntary associations around Sweden. The survey focused on local civil societies’ attempts to influence Swedish decision-makers and public policy at a local level. The present study uses this data to addresses the possibility of a mutual relationship between civil society organisations and local political organisations and test whether contextual factors, such as the longevity of the current political majority, have any impact on the ability of civil society organisations to exert political influence. The results indicate that civil society organisations that have ongoing cooperative relationships with local governments seem to also have a more privileged position in terms of influencing both local civil servants and local politicians. The results also indicate that those local politicians that operate in municipalities that are governed by broad coalitions tend to be less responsive. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 911-933 Issue: 6 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1699068 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1699068 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:6:p:911-933 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Joaquim Rius-Ulldemolins Author-X-Name-First: Joaquim Author-X-Name-Last: Rius-Ulldemolins Author-Name: Ricardo Klein Author-X-Name-First: Ricardo Author-X-Name-Last: Klein Title: Does cultural policy matter? Political orientations, cultural management models, and the results of public cultural action in Barcelona and Valencia Abstract: Since the beginning of the 20th century, analyses of local cultural policies have sought to highlight their instrumentalisation in projects for urban renewal and/or city branding. In general, the spotlight has been put on the waning Cultural Democratisation Model and its flagging commitment to social cohesion and redistribution. This might lead us to see cultural policy and political management as having little bearing on the construction of The Creative City Model (henceforth CCM). However, this would be a mistake, as this paper will show. It compares two cities, Barcelona and Valencia, whose local cultural policies are strongly conditioned by the CCM. The contrasting political orientation of the two cities, the way each applies the CCM, their differing management models, and the different long-term trends in their cultural facilities end up shaping social and cultural outcomes, the sustainability of these results, and their redistributive impact. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 934-958 Issue: 6 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1739023 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1739023 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:6:p:934-958 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Brian Dollery Author-X-Name-First: Brian Author-X-Name-Last: Dollery Author-Name: Yukio Kinoshita Author-X-Name-First: Yukio Author-X-Name-Last: Kinoshita Author-Name: Keiichi Yamazaki Author-X-Name-First: Keiichi Author-X-Name-Last: Yamazaki Title: Humanitarian co-production in local government: the case of natural disaster volunteering in Japan Abstract: Given ongoing financial stringency, co-production in local government systems worldwide has attracted increasing attention in the literature. Disaster relief volunteering represents an important form of local co-production in which local authorities, community groups and volunteers work collaboratively at addressing the many humanitarian needs that arise following natural disasters. For disaster relief co-production to be successful, the comparative advantages of all participating groups must be harnessed so as to synchronise their contributions and thereby maximise their beneficial impact. Given the sheer scale of cooperative disaster relief operations in Japan involving local government, civic groups and disaster volunteers, much can be learned from the Japanese experience. In this paper, we examine co-production in Japanese disaster relief programs through the prism of the conceptual and empirical literature as well as through two recent illuminative case studies. Various policy implications are drawn from this analysis which are applicable beyond Japanese local government. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 959-978 Issue: 6 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1702531 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1702531 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:6:p:959-978 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Tae-Ho Lee Author-X-Name-First: Tae-Ho Author-X-Name-Last: Lee Author-Name: Sunjoo Kwak Author-X-Name-First: Sunjoo Author-X-Name-Last: Kwak Title: Revenue volatility and forecast errors: evidence from Korean local governments Abstract: We empirically analysed the effects of revenue volatility on forecast errors using a panel data set of Korean local governments over the period 2002–2016. Panel data analyses, conducted for acquisition tax, local education tax, and total tax revenue, found that revenue volatility has statistically significant and consistent effects on forecast errors. These findings carry both theoretical and policy implications. In theoretical terms, they suggest that when identifying factors influencing forecast errors, one should take revenue volatility into account, in addition to the economic, organisational, and political factors that have been considered by previous studies. In terms of policy implications, in order to improve the accuracy of revenue forecasts, local tax administrators should analyse the cyclical variability of each tax and reflect the results in the forecasting models. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 979-994 Issue: 6 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1708726 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1708726 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:6:p:979-994 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jane Roberts Author-X-Name-First: Jane Author-X-Name-Last: Roberts Title: The leadership of place and people in the new English combined authorities Abstract: This paper explores the theory and early practice of elected political leadership in the first six English mayoral combined authorities (CAs). It draws on the history of local government in England, policy documentation, and theory on leadership, place and institutional formation to analyse the early leadership of the metro-mayors from the perspective of the leadership of place. It suggests that public policy and the literature on political leadership could usefully recognise the power of place in the exercise of leadership. The paper concludes by raising questions around the development of CAs and their mayors within the wider governance landscape. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 995-1014 Issue: 6 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1719076 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1719076 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:6:p:995-1014 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Andrés J. Picazo-Tadeo Author-X-Name-First: Andrés J. Author-X-Name-Last: Picazo-Tadeo Author-Name: Francisco González-Gómez Author-X-Name-First: Francisco Author-X-Name-Last: González-Gómez Author-Name: Marta Suárez-Varela Author-X-Name-First: Marta Author-X-Name-Last: Suárez-Varela Title: Electoral opportunism and water pricing with incomplete transfer of control rights Abstract: One of the forms of intervention in public services that lie beyond market forces is price control. While such regulation is justified by the need to achieve social goals, empirical evidence has shown that it is often used by politicians for electoral gain. This paper looks for evidence of opportunistic political behaviour in urban water pricing. Using data for 119 large Spanish cities covering the period 1998–2015, we find strong empirical evidence of the influence of the electoral cycle on water pricing insofar as price increases are significantly lower in the years immediately preceding municipal elections than in non-pre-election years. Furthermore, outsourcing water service provision does not mitigate the relationship between the electoral cycle and water pricing. This result could be explained by incomplete transfer of control rights when the urban water service is outsourced, which allows politicians to use their right to supervise water tariffs to their advantage. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1015-1038 Issue: 6 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1744572 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1744572 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:6:p:1015-1038 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Katarzyna Lakoma Author-X-Name-First: Katarzyna Author-X-Name-Last: Lakoma Title: Public governance paradigms: competing and co-existing Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1039-1041 Issue: 6 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1847904 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1847904 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:6:p:1039-1041 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Madeleine Pill Author-X-Name-First: Madeleine Author-X-Name-Last: Pill Title: Why isn’t government policy more preventive? Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1041-1043 Issue: 6 Volume: 46 Year: 2020 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1847902 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1847902 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:46:y:2020:i:6:p:1041-1043 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Adam Gendźwiłł Author-X-Name-First: Adam Author-X-Name-Last: Gendźwiłł Author-Name: Kristof Steyvers Author-X-Name-First: Kristof Author-X-Name-Last: Steyvers Title: Guest editors’ introduction: Comparing local elections and voting in Europe: lower rank, different kind… or missing link? Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1-10 Issue: 1 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 01 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1825387 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1825387 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:1:p:1-10 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Adam Gendźwiłł Author-X-Name-First: Adam Author-X-Name-Last: Gendźwiłł Author-Name: Ulrik Kjaer Author-X-Name-First: Ulrik Author-X-Name-Last: Kjaer Title: Mind the gap, please! Pinpointing the influence of municipal size on local electoral participation Abstract: Turnout rates vary between local and national elections. This paper promotes the national–local turnout gap as the best way to pinpoint the local component of voting at local elections. By analysing the national–local turnout gap instead of the raw local turnout rate, one can reduce the potential bias originating from the differences in socio-demographic composition and civic skills existing between municipalities of various sizes. Including data from 12 countries and almost 15,000 municipalities, it is demonstrated that a clear and consistent relationship between municipal size and local turnout exists: the larger the municipality the fewer eligible voters turn out at local elections (compared to national elections). Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 11-30 Issue: 1 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 01 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1777107 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1777107 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:1:p:11-30 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Maciej A. Górecki Author-X-Name-First: Maciej A. Author-X-Name-Last: Górecki Author-Name: Adam Gendźwiłł Author-X-Name-First: Adam Author-X-Name-Last: Gendźwiłł Title: Polity size and voter turnout revisited: micro-level evidence from 14 countries of Central and Eastern Europe Abstract: Students of local elections have had a lasting interest in Dahl and Tufte’s conjecture that jurisdictions with smaller populations should enjoy higher voter turnout rates than their larger counterparts. This hypothesis is typically tested at the aggregate level. While valuable, such aggregate-level studies are nonetheless prone to ecological fallacy; inhabitants of smaller municipalities may differ systematically from those of the larger ones as regards relevant individual-level traits. In order to overcome this difficulty, we analyse data from a large-scale survey of more than 18,000 respondents from over 1,000 municipalities located in 14 countries of Central and Eastern Europe. We thus simultaneously evaluate the effects of municipal population size and those of citizens’ individual traits. We demonstrate that inhabitants of smaller municipalities indeed tend to vote more in local elections, but not necessarily in national ones. The effects of respondents’ individual traits are similar for both election types. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 31-53 Issue: 1 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 01 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1787165 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1787165 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:1:p:31-53 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Silvia Bolgherini Author-X-Name-First: Silvia Author-X-Name-Last: Bolgherini Author-Name: Selena Grimaldi Author-X-Name-First: Selena Author-X-Name-Last: Grimaldi Author-Name: Aldo Paparo Author-X-Name-First: Aldo Author-X-Name-Last: Paparo Title: Assessing multi-level congruence in voting in comparative perspective: Introducing the municipal level Abstract: This article widens the theoretical debate on congruence in voting by including the municipal level on top of the consolidated national-regional comparisons. The concept of multi-level congruence (MLC) is introduced and an original dataset is computed in order to investigate two distinct territorial-level comparisons in Italy and Spain: the national-municipal and the regional-municipal. By building on several strands of literature, the article tests different predictors of congruence. Our findings show that local elections are more likely to be impacted by national (and, to a smaller extent regional) politics in central, large municipalities; while local politics is more likely to prevail in peripheric, small municipalities. Moreover, municipal elections are second-order with respect to the national-level at least when election timing is taken into account. Furthermore, historical voting patterns also play a role in explaining the incongruence between local and national elections. Finally, national party-system reshuffle (slightly) affects congruence only for the regional-municipal comparison – and surprisingly not for the national-municipal one. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 54-78 Issue: 1 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 01 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1797692 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1797692 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:1:p:54-78 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Alistair Clark Author-X-Name-First: Alistair Author-X-Name-Last: Clark Title: The effects of electoral reform on party campaigns, voters and party systems at the local level: from single member plurality to the single transferable vote in Scotland Abstract: Local electoral reform is important because local politics is a ‘missing link’ in understanding how electoral reform impacts upon political behaviour. This article discusses this question through examination of Scotland where the single transferable vote (STV) was introduced in 2007. This had consequences for party competition, how voters used their preferential ballot and local party system fragmentation. The article examines data from three rounds of STV local elections between 2007-2017, before comparing them with local elections under SMP. The first section applies debates regarding electoral reform and party systems to local elections. Sections two and three outline the electoral reforms implemented from 2007, and set out some expectations about voter and party behaviour. The fourth part examines local party candidate strategies, before the fifth section discusses voting behaviour under the STV system. The sixth section reflects on whether this has increased party system fragmentation at local level. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 79-99 Issue: 1 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 01 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1816544 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1816544 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:1:p:79-99 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jeremy Dodeigne Author-X-Name-First: Jeremy Author-X-Name-Last: Dodeigne Author-Name: Caroline Close Author-X-Name-First: Caroline Author-X-Name-Last: Close Author-Name: Ferdinand Teuber Author-X-Name-First: Ferdinand Author-X-Name-Last: Teuber Title: Nationalisation of local party systems in Belgium (1976-2018): the combined effects of municipality size and parliamentary parties’ dominance Abstract: This article studies the nationalisation of local party systems in Belgian regions across eight electoral cycles (1976–2018). Our research design assesses the relevance of Rokkan’s structural approach of nationalisation while testing the effect of conjunctural electoral factors. Our empirical results highlight the positive effect of a municipality’s size on local party system nationalisation. Moreover, the analysis uncovers the impact of the electoral dominance of national parties in the local districts at previous national elections: where parliamentary parties have performed weakly at the previous national elections, nationalisation of local party systems increases.Interestingly, the analysis demonstrates that this relationship is stronger in the biggest municipalities, showing an interaction effect between conjunctural and structural factors. Finally, our findings indicate that significant variation remains across Belgian regions. This opens up avenues for future research regarding the potential effects of institutional factors and the ‘freezing’ of local political offer across subnational party systems. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 100-125 Issue: 1 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 01 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1802251 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1802251 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:1:p:100-125 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Anders Lidström Author-X-Name-First: Anders Author-X-Name-Last: Lidström Title: Various faces of localised voting in Sweden Abstract: This article investigates the extent of and characteristics of localised voting in a Swedish context. Localised voting is defined as an independent act of choice in relation to local elections. Contrary to most previous research, this article suggests that localised voting should also include those who are well informed about each election but vote for the same party in the different elections and not only those that split their tickets. A citizen survey conducted in the four northernmost counties indicates that two-thirds of the voters are local; 38 percent are informed same-party voters and 28 percent split their tickets. To a large extent, the two types of localised voting are explained by different factors. The informed same-party voters tend be older and are critical of the state of democracy in their municipality whereas the split-ticket voters have weak party allegiance and generally support a small party. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 126-144 Issue: 1 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 01 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1761338 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1761338 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:1:p:126-144 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Signe Bock Segaard Author-X-Name-First: Signe Bock Author-X-Name-Last: Segaard Author-Name: Jo Saglie Author-X-Name-First: Jo Author-X-Name-Last: Saglie Title: A gender-generation gap in political representation? The contingent impact of preference voting in Norwegian municipal elections Abstract: The article analyses the impact of preference votes on the gender balance in municipal councils in Norway, and to what extent this impact varies with candidates’ age, party and local context. We compare actual representation with a hypothetical closed-list outcome. The analyses show that both local political representation and the impact of preference votes are characterised by a gender-generation gap. Older women are underrepresented, while young women are represented on equal terms with young men. Young female candidates benefit from preference voting in larger municipalities, whereas the older generation of women loses out in both large and small municipalities. In conclusion, we argue that an intersectionality approach should pay more attention to variables other than ethnicity, including age and local context. Moreover, research on gender and political representation should take into account a gender-generation perspective. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 145-165 Issue: 1 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 01 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1797691 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1797691 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:1:p:145-165 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jan Čopík Author-X-Name-First: Jan Author-X-Name-Last: Čopík Author-Name: Radek Kopřiva Author-X-Name-First: Radek Author-X-Name-Last: Kopřiva Author-Name: Jaroslav Čmejrek Author-X-Name-First: Jaroslav Author-X-Name-Last: Čmejrek Title: Mayors as a variable in typologies of local governments: a case study of the Czech Republic Abstract: The study focuses on the position of mayors in the self-government of municipalities in the Czech Republic. The typology of municipal governments classifies the Czech Republic in the ‘collective form’ category. The aim of the case study is to look for a way to supplement existing approaches to the typology of local governments. We emphasise the factual role of mayors in the formulation of development goals of municipalities, their initiative and weight in decision-making on budgets and investment actions. The study is based on data obtained through a questionnaire survey of municipal representatives and interviews with representatives of selected municipalities. Based on the results of both surveys, it is possible to prove that in spite of their not very strong legislative position, mayors can play a key role as initiators of investment projects and in promoting the municipal development agenda. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 167-185 Issue: 2 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 03 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2019.1699069 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2019.1699069 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:2:p:167-185 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Toby S. James Author-X-Name-First: Toby S. Author-X-Name-Last: James Author-Name: Alistair Clark Author-X-Name-First: Alistair Author-X-Name-Last: Clark Title: Delivering electoral integrity under pressure: local government, electoral administration, and the 2016 Brexit referendum Abstract: The management and delivery of elections is a core task for local government officials in many countries but often overlooked by research and policymakers. This article charts the nature and consequences of emerging pressures on local government officials to deliver high profile electoral events in an established democracy. Through a rigorous and comprehensive survey of local electoral administrators and in-depth interviews, it examines how electoral administration functioned in the 2016 UK Brexit referendum. In so doing, it provides broader lessons about the dynamics of electoral integrity at the local level. Problems with insufficient funds, growing distrust of public officials and late legislation were particularly problematic. Inappropriate campaigner behaviour was concentrated amongst Leave campaigners, reflecting new challenges for electoral integrity as populist movements arise. Problems were less frequent in Scotland, suggesting that different organisational factors are important. The effects of funding deficiencies suggest that austerity agendas can affect electoral integrity. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 186-207 Issue: 2 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 03 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1719075 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1719075 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:2:p:186-207 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Andreas P. Kyriacou Author-X-Name-First: Andreas P. Author-X-Name-Last: Kyriacou Author-Name: Oriol Roca-Sagalés Author-X-Name-First: Oriol Author-X-Name-Last: Roca-Sagalés Title: Does decentralising public procurement affect the quality of governance? Evidence from local government in Europe Abstract: In this article, we consider the impact on the quality of governance when assigning public procurement spending to local authorities. While fiscal decentralisation is generally expected to yield improvements in governance because it empowers better informed voters and public officials who can tailor policies to local needs, we hypothesise that the expected benefits may not emerge when decentralising public procurement because this may facilitate rent-seeking by special interests and because it would potentially forego economies of scale, organisational benefits and spillover effects. Consistent with this, our empirical evidence, based on a sample of 30 European countries over the period 1996 to 2015, shows that decentralising public procurement down to the local level does not promote good governance. Our evidence is robust to the introduction of different checks and specifications and shows that the impact of decentralisation on governance depends on the nature of the spending category decentralised. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 208-233 Issue: 2 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 03 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1729749 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1729749 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:2:p:208-233 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Yunji Kim Author-X-Name-First: Yunji Author-X-Name-Last: Kim Author-Name: Mildred E. Warner Author-X-Name-First: Mildred E. Author-X-Name-Last: Warner Title: Pragmatic municipalism or austerity urbanism? Understanding local government responses to fiscal stress Abstract: While national governments responded to the Great Recession with austerity, local government responses were varied. Two contrasting views are found in the literature: ‘austerity urbanism’ and ‘pragmatic municipalism’. We argue austerity urbanism best reflects local responses in contexts where local governments have limited autonomy and cuts in local government aid have been severe, such as Detroit in the US, England, and the southern states in the EU. Pragmatic municipalism best explains local responses in contexts where local governments have more fiscal autonomy, as in the US. Differences in state-local relations as well as methodology (case study or large-scale analysis) lead to these two different views. While responses to fiscal stress differ, we find the process opens up local government services to more marketisation in both contexts. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 234-252 Issue: 2 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 03 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1729751 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1729751 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:2:p:234-252 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: J. Ignacio Criado Author-X-Name-First: J. Ignacio Author-X-Name-Last: Criado Author-Name: Julian Villodre Author-X-Name-First: Julian Author-X-Name-Last: Villodre Title: Delivering public services through social media in European local governments. An interpretative framework using semantic algorithms Abstract: Social media adoption by public administrations is usually related to the promotion of transparency, participation and collaboration. However, less attention has been paid to the utilisation of social media for public service delivery. Hence, this paper explores what strategies of use local governments are employing to create content on social media. To do so, our study re-elaborates a well-known interpretative framework of social media interactions in the public sector, regarding three categories: providing information, citizen interaction and public service delivery. By analysing Twitter data through machine-learning automated natural language processing, we test the framework studying posted content from a leading group of European city councils. Our conclusions confirm the utilisation of social media to provide institutional information or foster interactions with citizens. At the same time, European local governments are also starting to use social media for public service delivery. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 253-275 Issue: 2 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 03 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1729750 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1729750 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:2:p:253-275 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Paola Coletti Author-X-Name-First: Paola Author-X-Name-Last: Coletti Author-Name: Nicola Francesco Dotti Author-X-Name-First: Nicola Francesco Author-X-Name-Last: Dotti Title: Knowledge co-production promoting policy change in time of decentralisation: a comparison of two cases from Brussels Abstract: The nexus between policy change and learning has attracted an extensive theoretical debate, since the seminal Hall’s typology of orders of change. Defined as the capacity to act collectively for policy-making, policy knowledge is crucial because actors have to know how to cooperate sharing a common understanding of the policy issue at stake. This challenge is even more relevant in the case of decentralisation when policy competencies are transferred to local governments and new policymakers established. In this context, the paper argues that the co-production between newly established policymakers and experts is more likely to lead to policy change within the filter of the dominant policy paradigm. For this purpose, two cases from Brussels are presented and compared about the local water management system and a new rail junction. This approach opens the theoretical issue of the knowledge-democracy nexus about the involvement of non-expert stakeholders. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 276-295 Issue: 2 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 03 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1739022 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1739022 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:2:p:276-295 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Christopher Goodman Author-X-Name-First: Christopher Author-X-Name-Last: Goodman Author-Name: Suzanne Leland Author-X-Name-First: Suzanne Author-X-Name-Last: Leland Author-Name: Olga Smirnova Author-X-Name-First: Olga Author-X-Name-Last: Smirnova Title: The consequences of specialised governance on spending and expansion of public transit Abstract: Special-purpose governments are commonly characterised as hidden governments with less taxpayer accountability and can issue debt. However, little research has been conducted to see if operating and capital expenses are driven by the public’s perception of need or are a policy consequence of functional specialisation. The following study tests how problem salience and form of government interact to impact local governments’ expenditures. We use National Transit Data (2013–2014) to test these moderating relationships. Our findings indicate that at least in the context of public transit, service area characteristics play a larger role in the spending and expansion than either the form of government or issue salience (as measured in this paper). This also indicates that the moderating effect of salience and governance does not appear to be significant for public transit policy. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 296-311 Issue: 2 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 03 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1744571 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1744571 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:2:p:296-311 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Michael Škvrňák Author-X-Name-First: Michael Author-X-Name-Last: Škvrňák Title: You’ll never rule alone: how football clubs and party membership affect coalition formation Abstract: The research on coalition formation has used the abundance of local-level data to test the classical theories of coalition formation. I take the classical theories as a baseline and supplement them with additional factors related to how political agents are embedded in the local community. In particular, I investigate how the social capital of elected councillors attained in local football clubs and the membership bases of local party branches affect coalition formation. The results of conditional logit models show that coalitions are more likely to be formed between parties whose elected councillors are members of a local football club. In addition, a higher share of elected councillors who are not party members is associated with preference for oversized coalitions. This indicates that when local party branches are not sure about their own and their coalition partners’ unity, they prefer to ensure coalition survival by including an additional party. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 312-330 Issue: 2 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 03 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1787167 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1787167 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:2:p:312-330 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jennifer M Connolly Author-X-Name-First: Jennifer M Author-X-Name-Last: Connolly Title: No Uber, no tourists? Public attitudes toward municipal regulation of the sharing economy Abstract: The rise of the sharing economy has led to political fights between users of these platforms, local government officials, city residents, and members of the traditional taxi and hotel industries. Municipalities have crafted policies that restrict the operation of sharing economy companies in a variety of ways. However, scholars have not systematically analysed public attitudes regarding these policies. What local-level regulations of the sharing economy, if any, do citizens support? What factors explain citizen support for municipal regulation of the sharing economy? Further, given that these services are popular with travellers, what impact do local sharing economy restrictions have on tourism intentions? In this article, I analyse a series of survey questions from the 2016 Cooperative Congressional Election Study (CCES) and find that a majority of Americans support some, but not all, sharing economy regulations. Additionally, local restrictions on sharing economy companies are associated with decreased tourism intentions. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 331-346 Issue: 2 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 03 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1794844 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1794844 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:2:p:331-346 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Daniel Rasch Author-X-Name-First: Daniel Author-X-Name-Last: Rasch Title: Close ties in European local governance: linking state and society Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 347-349 Issue: 2 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 03 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.1894713 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.1894713 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:2:p:347-349 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Paul Cowie Author-X-Name-First: Paul Author-X-Name-Last: Cowie Title: Rescaling urban governance: planning, localism and institutional change Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 349-351 Issue: 2 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 03 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.1894715 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.1894715 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:2:p:349-351 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Joyce Liddle Author-X-Name-First: Joyce Author-X-Name-Last: Liddle Title: The resurgence of parish council powers in England Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 351-353 Issue: 2 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 03 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.1894714 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.1894714 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:2:p:351-353 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Dennis de Widt Author-X-Name-First: Dennis Author-X-Name-Last: de Widt Title: The impact of demographic trends on local government financial reserves: evidence from England Abstract: Local government in England has experienced significant financial volatility in recent years due to cuts in central government funding and increased demand for service provision. Using a panel data set of English local governments over the period 2005–2016, this study investigates the impact of demographic factors on the financial reserves held by different types of English local governments. Dissimilar effects are traced on local governments’ saving capability of different grant funding mechanisms and whether local governments are involved in social care provision, and how they provide these services. Findings show that local governments actively act upon financial uncertainty by expanding their reserves through implementing changes in both their income and expenditure structures, including revenue generation through alternative sources such as capital investment. The potential, however, to expand reserves differs significantly between local governments and has reduced due to growing demand for social care services. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 405-428 Issue: 3 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 05 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.1877665 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.1877665 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:3:p:405-428 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Masato Miyazaki Author-X-Name-First: Masato Author-X-Name-Last: Miyazaki Author-Name: Joseph Drew Author-X-Name-First: Joseph Author-X-Name-Last: Drew Title: Successfully navigating the fiscal challenges of the age of the aged: municipal government in Japan Abstract: Ageing populations have been identified as a looming fiscal threat to many developed nations across the world. However, in Japan, both the scale of the problem and the institutional context is such that it represents a rather desperate predicament. Within the next 25 years it is projected that over a quarter of Japan’s local governments will have the majority of their population composed of senior citizens. This is problematic because as populations age, needs increase but revenue capacity simultaneously decreases. We apply a commonly employed success framework with a view to demonstrating how it can be used to guide implementation of some of the most prominent policies thus far canvassed in Japan to mitigate these fiscal challenges. We conclude with some comments regarding the importance of good policy design to successfully navigate the age of the aged. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 453-474 Issue: 3 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 05 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1864333 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1864333 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:3:p:453-474 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Luiz de Mello Author-X-Name-First: Luiz Author-X-Name-Last: de Mello Title: Population ageing and local governments: Does engagement with the local community change over the lifecycle? Abstract: Population ageing is having a wide range of effects on societies, governments and economies, reflecting changes in people’s preferences and needs over their lifecycle and across generations. When it comes to local governments, these effects depend on people’s attachment to the local community and their participation in its political life, which influence their ability and willingness to shape policy through the political process. Using individual level data from the World Values Survey, and taking account of the joint drivers of community attachment and political participation, the empirical analysis shows that both attachment and participation rise with age, albeit in a non-linear manner. These findings are robust to differences in people’s attitudes to democracy, trust in government and exposure to major political and institutional changes, such as democratic transitions and fiscal/political decentralisation. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 364-385 Issue: 3 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 05 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1802253 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1802253 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:3:p:364-385 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Pekka Valkama Author-X-Name-First: Pekka Author-X-Name-Last: Valkama Author-Name: Lasse Oulasvirta Author-X-Name-First: Lasse Author-X-Name-Last: Oulasvirta Title: How Finland copes with an ageing population: adjusting structures and equalising the financial capabilities of local governments Abstract: The study focuses on the challenges of the ageing population in Finnish public policies related to municipal structures and finances. First, we review how the impacts of the ageing population have been identified and how necessary policy responses and reforms of the municipal division in particular have been prioritised by recent central governments. Second, we evaluate how state grant policy has equalised the financial capabilities ofmunicipalities to cope with the financial consequences of the ageing population. Our findings indicate that ageing is believed to increase municipal expenditures because the demand for care services in particular is growing. The analysis also demonstrates that the state grant system is capable of substantially equalising the differences in tax bases and spending obligations between municipalities. Nevertheless, central governments have planned ‘big-bang reform proposals’, introducing a completely new tier of democratic government and regionalising the most burdensome welfare services of municipalities. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 429-452 Issue: 3 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 05 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.1877664 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.1877664 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:3:p:429-452 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Diogo Cunha Ferreira Author-X-Name-First: Diogo Cunha Author-X-Name-Last: Ferreira Author-Name: Paulo Caldas Author-X-Name-First: Paulo Author-X-Name-Last: Caldas Author-Name: Rui Cunha Marques Author-X-Name-First: Rui Cunha Author-X-Name-Last: Marques Title: Ageing as a determinant of local government performance: myth or reality? the Portuguese experience Abstract: The age structure of asociety has long been ahot topic in public administration, including in local government, where such discussion should, at the most obvious level, promote policies related to active ageing and the protection of the elderly. Ageing is asignificant issue in Portugal, putting pressure on local and central governments. Whether the population's aging is adeterminant of local government's overall performance is aquestion that finds few answers in the literature. Our results suggest that there is only atenuous relationship between ageing and some dimensions of council performance, particularly socio-economic development and financial sustainability. In life as awhole, ageing is seen as detrimental to performance; but it explains no more than atenth of the variance in councils' performance. Thus, individual councils may provide services efficiently regardless of the age structure of their communities. There are far more important dimensions for explaining performance by local government than ageing. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 475-497 Issue: 3 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 05 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.1904397 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.1904397 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:3:p:475-497 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Rhys Andrews Author-X-Name-First: Rhys Author-X-Name-Last: Andrews Author-Name: Brian Dollery Author-X-Name-First: Brian Author-X-Name-Last: Dollery Title: Guest editors’ introduction: the impact of ageing and demographic change on local government Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 355-363 Issue: 3 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 05 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.1906231 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.1906231 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:3:p:355-363 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Harry Kitchen Author-X-Name-First: Harry Author-X-Name-Last: Kitchen Title: Age based service demands in Canada: municipal responsibility and financing Abstract: The current trend towards an ageing population and the fact that a smaller percentage of this cohort is poor when compared with younger age groups poses challenges in the way in which some senior services are financed. The long-established practice of discounting fees or lowering property taxes based strictly on age rather than ability to pay raises a number of equity and efficiency concerns. It is unfair because those who are younger and poorer end up subsidising those who are older and richer. It is inefficient because those paying discounted prices or taxes have an incentive to demand more than they would if they paid the full price. This, in turn, leads to more municipal resources being devoted to the service than is economically efficient and it may create significant revenue challenges for municipalities with limited resources. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 386-404 Issue: 3 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 05 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1802252 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1802252 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:3:p:386-404 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Mildred E. Warner Author-X-Name-First: Mildred E. Author-X-Name-Last: Warner Author-Name: Xue Zhang Author-X-Name-First: Xue Author-X-Name-Last: Zhang Title: Serving an ageing population: collaboration is key Abstract: As US society ages, pressures on local government planning and service delivery increase. We conducted a national survey of 1474 US local governments in 2013 to measure the range of services local governments provide and how these relate to local planning processes, public engagement and local government attitudes and motivators. We differentiate measures of public engagement and cross-agency collaboration, and control for built environment, demographic structure, socio-economics and metro status to explain what differentiates communities that provide more services. Our regression models find communities with more cross-agency collaboration (for service delivery, information and trust) and more engagement of older adults and families with children, provide more services to meet their needs. Capacity constraints do not differentiate level of service delivery. Local governments with conservative councils provide fewer services for children and seniors. Communities with increasing senior populations, and suburbs with increasing child populations provide fewer services targeted to their needs. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 498-517 Issue: 3 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 05 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1787166 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1787166 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:3:p:498-517 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Pedro J. Camões Author-X-Name-First: Pedro J. Author-X-Name-Last: Camões Author-Name: António Tavares Author-X-Name-First: António Author-X-Name-Last: Tavares Author-Name: Filipe Teles Author-X-Name-First: Filipe Author-X-Name-Last: Teles Title: Assessing the intensity of cooperation: a study of joint delegation of municipal functions to inter-municipal associations Abstract: Talking is cheap, at least in the short term; elected officials may profess their preferences for IMC and yet deny IMA organisations the necessary resources to fulfil their missions. Driven by a focus on revealed preferences for inter-municipal cooperation, the article aims to answer two questions: Why do some IMA exhibit a high level of commitment on the part of their local government members whereas others remain underutilised, reflecting a choice by local governments to retain these responsibilities themselves? How does this commitment to IMAs vary over time? We use data from 25 IMAs over a 10-year period (2008–2018) in Portugal to assess the intensity of cooperation among Portuguese local governments through stand-alone organisations. The panel analysis regression supports the hypotheses that a larger number of local governments involved in IMAs and higher levels of heterogeneity among them make cooperation more difficult. In contrast, longer interaction in IMAs reinforces the intensity of cooperation. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 593-615 Issue: 4 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 07 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1857245 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1857245 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:4:p:593-615 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Taishi Muraoka Author-X-Name-First: Taishi Author-X-Name-Last: Muraoka Author-Name: Claudia N. Avellaneda Author-X-Name-First: Claudia N. Author-X-Name-Last: Avellaneda Title: Do the networks of inter-municipal cooperation enhance local government performance? Abstract: Inter-municipal cooperation (IMC) has increasingly become an important tool for local governments. This study aims to understand the role of IMC from the perspective of network management. We argue that IMCs create networks of horizontal interactions among local governments, facilitating collaboration and information exchange among them. By so doing, IMCs can promote local government performance even outside their main service domains. To evaluate the performance enhancing role of IMC networks, we analyze the case of municipal associations in El Salvador. Based on original surveys of Salvadorian mayors, we find that networks built on municipal associations positively correlate with electricity provision. By contrast, no effect exists on running water provision, perhaps because it requires no collaboration among municipalities. Our findings suggest that managerial networks built on IMCs can play an important role in local government performance in developing settings, but their effect seems contingent on the type of performance outcome. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 616-636 Issue: 4 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 07 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1869545 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1869545 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:4:p:616-636 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Ivo Bischoff Author-X-Name-First: Ivo Author-X-Name-Last: Bischoff Author-Name: Eva Wolfschütz Author-X-Name-First: Eva Author-X-Name-Last: Wolfschütz Title: Inter-municipal cooperation in administrative tasks – the role of population dynamics and elections Abstract: We use a hazard model to identify the factors that drive the emergence of inter-municipal cooperation (IMC) in tasks of internal administration in West-Germany between 2003 and 2014. Our first focus rests on the role of population decline. The results show that municipalities situated in clusters of shrinking municipalities are more likely to start IMC. Second, we test for the role of political cycles in the timing of IMC-arrangements. There is no direct effect of the proximity to elections yet IMC in election years is more (less) likely among municipalities characterised by high (low) fiscal capacity and administrative expenditures. In addition, state subsidies for IMC are found to have a strong positive impact on the emergence of IMC. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 568-592 Issue: 4 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 07 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1771307 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1771307 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:4:p:568-592 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Amelia Hadfield Author-X-Name-First: Amelia Author-X-Name-Last: Hadfield Author-Name: Christian Turner Author-X-Name-First: Christian Author-X-Name-Last: Turner Title: Risky business? Analysing the challenges and opportunities of Brexit on English local government Abstract: Brexit is proving epochal in its impacts on Britain. Work exploring Brexit’s impact upon the structure, responsibilities and future plans of English local government is critical for anumber of reasons, from the sheer preponderance of legislation fundamentally altered in the context of the European Union Withdrawal Act of 2018, to changes in regional funding streams and alteration to the governance of local authorities. Based on the original research undertaken between 2015 and 2018 in South East England and the county of Kent, this article contributes to the body of research exploring Brexit’s impact on local government. To do so, it draws on acombination of stakeholder interviews, in-house analysis, regional Brexit impact assessment reports, evidence given in 2017 to the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee, and the Committee’s final report of April2019. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 657-678 Issue: 4 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 07 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.1895768 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.1895768 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:4:p:657-678 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Ian C. Elliott Author-X-Name-First: Ian C. Author-X-Name-Last: Elliott Title: City sextons: tales from municipal leaders Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 681-683 Issue: 4 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 07 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.1946291 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.1946291 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:4:p:681-683 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: David Sweeting Author-X-Name-First: David Author-X-Name-Last: Sweeting Title: Leading local government: the role of directly elected mayors Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 679-681 Issue: 4 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 07 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.1946292 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.1946292 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:4:p:679-681 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Andreas Kirlappos Author-X-Name-First: Andreas Author-X-Name-Last: Kirlappos Title: Limits of Europeanisation at the municipal level: evidence from the Republic of Cyprus Abstract: The Republic of Cyprus is a small EU member-state whose structures reproduce a resilient domestic tradition of increased centralism. As expected, this restricts local government whose actors demonstrate differentiations in their overall role and responsibilities. This work utilises the vertical research dimension of top-down Europeanisation to investigate the influence of European Integration at the Municipal level and the Municipal reactions to it. It adopts a local government comparative perspective to analyse the two latest cohesion policy programmatic periods (2007–2013 and 2014–2020).This work utilises explicit analytical contexts (Europeanisation and historical institutionalism) to deliver a theoretically and empirically informed analysis based on empirical data resulting from two field studies (2013 and 2019). The research results indicate that the effects of Europeanisation and the Municipal reactions to them have been path dependent and moderate at best. It is verified that current decisions reinforce the basic features of the path limiting Municipal role. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 637-656 Issue: 4 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 07 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1753707 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1753707 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:4:p:637-656 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Paweł Swianiewicz Author-X-Name-First: Paweł Author-X-Name-Last: Swianiewicz Author-Name: Katarzyna Szmigiel-Rawska Author-X-Name-First: Katarzyna Author-X-Name-Last: Szmigiel-Rawska Title: Why some local governments choose not to free-ride when undergoing boundary reform: a study of two merger cases in Poland Abstract: One of the side effects of municipal territorial reforms is the common-pool problem. The problem arises when the costs of an activity that benefits a small entity are borne by a larger entity. A review of existing empirical studies suggests that although the common-pool problem has been identified in all investigated cases, it has not as yet been sufficiently analysed and understood. This article focuses on two voluntary mergers in Poland. The authors test the impact of the merger decision on the pre-merger level of capital spending and debt. The analysis is based on a quasi-experimental design using Synthetic Control method. The paper identifies factors explaining why the behaviour of the analysed merging municipalities differs from the results of earlier studies. The most important finding is that the mechanism preventing common resources hoarding is effective when local rules are applied to the merger. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 546-567 Issue: 4 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 07 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1761337 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1761337 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:4:p:546-567 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Kyohei Yamada Author-X-Name-First: Kyohei Author-X-Name-Last: Yamada Author-Name: Kiichiro Arai Author-X-Name-First: Kiichiro Author-X-Name-Last: Arai Title: Do boundary consolidations alter the relationship between politicians and voters? The case of municipal mergers in Japan Abstract: This paper examines whether boundary changes lead to changes in the relationship between voters and politicians. We focus on the wave of municipal mergers in Japan that took place in the 2000s in order to examine this question. Municipalities with small population size, once they merge with their larger neighbours, would have a small number of voters relative to the size of the electorate in the post-merger municipalities. Therefore, municipal politicians in the post-merger municipalities do not have strong electoral incentives to receive support from geographic areas corresponding with pre-merger municipalities of small population size. Using a survey of voters in 89 locations corresponding with pre-merger municipalities, we demonstrate that voters who live in small municipalities that experienced mergers interact with politicians less frequently and have less favourable impressions of politicians than before the mergers. These patterns are not observed in municipalities that did not experience mergers. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 519-545 Issue: 4 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 07 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1761335 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1761335 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:4:p:519-545 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Bernardino Benito Author-X-Name-First: Bernardino Author-X-Name-Last: Benito Author-Name: Pedro-José Martínez-Córdoba Author-X-Name-First: Pedro-José Author-X-Name-Last: Martínez-Córdoba Author-Name: María-Dolores Guillamón Author-X-Name-First: María-Dolores Author-X-Name-Last: Guillamón Title: Impact of politicians’ salaries and their dedication regime on the efficiency of municipal public services Abstract: Cases of corruption, the financial and economic crisis, and citizens’ growing interest in public affairs have contributed to the political changes that have taken place in Spain in recent years. In this scenario, in which new political actors appear, this research analyses whether politicians’ remuneration, their dedication regime and several socio-political and economic variables have an impact on the efficiency of the main municipal services. The results indicate the key role of remuneration and the dedication of politicians in efficiency. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 784-807 Issue: 5 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 09 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1768851 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1768851 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:5:p:784-807 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Katarzyna Szmigiel-Rawska Author-X-Name-First: Katarzyna Author-X-Name-Last: Szmigiel-Rawska Author-Name: Julita Łukomska Author-X-Name-First: Julita Author-X-Name-Last: Łukomska Author-Name: António F. Tavares Author-X-Name-First: António F. Author-X-Name-Last: Tavares Title: The anatomy of choice: an analysis of the determinants of local service delivery in Poland Abstract: The aim of the paper is to identify the factors determining the choice between service delivery modes to provide local services. The original choice model proposed by Ferris and Graddy predicts that local officials seek to minimise service delivery costs (production and transaction costs), subject to political and fiscal constraints. The article tests production efficiency and transaction costs hypotheses in relation to the modes of service delivery adopted by local governments in Poland: in-house, corporatisation, cooperation, contracting out. It explores delivery choices of three different services: water supply, local transportation, and home care for elderly people. Based on the results of a nationwide survey addressed to all municipalities we test the aforementioned hypotheses using multinomial logit regression models. The empirical evidence confirms the basic expectations that the externalisation of service delivery is a function of local officials’ attempt to minimise the sum of production and transaction costs subject to fiscal and political constraints. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 685-711 Issue: 5 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 09 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1777108 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1777108 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:5:p:685-711 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Dan Ziebarth Author-X-Name-First: Dan Author-X-Name-Last: Ziebarth Title: Making a difference in the community: local civic engagement efficacy among immigrants and refugees in King County, Washington Abstract: Issues of immigration and citizenship are at the forefront of policy and public opinion in the United States. This study explores immigrant and refugee perceptions of their ability to make a difference in their community by leveraging an extensive survey conducted in King County, Washington. Findings show that immigrants and refugees who were more interested in the 2016 presidential election, more likely to vote in the 2016 presidential election, and could easily access election information in their preferred language were significantly more likely to believe they could make a difference in their community. This study adds to the literature by showing empirically the ways in which sociocultural factors shape civic efficacy among immigrants and refugees, while building on previous research on political efficacy and participation based on psychological mechanisms to show the broader role of sociocultural environment on civic efficacy. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 735-758 Issue: 5 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 09 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1794846 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1794846 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:5:p:735-758 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Il Hwan Chung Author-X-Name-First: Il Hwan Author-X-Name-Last: Chung Author-Name: Daniel Williams Author-X-Name-First: Daniel Author-X-Name-Last: Williams Title: Local governments’ responses to the fiscal stress label: the case of New York Abstract: Fiscal stress has been a source of significant concern for local governments and has led to the introduction of a variety of approaches for dealing with such a situation. One emerging practise is to adopt early-warning systems which identify fiscal stress, assign a fiscal stress label, and assist with local governments’ financial management. Although there is a growing body of research focusing on fiscal stress indicators, there is a lack of studies examining whether localities given a fiscal stress label by the fiscal stress monitoring system improve their fiscal health. With a regression discontinuity design, we have found that less stressed localities improve their financial condition as compared with more stressed ones in the short run. This study has the potential to inform discussions about the role and strategies of states in strengthening localities’ financial situations and designing a better fiscal monitoring system. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 808-835 Issue: 5 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 09 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1797693 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1797693 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:5:p:808-835 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Lisa Källström Author-X-Name-First: Lisa Author-X-Name-Last: Källström Author-Name: Sara Mauro Author-X-Name-First: Sara Author-X-Name-Last: Mauro Author-Name: Alessandro Sancino Author-X-Name-First: Alessandro Author-X-Name-Last: Sancino Author-Name: Giuseppe Grossi Author-X-Name-First: Giuseppe Author-X-Name-Last: Grossi Title: The governance games of citizens and stakeholders’ engagement: longitudinal narratives Abstract: This paper focuses on a process of citizens and stakeholders’ engagement promoted by a local authority to co-design the city vision with multiple actors (politicians, public managers, consultants, citizens and other external stakeholders). The setting for this research is provided by a municipality in Sweden and our theoretical perspective is the decentred theory of governance. A multi-actor, longitudinal and qualitative analysis has been carried out by triangulating interviews with key stakeholders, non-participant observations, and documental analysis, and by collecting the empirical material at two points of time (2014–2018). Our findings present several narratives and show that four main governance games were played (political; reputational and professional; spectacle; and social games). We discuss how these games interplay may change the perception of actors about the process of citizens and stakeholders’ engagement. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 859-885 Issue: 5 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 09 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1807340 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1807340 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:5:p:859-885 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Shaoming Cheng Author-X-Name-First: Shaoming Author-X-Name-Last: Cheng Author-Name: Hai (David) Guo Author-X-Name-First: Hai (David) Author-X-Name-Last: Guo Title: The interplay between private and public governments: the relationship between homeowner associations and municipal finance Abstract: Homeowner associations (HOAs), as a form of private residential governance, have grown exponentially in the United States, representing a profound transformation in urban governance. This paper examines the fiscal correlation between local municipal governments and private residential governments, and specifically, the extent to which the proliferation of HOAs in a municipality is related to municipal expenditures and revenues. Administrative data of the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation are employed with spatial econometric methods for accounting for potential inter-jurisdictional spillover effects. Empirical evidence suggests that a greater presence of HOAs within a local municipality is associated with the municipality’s declining public expenditures and revenues for providing public services to local residents. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 759-783 Issue: 5 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 09 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1794845 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1794845 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:5:p:759-783 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Marc Guinjoan Author-X-Name-First: Marc Author-X-Name-Last: Guinjoan Author-Name: Toni Rodon Author-X-Name-First: Toni Author-X-Name-Last: Rodon Title: Let’s party! The impact of local festivities on the incumbent’s electoral support Abstract: Do local festivities affect an incumbent’s re-election prospects? Despite the relationship between local public policies and political behaviour is a central topic in political science, the effect of the organisation of leisure events on voting patterns has been largely neglected. Using data from Spain, we show that Mayors doubling the per capita amount of money devoted to local festivities during the last year of the legislature benefit by around two per cent points in upcoming elections. Two mechanisms account for this relationship. First, changes in the budget given over to festivities enhance the incumbent’s support when the spending on local festivities during the previous years of the mandate was generous. Second, local festivities bring about positive rewards when the financial situation of the municipality is stable. Overall, our article sheds light on the need to consider other domains beyond “core” public policies when assessing the dynamics behind an incumbent’s re-election. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 712-734 Issue: 5 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 09 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1771308 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1771308 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:5:p:712-734 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jinsol Park Author-X-Name-First: Jinsol Author-X-Name-Last: Park Author-Name: Hakyeon Lee Author-X-Name-First: Hakyeon Author-X-Name-Last: Lee Author-Name: J. S. Butler Author-X-Name-First: J. S. Author-X-Name-Last: Butler Author-Name: Dwight Denison Author-X-Name-First: Dwight Author-X-Name-Last: Denison Title: The effects of high-quality financial reporting on municipal bond ratings: evidence from US local governments Abstract: While credit rating agencies mention that a government factor is one criterion for assessing municipal bond ratings, current studies on credit ratings offer relatively little evidence as to how the government factor affects municipal bond ratings, compared to socioeconomic and financial factors. By utilising the award of the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting Programme of the Government Finance Officers Association as an indicator for high-quality financial reporting, we find that the quality of financial reporting is one important factor that determines municipal bond ratings. We also demonstrate that the repeated actions of providing high-quality financial reporting are valuable for municipalities by enhancing market credibility and thus improving ratings. The positive impact of high-quality financial reporting is greater for municipalities which have just begun to give a signal of providing transparent financial information to the market than municipalities which have already built market credibility for a long time. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 836-858 Issue: 5 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 09 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1825385 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1825385 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:5:p:836-858 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Kaddour Mehiriz Author-X-Name-First: Kaddour Author-X-Name-Last: Mehiriz Title: The sources of municipalities’ innovation in the management of weather disaster risks, their relationships, and their antecedents Abstract: This article presents the results of a study on the use of internal and external sources of innovation by municipalities to deal with weather hazards. Using data collected by an online survey of municipal emergency management coordinators in Quebec – Canada, this study shows that municipalities rely primarily on their expertise and, to a lesser extent, on peer organisations and upper levels of governments to develop new solutions to weather hazards. In addition, this study finds weak support for the complementarity hypothesis between internal and external sources of innovation and suggests strongly that these sources of innovation are not substitutable. The capacity and vulnerability of municipalities, as well as political support for initiatives to improve the management of weather disasters, seem to be significant drivers of innovation. Finally, efforts aimed at strengthening public organisations’ internal capacities and creating incentives to facilitate collaborations between public organisations are important levers to stimulate innovation. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 951-970 Issue: 6 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1816545 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1816545 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:6:p:951-970 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Rob Wilson Author-X-Name-First: Rob Author-X-Name-Last: Wilson Title: Public service accountability: rekindling a debate Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1039-1041 Issue: 6 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.1992935 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.1992935 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:6:p:1039-1041 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Shelina Visram Author-X-Name-First: Shelina Author-X-Name-Last: Visram Author-Name: David J. Hunter Author-X-Name-First: David J. Author-X-Name-Last: Hunter Author-Name: Neil Perkins Author-X-Name-First: Neil Author-X-Name-Last: Perkins Author-Name: Lee Adams Author-X-Name-First: Lee Author-X-Name-Last: Adams Author-Name: Rachael Finn Author-X-Name-First: Rachael Author-X-Name-Last: Finn Author-Name: Jennifer Gosling Author-X-Name-First: Jennifer Author-X-Name-Last: Gosling Author-Name: Amanda Forrest Author-X-Name-First: Amanda Author-X-Name-Last: Forrest Title: Health and wellbeing boards as theatres of accountability: a dramaturgical analysis Abstract: Health and wellbeing Boards (HWBs) were established in England in 2013, bringing together partners from local government, health services and consumer champions, to ensure strategic planning based on local needs. Similar partnership-working arrangements have achieved limited success, particularly in terms of engaging members of the public in decision-making. Drawing on data collected in five heterogeneous case study sites, we examined the role of HWBs in enhancing local democracy and accountability. Interviews, focus groups and observations were used to explore relationships and interactions between HWB members and the public or their representatives. A dramaturgical perspective was then applied in analysing the data. HWBs were generally not perceived to have achieved their well-intentioned aims; instead, meetings represented carefully staged and scripted performances that tended to inhibit rather than enhance democratic accountability. Our dramaturgical analysis highlights key deficits in the governance of HWBs, which are explored in the paper. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 931-950 Issue: 6 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1816543 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1816543 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:6:p:931-950 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Mark Sandford Author-X-Name-First: Mark Author-X-Name-Last: Sandford Title: Between realism and revolt: governing cities in the crisis of neoliberal globalism Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1037-1039 Issue: 6 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.1992934 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.1992934 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:6:p:1037-1039 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Qiuqian Zhao Author-X-Name-First: Qiuqian Author-X-Name-Last: Zhao Author-Name: Xianli Xia Author-X-Name-First: Xianli Author-X-Name-Last: Xia Title: Village poverty governance and the subjective well-being of households in central and western rural China Abstract: Using survey data from 633 households in China’s central and western regions, this article employs a life satisfaction approach to examine the influence of village poverty governance on the subjective well-being of rural households and estimates the monetary value of poverty governance. Applying the 2SLS and instrumental variable methods, this study demonstrated that improving village poverty governance can help increase the subjective well-being of rural households. The results also indicated that village poverty governance has a significant positive impact on the well-being of non-poor households but has no significant impact on the well-being of poor households. Given this difference, the participation of poor households in village poverty governance should be increased, and the capability approach of poor groups should be reinforced to prevent unfair procedures and uneven resource allocation. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 910-930 Issue: 6 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1807341 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1807341 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:6:p:910-930 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Anna Mdee Author-X-Name-First: Anna Author-X-Name-Last: Mdee Author-Name: Andrew Mushi Author-X-Name-First: Andrew Author-X-Name-Last: Mushi Title: Untangling blame and responsibility for service delivery and local governance performance: testing a grounded social accountability approach in Tanzania Abstract: We examine the gap between theory and practice in social accountability mechanisms to improve local governance performance in Tanzania. We do so through drawing on an ethnographic investigation tracing lines of blame and responsibility for service delivery, from individual citizens up to the central state incorporating a total of 340 interviews and 12 focussed group discussions. We have two keys findings: Firstly, that there is a wide divergence between formal lines of accountability and where actors direct blame for performance failure in practice. Secondly, building a collective understanding of this divergence provides an effective starting point for intervention to improve performance. Our conclusion is that dominant assumptions on social accountability interventions require significant revision in light of our findings. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 993-1013 Issue: 6 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1842735 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1842735 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:6:p:993-1013 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Rahel Freiburghaus Author-X-Name-First: Rahel Author-X-Name-Last: Freiburghaus Author-Name: Alexander Arens Author-X-Name-First: Alexander Author-X-Name-Last: Arens Author-Name: Sean Mueller Author-X-Name-First: Sean Author-X-Name-Last: Mueller Title: With or against their region? Multiple-mandate holders in the Swiss parliament, 1985–2018 Abstract: Regional and local units try to influence national decision-making in various ways. This paper analyses one particular channel of subnational influence: multiple-mandate holders. These are members of the national Parliament (MPs) who at the same time hold an elected office at regional or local level. Focusing on Switzerland, we first assess the extent of this phenomenon over time and subnational space. We then test for its impact on MPs’ actual vote choices, analyzing whether an MP’s subnational loyalty outweighs party pressure on policy proposals submitted by a Swiss canton. Our analyses draw on a new, original dataset covering all ca. 1,000 Swiss MPs between 1985 and 2018. In the main, we find that it is rather territorial homophily – the congruence of constituency and submitting canton – than holding dual mandates that plays a role when it comes to an individual MP’s vote decision. However, territorial interests are indeed capable of outweighing partisan ties. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 971-992 Issue: 6 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1832891 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1832891 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:6:p:971-992 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Ebunoluwa Odeyemi Author-X-Name-First: Ebunoluwa Author-X-Name-Last: Odeyemi Author-Name: Kimberly Skobba Author-X-Name-First: Kimberly Author-X-Name-Last: Skobba Title: Who is at the table? Civic engagement in small town housing decision-making Abstract: Small towns possess many of the components needed for stakeholder-led governance models, including strong social ties, frequent interactions and social norms that support participation in civic life. This study seeks to better understand civic engagement with housing decision-making in rural small towns. We examine the diversity of actively engaged stakeholder groups and the ways in which stakeholder participation is related to community characteristics using survey responses from representatives of 164 small towns within one Southeastern state. For the small towns in our study, population size, limited administrative capacity and access to human capital resources were associated with fewer engaged stakeholder groups. Relatively few stakeholder groups were involved in housing decision-making on average and those experiencing the greatest disadvantage were likely not at the table. This research adds to the limited body of research on civic engagement by exploring stakeholder engagement in housing decisions and policies in small towns using a unique dataset. Our study highlights the ways in which the potential for civic engagement in small towns is hindered, limiting the capacity and equity of housing policy among rural communities that likely have an array of housing problems. Understanding how and why local governments in small towns engage stakeholder groups for housing planning and decision-making is an area for future research. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1014-1036 Issue: 6 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1864334 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1864334 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:6:p:1014-1036 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: James Henderson Author-X-Name-First: James Author-X-Name-Last: Henderson Author-Name: Oliver Escobar Author-X-Name-First: Oliver Author-X-Name-Last: Escobar Author-Name: Philip Revell Author-X-Name-First: Philip Author-X-Name-Last: Revell Title: Public value governance meets social commons: community anchor organisations as catalysts for public service reform and social change? Abstract: Scottish public service reform is one example of an emerging international vision for state-convened public value governance. Scottish Government focus on community empowerment has legitimised discussions of community-led approaches and offers cautious policy support for community anchor organisations. In this context, community studies scholars and community sector continue to reflect critically on complex relations between state and community, with some exploring a social commons as a distinctive aspiration for democratic governance. In this paper, our participatory research with six community anchor exemplars and wider stakeholders provides empirical material to support discussion, interpretation and analysis at ‘the frontier’ of these visions of governance. We consider the potential for anchors to offer collaborative leadership to facilitate cross-sector partnership and participation and agonistic leadership to provide countervailing, constructive challenge to the state. We conclude by advancing a research agenda to explore further community sector leadership at times of increasing social and ecological crisis. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 887-909 Issue: 6 Volume: 47 Year: 2021 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1787164 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1787164 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:47:y:2021:i:6:p:887-909 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Georgios Lappas Author-X-Name-First: Georgios Author-X-Name-Last: Lappas Author-Name: Amalia Triantafillidou Author-X-Name-First: Amalia Author-X-Name-Last: Triantafillidou Author-Name: Anastasia Kani Author-X-Name-First: Anastasia Author-X-Name-Last: Kani Title: Harnessing the power of dialogue: examining the impact of facebook content on citizens’ engagement Abstract: The present study sheds light on the under-researched relationship between social media content and citizens’ engagement, as well as the impact of dialogic communication on citizens’ engagement. To this end, Facebook content of the five largest Greek municipalities was examined. A six-dimensional typology of social media content posted by local governments on Facebook was proposed. The results suggest that dialogic posts and posts that trigger offline participatory activities exerted significant influence on all forms of citizens’ online engagement. It is recommended that social media managers of local governments in Greece, as well as other countries with similar public administration styles and social media usage patterns, create dialogic loops with their citizenry by addressing users’ questions and concerns through Facebook posts. Moreover, they could publish rich media content on Facebook in the form of videos and posts that mobilise citizens to participate in various offline activities (e.g., events, council meetings). Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 87-106 Issue: 1 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 01 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1870958 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1870958 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:1:p:87-106 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Rodolfo Disi Pavlic Author-X-Name-First: Rodolfo Author-X-Name-Last: Disi Pavlic Author-Name: Edgar Rebolledo Toro Author-X-Name-First: Edgar Author-X-Name-Last: Rebolledo Toro Title: Implementing local participatory institutions: evidence from the Chilean communes Abstract: This article analyses the factors shaping the implementation of local participatory institutions (LPI) using evidence from Chile’s 345 communes. Based on the literature on participatory politics, it identifies several factors associated with the implementation of LPI, which are categorised into two dimensions: municipal supply vs. civic demand, and capacity vs. agency. Regression analyses show that explanations emphasising social structure, and to a lesser extent, municipal capacity, have more explanatory power than the ones emphasising municipal and social agency. Specifically, municipal financial and professional capacity, and local poverty and population size have important effects on LPI implementation. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 107-128 Issue: 1 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 01 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1851205 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1851205 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:1:p:107-128 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Tamás Vasvári Author-X-Name-First: Tamás Author-X-Name-Last: Vasvári Title: Beneficiaries and cost bearers: evidence on political clientelism from Hungary Abstract: Previous research has found that there is no uniform budget constraint for local governments: politically favoured local governments receive additional funds and are subject to less fiscal discipline. If so, the fair distribution between beneficiaries and cost bearers of the local fiscal policy is not realised. The paper focuses on this phenomenon in the light of political clientelism. We conduct an analysis regarding the Hungarian local government system between 2006 and 2018 to capture the political patterns in local fiscal policy and central granting policy. Local governments in opposition were underfinanced in terms of discretionary and EU funds, and since 2012 they have also had limited access to credit markets to obtain additional funds. Favoured municipalities enjoy more funds and can deliver more projects to their citizens – at the expense of unfavoured ones. The latter struggle to establish a fair distribution of the burdens between beneficiary generations. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 150-177 Issue: 1 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 01 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1768852 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1768852 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:1:p:150-177 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Koen Migchelbrink Author-X-Name-First: Koen Author-X-Name-Last: Migchelbrink Author-Name: Steven Van de Walle Author-X-Name-First: Steven Author-X-Name-Last: Van de Walle Title: A systematic review of the literature on determinants of public managers' attitudes toward public participation Abstract: Research on public managers’ attitudes towards local public participation has expanded rapidly during the past two decades. Studies show that public managers’ attitudes towards public participation play an important role in the success of participatory practices. However, there is a lack of systematic evidence on determinants of public managers’ attitudes towards public participation. In this paper, we conduct a systematic literature review of determinants of public managers’ attitudes towards public participation. Based on evidence from 99 peer-reviewed journal articles, we establish four categories of determinants: 1. Personal characteristics; 2. Process characteristics; 3. Organisational structures and culture; and 4. Contextual features. The results suggest that public managers’ attitudes towards public participation are multi-dimensional and context specific. This study may help policymakers manage public managers’ negative attitudes towards public participation or increase their positive attitudes towards public participation through professional training and education. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1-22 Issue: 1 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 01 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.1885379 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.1885379 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:1:p:1-22 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Moshe Dror Author-X-Name-First: Moshe Author-X-Name-Last: Dror Author-Name: Amos Zehavi Author-X-Name-First: Amos Author-X-Name-Last: Zehavi Title: Delimiting citizen participation: how Israeli mayors get the most out of the process Abstract: Citizen Participation (CP) produces instrumental benefits and realises democratic ideals. However, administrators are aware of its administrative and political downsides. This might lead administrators to adopt symbolic forms of CP in which there is little significance to CP’s process and outputs. We investigate how mayors think about CP and the ways in which they shape the practice. Based on in-depth interviews with 15 Israeli mayors, this article studies mayoral views of CP and how these inform practice. We find that mayors adopt ‘delimited CP’, which goes beyond ‘symbolic’ CP, in allowing for some significant CP even at the planning level. However, at the same time, mayors reduce possible political and administrative costs in four ways: deciding when to convene CP, controlling its agenda, managing ex-ante and ex-post information flows, and retaining exclusive decision-making power. Lessons from the Israeli case could apply to other ‘strong mayor’ systems that engage in CP. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 68-86 Issue: 1 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 01 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1821663 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1821663 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:1:p:68-86 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: André Baltz Author-X-Name-First: André Author-X-Name-Last: Baltz Title: Disseminating and collecting information: municipalities’ communicative practices and deliberative capacities Abstract: This paper aims to critically explore how citizen dialogues are perceived by the municipalities and public servants who implement them. The question is answered using a multi-method approach: a content analysis of 213 self-reports on citizen dialogues from Swedish municipalities and 11 in-depth interviews with public servants working with citizen dialogues in a Swedish municipality. The findings show that citizen dialogues were thought of along three main narratives: information gathering, informing, and inclusion. Together, these narratives indicated a will to enhance informed decision-making. However, combining informed decision-making is with broad participation poses challenges; the authority had to delimit participation, establish structures, educate, define citizens and adapt existing working methods to external stakeholders. The three narratives address this adaptation. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 48-67 Issue: 1 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 01 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.1909575 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.1909575 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:1:p:48-67 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Pontus Lund Author-X-Name-First: Pontus Author-X-Name-Last: Lund Author-Name: Gustav Lidén Author-X-Name-First: Gustav Author-X-Name-Last: Lidén Author-Name: Sara Nyhlén Author-X-Name-First: Sara Author-X-Name-Last: Nyhlén Title: Who talks and who listens? A qualitative analysis of citizen dialogues in rural Sweden Abstract: Inclusion in local policy processes through citizen dialogue has been depicted as both the solution to many democratic challenges and a democratic problem in itself. Nevertheless, it has been widely adopted throughout Europe. The hierarchically flat, co-governing setup of these instruments can be expected to clash with representative-heavy political cultures, such as that in Sweden, which raises questions about what role they end up having in this context and whether they complement representative democracy. By conducting a comparative study of two rural Swedish municipalities, we confirmed that traditional, hierarchical governance indeed dominates the studied processes. Our results also suggest that, due to skewed participation and unclear input handling, the studied instrument does not appear to constitute a viable complementary democratic institution in terms of representation. Instead, we argue that, conducted in this way, it may potentially fill a range of different purposes without aspiring to fully complement representative democracy. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 129-149 Issue: 1 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 01 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.1988936 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.1988936 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:1:p:129-149 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Erico Przeybilovicz Author-X-Name-First: Erico Author-X-Name-Last: Przeybilovicz Author-Name: Maria Alexandra Cunha Author-X-Name-First: Maria Alexandra Author-X-Name-Last: Cunha Author-Name: Stan Geertman Author-X-Name-First: Stan Author-X-Name-Last: Geertman Author-Name: Charles Leleux Author-X-Name-First: Charles Author-X-Name-Last: Leleux Author-Name: Ank Michels Author-X-Name-First: Ank Author-X-Name-Last: Michels Author-Name: Zsuzsanna Tomor Author-X-Name-First: Zsuzsanna Author-X-Name-Last: Tomor Author-Name: C. William R. Webster Author-X-Name-First: C. William R. Author-X-Name-Last: Webster Author-Name: Albert Meijer Author-X-Name-First: Albert Author-X-Name-Last: Meijer Title: Citizen participation in the smart city: findings from an international comparative study Abstract: This article focuses on understanding the dynamics of citizen participation in smart city initiatives. The literature identifies citizens as key actors, however, our understanding of their roles and influence is underdeveloped. Using modes of urban governance to provide contextual depth, alongside the literature on citizen participation in smart cities, this article conducts an in-depth examination of the roles of citizens. The results of an empirical study of citizen engagement in smart city governance in Brazil, the UK and the Netherlands demonstrate that the roles and functions undertaken by citizens are not static, they participate in a dynamic mode that evolves and changes over time. Also, identifies three emerging patterns of contextually specific citizen interaction: contestation, acceptance and collaboration. This highlights how smart city initiatives have differentiated outcomes and how the mode of governance in a societal and institutional context plays an important role in shaping patterns of citizen participation. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 23-47 Issue: 1 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 01 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1851204 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1851204 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:1:p:23-47 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Tomas Bergström Author-X-Name-First: Tomas Author-X-Name-Last: Bergström Author-Name: Sabine Kuhlmann Author-X-Name-First: Sabine Author-X-Name-Last: Kuhlmann Author-Name: Martin Laffin Author-X-Name-First: Martin Author-X-Name-Last: Laffin Author-Name: Ellen Wayenberg Author-X-Name-First: Ellen Author-X-Name-Last: Wayenberg Title: Special issue on comparative intergovernmental relations and the pandemic: how European devolved governments responded to a public health crisis Abstract: This introduction and the special issue are a contribution to comparative intergovernmental studies and public administration. This introduction provides an analytical overview of the intergovernmental relations policy responses to the Covid-19 pandemic across ten European countries, focussing on the early waves of the disease. These policy responses are analysed in terms of three types of IGR process: (1) a predominantly multi-layered policy process involving limited conflict, (2) a centralised policy process as the central government attempts to suppress conflict and (3) a conflicted policy process where such attempts are contested and tend to contribute to poor policy outcomes. The conclusion, then, reviews the difficulties and trade-offs involved in attaining a balanced multi-layered, intergovernmental process. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 179-190 Issue: 2 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 03 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2022.2039636 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2022.2039636 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:2:p:179-190 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Sabine Kuhlmann Author-X-Name-First: Sabine Author-X-Name-Last: Kuhlmann Author-Name: Jochen Franzke Author-X-Name-First: Jochen Author-X-Name-Last: Franzke Title: Multi-level responses to COVID-19: crisis coordination in Germany from an intergovernmental perspective Abstract: This article is aimed at analysing local and intergovernmental responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany during the ‘first wave’ of the pandemic. It will answer the question of how the intergovernmental system in Germany responded to the crisis and to what extent the pandemic has changed patterns of multi-level governance (MLG). The article argues that the coordination of pandemic management in Germany shifted between two ideal types of multi-level governance. While in the first phase of the pandemic the territorially defined multi-level system with the sub-national and local authorities as key actors of crisis management was predominant, in the second phase a more functional orientation with increased vertical coordination gained in importance. Later on, more reliance was given again on local decision-making. Based on this analysis, we will draw some preliminary conclusions on how effective MLG in Germany has been for coordinating pandemic management and point out the shortcomings. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 312-334 Issue: 2 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 03 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.1904398 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.1904398 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:2:p:312-334 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Lorraine Johnston Author-X-Name-First: Lorraine Author-X-Name-Last: Johnston Title: Cities and communities beyond COVID-19: How local leadership can change our future for the better Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 335-338 Issue: 2 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 03 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2022.2058176 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2022.2058176 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:2:p:335-338 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Carmen Navarro Author-X-Name-First: Carmen Author-X-Name-Last: Navarro Author-Name: Francisco Velasco Author-X-Name-First: Francisco Author-X-Name-Last: Velasco Title: From centralisation to new ways of multi-level coordination: Spain’s intergovernmental response to the COVID-19 pandemic Abstract: This article studies the Spanish response to COVID-19 from an inter-governmental relations perspective. Despite its high degree of territorial decentralisation, a strong centralisation movement characterised Spain’s first months of dealing with the crisis. But once the first wave of contagions was overcome, regions regained their space and new types of vertical coordination between central and regional governments were put in place. Standing apart from central-regional frictions, and as a separate piece in the multi-level system, municipalities found their place in developing an autonomous and active role in fighting the economic effects of the pandemic. Territorial tensions, veto players and the emergence of new IGR formal mechanisms characterise the Spanish trajectory, our analysis of which draws upon the literature on crisis management and intergovernmental relations. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 191-210 Issue: 2 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 03 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2022.2042683 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2022.2042683 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:2:p:191-210 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Patrick Diamond Author-X-Name-First: Patrick Author-X-Name-Last: Diamond Author-Name: Martin Laffin Author-X-Name-First: Martin Author-X-Name-Last: Laffin Title: The United Kingdom and the pandemic: problems of central control and coordination Abstract: The UK policy response to Covid-19 illustrates the problems arising where (1) a central government faces few countervailing political pressures as in Westminster systems; (2) the design of intergovernmental relations (IGR) mechanisms of coordination and conflict resolution fails to cope with the realities of a severely, asymmetric devolution settlement; and (3) local government faces serious collective action problems in influencing and mobilising resistance to a dominant central government. Firstly, the UK policy response illustrates the UK core executive’s serious problems in governing strategically and coordinating services across entrenched departmental and multi-level boundariesdespite government ministers enjoying a largely unchecked capacity to initiate major departmental reorganisations with significant IGR implications. Secondly, Westminster ministers resisted pressure from the three UK devolved nations and English city-region mayors to rebalance UK and English IGR mechanisms. Thirdly, the central response illustrates how the UK government, as the ‘English’ central government, maintained its control of local government through financial controls and outsourcing services. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 211-231 Issue: 2 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 03 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.1997744 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.1997744 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:2:p:211-231 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Céline du Boys Author-X-Name-First: Céline Author-X-Name-Last: du Boys Author-Name: Marius Bertolucci Author-X-Name-First: Marius Author-X-Name-Last: Bertolucci Author-Name: Robert Fouchet Author-X-Name-First: Robert Author-X-Name-Last: Fouchet Title: French inter-governmental relations during the Covid-19 crisis: between hyper-centralism and local horizontal cooperation Abstract: This article analyses the Covid-19 crisis management in France through the prism of intergovernmental relations (IGR) between the central State, its deconcentrated services, and local governments (LGs). The period from January to October 2020 is studied through reports and analyses from various local and national actors. Three phases are identified in which two antagonistic types of IGR oppose each other, swinging between presidential hyper-centralism and more horizontal and informal action at the local level. We argue that the crisis revealed the challenges of decentralisation to the French government-centred model. We draw preliminary conclusions on how the failures of the State response during the ‘first wave’ gave voice to LGs, who often implemented reactive and innovative responses, and reinforced their demand for a greater territorialisation of public action. We also suggest that the crisis has enabled the development of horizontal network governance at the local level. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 251-270 Issue: 2 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 03 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.1958786 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.1958786 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:2:p:251-270 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Petr Jüptner Author-X-Name-First: Petr Author-X-Name-Last: Jüptner Author-Name: Daniel Klimovský Author-X-Name-First: Daniel Author-X-Name-Last: Klimovský Title: Vertical and horizontal intergovernmental relations during the first wave of the COVID-19 crisis: experience from the extremely fragmented CEE countries Abstract: The Czech Republic and Slovakia rank among the extremely fragmented European countries in terms of their local government structure. In addition to local governments, regional governments were established in both countries in connection with EU accession, which means that policy making is framed at three levels in both countries. If it applies that more centralised structures are, generally, easier to coordinate in crisis situations, then these two decentralised post-communist countries offer a great laboratory for examining how this unexpected pandemic crisis that has affected all socio-political and economic levels and structures has been handled in a very fragmented environment. We intend to examine the behaviour of individual levels of government, measures adopted by the governments and their expected and unexpected impacts during the first wave of a pandemic crisis with a special focus on possible changes in the systems of multi-level governance. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 232-250 Issue: 2 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 03 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.1944858 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.1944858 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:2:p:232-250 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Ellen Wayenberg Author-X-Name-First: Ellen Author-X-Name-Last: Wayenberg Author-Name: Sandra L. Resodihardjo Author-X-Name-First: Sandra L. Author-X-Name-Last: Resodihardjo Author-Name: Joris Voets Author-X-Name-First: Joris Author-X-Name-Last: Voets Author-Name: Marieke Van Genugten Author-X-Name-First: Marieke Author-X-Name-Last: Van Genugten Author-Name: Bram Van Haelter Author-X-Name-First: Bram Author-X-Name-Last: Van Haelter Author-Name: Inke Torfs Author-X-Name-First: Inke Author-X-Name-Last: Torfs Title: The Belgian and Dutch response to COVID-19: change and stability in the mayors’ position Abstract: How did Belgian and Dutch mayors experience their own role and that of local government during the first few months of the COVID-19 outbreak? This question was addressed by drawing on three analytical perspectives (functional, territorial, and political) on local government systems and using a qualitative case study design. Interestingly, the position and leeway of Belgian and Dutch mayors did not differ that much during the first crisis months. The type of virus and scope of the outbreak necessitated a centralised approach. Consequently, the decisions were made at the national level and mayors focused primarily on implementing these central measures. Moreover, Belgian and Dutch mayors experienced a similar shift in terms of (1) power and authority (respectively to the provincial governor and the national level and to the regional mayor and the national level); (2) tasks (prioritising crisis management over other tasks); and (3) roles (increasing importance of their executive role while lamenting the effects of COVID-19 on their social role vis-à-vis their citizens). Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 271-290 Issue: 2 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 03 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.1958787 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.1958787 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:2:p:271-290 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Andrew Walker Author-X-Name-First: Andrew Author-X-Name-Last: Walker Title: Local government in Europe: new perspectives and democratic challenges Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 338-340 Issue: 2 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 03 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2022.2043993 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2022.2043993 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:2:p:338-340 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jostein Askim Author-X-Name-First: Jostein Author-X-Name-Last: Askim Author-Name: Tomas Bergström Author-X-Name-First: Tomas Author-X-Name-Last: Bergström Title: Between lockdown and calm down. Comparing the COVID-19 responses of Norway and Sweden Abstract: This article studies the difference in the government response to COVID-19 in Norway and Sweden drawing upon theories of agenda setting, crisis management and multi-level governance. Despite having virtually identical systems of government and, initially, facing similar infection threats, Sweden opted for far less strict countermeasures than Norway. While Norway’s government response was similar to that of many European countries, Sweden received international attention for choosing befuddlingly soft measures, mostly recommendations and guidelines. This divergence is discussed vis-à-vis the multiple streams lens of agenda setting theory, highlighting differences in institutional and organisational legacies (e.g., the autonomy of government agencies) and intergovernmental relations (e.g., whether infectious disease expertise and authority is located at the local level). Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 291-311 Issue: 2 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 03 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.1964477 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.1964477 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:2:p:291-311 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_1832892_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20220907T060133 git hash: 85d61bd949 Author-Name: Eran Razin Author-X-Name-First: Eran Author-X-Name-Last: Razin Author-Name: Anna Hazan Author-X-Name-First: Anna Author-X-Name-Last: Hazan Author-Name: Osnat Elron Author-X-Name-First: Osnat Author-X-Name-Last: Elron Title: The rise and fall (?) of public-private partnerships in Israel’s local government Abstract: Municipal-private partnerships (MPP), including BOT concessions, joint municipal-private corporations, and leveraging municipally owned land to promote private investment, have become major tools of urban development, but the 2008 global crisis seemed to have changed attitudes towards their application. Based on documents and open-ended interviews, our study examines the apparent retreat from MPP in Israel. Results show that BOT lost appeal in the 2010s, particularly among fiscally sound cities and water and sewage municipal corporations, not because of an ideological rejection, but largely due to low interest rates that eliminated its financial motivation. Regulatory hurdles also played a role in luring municipalities away from MPP in the centralised Israeli context. However, BOT remains in the municipal development toolbox and the study points at ‘maturation’, moving away from the financial motive to the capacity motive, mainly in fields out of municipal core tasks and in projects sufficiently isolated from external uncertainties. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 570-589 Issue: 3 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 05 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1832892 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1832892 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:3:p:570-589 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_1857247_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20220907T060133 git hash: 85d61bd949 Author-Name: Wieke Blijleven Author-X-Name-First: Wieke Author-X-Name-Last: Blijleven Author-Name: Merlijn van Hulst Author-X-Name-First: Merlijn Author-X-Name-Last: van Hulst Title: Encounters with the organisation: how local civil servants experience and handle tensions in public engagement Abstract: Civil servants in local governments across the globe are increasingly expected to engage the public. Engagement processes lead to tensions between the rising expectation to engage the public on the one hand, and the bureaucratic and managerial expectations, which still largely characterise municipal organisations, on the other. Based on focus groups totalling 73 frontline civil servants in ten Dutch municipalities, this article explores what tensions arise and through what practices civil servants handle them. We contribute to the recent debates on public engagement, showing that civil servants do not just use their discretion to deal with the tensions surrounding rules and policies, departmentalisation and performance management. They negotiate with colleagues and align people, structures and resources inside and outside their organisation to make public engagement work. In addition, the findings suggest that tensions mostly surface in interactions between civil servants. A real challenge in engagement, therefore, lies in developing shared resolutions with one’s colleagues. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 615-639 Issue: 3 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 05 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1857247 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1857247 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:3:p:615-639 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_1825386_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20220907T060133 git hash: 85d61bd949 Author-Name: Vivien Lowndes Author-X-Name-First: Vivien Author-X-Name-Last: Lowndes Author-Name: Rabia Karakaya Polat Author-X-Name-First: Rabia Karakaya Author-X-Name-Last: Polat Title: How do local actors interpret, enact and contest policy? An analysis of local government responses to meeting the needs of Syrian refugees in Turkey Abstract: Although 98% of Turkey’s 3.6 million Syrian refugees live outside camps, municipalities lack formal authority to initiate policies, while receiving no government funding for refugees. Drawing on interpretive policy analysis (IPA), the article unpacks the empirical puzzle of how formally weak local governments respond to refugee needs. IPA expects policy to be constituted through diverse sets of local meanings. Case studies in three districts in Istanbul revealed distinctive local narratives, some of which consolidated the national agenda of ‘hospitality’ while others focused on equal rights and integration. Municipal narratives reflected particular local contexts, selectively mobilizing deeper governing traditions. Local interpretations were enacted in specific approaches to refugee service delivery. Working with local NGOs, municipalities accessed international funds, despite national government’s vociferous critique of EU refugee policy. Even in an increasingly authoritarian setting, refugee policy was being constituted through multiple and contingent processes of local government interpretation. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 546-569 Issue: 3 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 05 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1825386 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1825386 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:3:p:546-569 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_1870956_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20220907T060133 git hash: 85d61bd949 Author-Name: Jinhai Yu Author-X-Name-First: Jinhai Author-X-Name-Last: Yu Title: Does financial disclosure matter? GASB 45 and municipal borrowing costs Abstract: Financial disclosure is crucial to achieve fiscal transparency and government accountability. In 2004, the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) issued Statement No. 45 to require the disclosure of information about other postemployment benefits (OPEB). Using a panel of U.S. counties and the bonds they issued between 1999 and 2012, this paper examines the effects of GASB 45 on municipal borrowing costs. GASB 45 increases borrowing costs of county governments, with the effects decreasing over time. GASB 45 has a larger effect on borrowing costs of county governments issuing bonds of lower credit quality and adopting the generally accepted accounting standards (GAAP). Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 534-555 Issue: 3 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 05 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1870956 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1870956 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:3:p:534-555 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_1882427_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20220907T060133 git hash: 85d61bd949 Author-Name: Jungin Kim Author-X-Name-First: Jungin Author-X-Name-Last: Kim Title: Extending upper echelon theory to top managers’ characteristics, management practice, and quality of public service in local government Abstract: Using survey and secondary data from Korean local public institutions, we tested the effects of top managers’ characteristics on the quality of public service (QoPS) provided by local public institutions through top managers’ internal and external management practices, based on the upper echelon theory. We found that the greater the top managers’ expertise, the higher the QoPS. Furthermore, we found that top managers’ internal management practices that involve communicating with employees to improve their well-being, resolve their complaints, motivate them, and increase their self-development all mediated the positive relationship between top managers and QoPS. These findings emphasise the importance of top managers’ individual characteristics (e.g., experienced expertise) and internal management practices in achieving public service of high quality in local government. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 556-577 Issue: 3 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 05 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.1882427 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.1882427 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:3:p:556-577 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_1864331_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20220907T060133 git hash: 85d61bd949 Author-Name: Kathleen M. Dowley Author-X-Name-First: Kathleen M. Author-X-Name-Last: Dowley Title: Parties courting Muslim voters in Belgium’s local elections: electoral incentives and ideological tensions Abstract: This study examines how political parties in urban Europe are responding to the changing demographic landscape, by focusing on a growing population of immigrant origin voters from Muslim majority countries. The 2018 communal elections in Brussels provide an opportunity to examine how party ideology and commune-level demography interact to make Muslim candidate nominations, and ultimately their election, more or less likely. While generally true that parties of the Left nominate and elect more Muslims than do parties of the Right, by far the greatest difference in inclusiveness was identified within the Left, between the Socialists and the Greens. And while the Greens had a good result in these elections, they did so in communes where fewer Muslims concentrate. While this may not be as important at the national level, where voting rights are more restricted, it suggests the need to qualify claims that electoral incentives - and demography – trump ideology in competitive electoral contexts. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 525-545 Issue: 3 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 05 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1864331 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1864331 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:3:p:525-545 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_1851207_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20220907T060133 git hash: 85d61bd949 Author-Name: Łukasz Wiktor Olejnik Author-X-Name-First: Łukasz Wiktor Author-X-Name-Last: Olejnik Title: Cycles in a cycle: investment expenditures and their composition during the political budgetary cycle Abstract: Previous studies on the Political Budgetary Cycle have used fiscal variables on high levels of aggregation, including, among others, investment expenditure aggregates or capital expenditure aggregates. This article demonstrates the existence of a Political Budgetary Cycle in investment expenditures among Polish local governments, and analyses the composition of investment expenditures during the cycle. Due to the varying visibility of investment expenditures, their composition is also subject to fluctuations. Before elections, there is an increase in investments in culture, tourism and transport infrastructure, and a drop in investments in public safety, education, environmental protection, sports and counteracting social exclusion. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 640-671 Issue: 3 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 05 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1851207 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1851207 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:3:p:640-671 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_1821664_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20220907T060133 git hash: 85d61bd949 Author-Name: Jacob Torfing Author-X-Name-First: Jacob Author-X-Name-Last: Torfing Author-Name: Tina Øllgaard Bentzen Author-X-Name-First: Tina Øllgaard Author-X-Name-Last: Bentzen Author-Name: Marte Slagsvold Winsvold Author-X-Name-First: Marte Slagsvold Author-X-Name-Last: Winsvold Title: How institutional designs condition perceived local political leadership Abstract: This article aims to test whether local governments can enhance the elected councillors’ perceived political leadership by changing the institutional design that conditions their ability to define problems that call for collective action, design policy solutions and mobilise support for their implementation. The study draws on new research on political leadership and institutional design and data from surveys conducted in Denmark and Norway. The analytical framework distinguishes between four different but overlapping institutional design strategies, and the main finding is that institutional designs aiming to enhance executive, collective or distributive political leadership are associated with an increase in perceived political leadership, whereas – surprisingly – institutional designs aiming to enhance interactive political leadership are not. Upon closer inspection, however, the impact of interactive institutional designs on political leadership seems to be conditioned on whether the power relation between politicians and administrators is balanced or unbalanced. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 341-366 Issue: 3 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 05 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1821664 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1821664 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:3:p:341-366 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_1851206_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20220907T060133 git hash: 85d61bd949 Author-Name: Ian R. Hodgkinson Author-X-Name-First: Ian R. Author-X-Name-Last: Hodgkinson Title: Service outsourcing, pricing, and the engagement of citizen groups Abstract: To shed new light on the contested impact of service outsourcing, the study examines whether service outsourcing is associated with higher cost of entry and if higher pricing impacts service engagement among citizen groups. To this end, the study draws on secondary objective data to capture different ownership types in local authorities community sport provision (public, non-profit, private), the cost of access (£) to use community sport facilities, and the level of service engagement with the service among different citizen groups. The exploratory model draws on analysis of variance with a post-hoc test to examine if significant differences exist between ownership types on pricing and engagement. The empirical observations reveal that service outsourcing is associated with significantly higher pricing relative to traditional local government provision, but no significant differences are found in the levels of engagement among citizen groups between the three ownership types. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 514-533 Issue: 3 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 05 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1851206 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1851206 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:3:p:514-533 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_1842736_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20220907T060133 git hash: 85d61bd949 Author-Name: Małgorzata Godlewska Author-X-Name-First: Małgorzata Author-X-Name-Last: Godlewska Author-Name: Tomasz Pilewicz Author-X-Name-First: Tomasz Author-X-Name-Last: Pilewicz Title: Entrepreneurial activities of local governments in their investment attractiveness context – evidence from Poland Abstract: This paper explores the phenomena of entrepreneurial activities of local governments such as the availability of local zoning plans, entrepreneurship support programmes or promotion of investments’ benefits in specific locations. The investigation is based on a research sample of 329 local regions from Poland selected in stratified random sampling. However, only 114 local governments (formal authorities of local regions) who responded to the mystery stakeholder communication are subject to a more detailed analysis. The findings show the differences in the potential investment attractiveness of local regions with different levels of entrepreneurial activities of local government. Moreover, local governments with higher potential investment attractiveness engage more in entrepreneurial activities. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 590-614 Issue: 3 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 05 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1842736 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1842736 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:3:p:590-614 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_1869546_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20220907T060133 git hash: 85d61bd949 Author-Name: David Vos Author-X-Name-First: David Author-X-Name-Last: Vos Author-Name: Joris Voets Author-X-Name-First: Joris Author-X-Name-Last: Voets Title: Explaining municipalities’ (alternative) service delivery modes over time. The importance of coercive pressures Abstract: Extant research explains why municipalities choose certain service delivery modes over others, but that research is mostly static and pays little attention to the impact of central governmental policy. This study aims to overcome these limitations by employing a longitudinal multiple-case study design and bringing in new institutional theory. This research uncovers and explains delivery modes used for household waste collection in nine Flemish municipalities from the 1960s onwards. It builds on well-known public choice and transaction cost motives on alternative delivery modes, but expands the set by looking at coercive isomorphism for additional explanatory power. The analysis reveals that, in addition to the importance of fiscal and economic efficiency motives, the choices made by the municipalities over time are profoundly influenced by (the evolution of) coercive pressures from the central government on the service characteristics. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 728-748 Issue: 4 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 07 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1869546 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1869546 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:4:p:728-748 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_1864332_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20220907T060133 git hash: 85d61bd949 Author-Name: Amandine Lerusse Author-X-Name-First: Amandine Author-X-Name-Last: Lerusse Author-Name: Steven Van de Walle Author-X-Name-First: Steven Author-X-Name-Last: Van de Walle Title: Local politicians’ preferences in public procurement: ideological or strategic reasoning? Abstract: Governments do not exclusively buy from the cheapest bidder and increasingly use public procurement as a policy instrument to achieve wider environmental, innovative and social objectives. Past studies have shown the process of government contracting to be connected to political factors. This paper studies the extent to which politicians’ preferences for price and non-price criteria in the contract awarding stage are associated with politicians’ ideological reasoning (the Citizen Candidate model), and strategic reasoning (the Downsian approach). Politicians’ preferences are analysed through a discrete choice experiment. We find that politicians’ preferences for non-price criteria are strongly connected to ideological reasoning and to a limited extent to strategic reasoning. We also observe that, regardless of their political ideology and financial situation of the municipality, politicians are willing to look beyond price, and consider environmental, innovative and social criteria when awarding contracts. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 680-703 Issue: 4 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 07 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1864332 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1864332 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:4:p:680-703 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_1870959_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20220907T060133 git hash: 85d61bd949 Author-Name: Alireza Talebi Author-X-Name-First: Alireza Author-X-Name-Last: Talebi Author-Name: Davar Rezania Author-X-Name-First: Davar Author-X-Name-Last: Rezania Author-Name: George Bragues Author-X-Name-First: George Author-X-Name-Last: Bragues Title: Value creation in public procurement of innovation: a case of engaging start-ups by a local government Abstract: We examine a recent theory by Austin and Seitanidi which proposes a framework for analysing value creation in inter-organisational collaborations. Le Pennec and Raufflet offer an empirical examination of Austin and Seitanidi’s model and provide a critical path in the form of a pyramid among diverse types of value created during collaborative processes. Associational value is the base of the pyramid, followed by transferred resource, interactional, and synergistic value. We examine a case of public procurement of innovation in which a local government worked with start-ups to address civic issues. We identify what types of value are created in public-purpose collaborations between a local government and start-ups, and how those values interact with each other. The study extends Le Pennec and Raufflet’s pyramid by providing evidence of a dynamic path in the creation of diverse types of value in a collaborative process of public procurement of innovation where start-ups are engaged. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 655-679 Issue: 4 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 07 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1870959 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1870959 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:4:p:655-679 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_1958785_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20220907T060133 git hash: 85d61bd949 Author-Name: Victor Osei Kwadwo Author-X-Name-First: Victor Author-X-Name-Last: Osei Kwadwo Author-Name: Tatiana Skripka Author-X-Name-First: Tatiana Author-X-Name-Last: Skripka Title: Metropolitan governance and environmental outcomes: does inter-municipal cooperation make a difference? Abstract: Inter-municipal cooperation in metropolitan areas has been previously shown to save costs, but can it also improve environmental outcomes? The existing empirical evidence is largely based on single case studies and does not allow to ascertain the net effect of cooperation. We develop a three-level mixed-effects linear model to conduct a systematic large-n study testing the impact of cooperation in transportation on CO2 transport emissions. We use a novel dataset covering over 200 metropolitan areas in 16 OECD countries. The findings demonstrate that both fragmented and consolidated metropolitan governance structures are equally inefficient in delivering a reduction in CO2 transport emissions. Further, without functional enforcement mechanisms, mitigation policies fail to have a positive effect on environmental outcomes. Inter-municipal cooperation in metropolitan areas facilitates coherence and widespread enforcement and emerges as a crucial factor explaining the reduction of CO2 transport emissions. Effects of metropolitan cooperation on transportation are magnified by the presence of national environmental mitigation policies. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 771-791 Issue: 4 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 07 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.1958785 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.1958785 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:4:p:771-791 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_1944857_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20220907T060133 git hash: 85d61bd949 Author-Name: Andreas Bergh Author-X-Name-First: Andreas Author-X-Name-Last: Bergh Author-Name: Gissur Ó Erlingsson Author-X-Name-First: Gissur Ó Author-X-Name-Last: Erlingsson Author-Name: Emanuel Wittberg Author-X-Name-First: Emanuel Author-X-Name-Last: Wittberg Title: What happens when municipalities run corporations? Empirical evidence from 290 Swedish municipalities Abstract: Local governments are increasingly relying on municipally owned corporations (MOCs) to provide public services. Some describe this development as a rational response to austerity challenges and emphasise the cost-efficiency of MOCs (‘the optimistic view’). Others identify complications and associate MOCs with weak supervision, lack of accountability, and corruption risks (‘the sceptical view’). Hitherto, no studies have analysed these opposing claims on MOCs in the one and same inquiry. We address this gap by focusing on Sweden, which has experienced a dramatic growth in the number of MOCs. We examine the association between the number of MOCs, the business climate, satisfaction with local government, local tax rates, and a corruption index for all 290 Swedish municipalities. Putting the ‘optimistic view’ into doubt, results indicate that municipalities relying heavily on MOCs are associated with more perceived corruption and higher taxes but do not have more satisfied citizens nor a better business climate. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 704-727 Issue: 4 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 07 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.1944857 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.1944857 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:4:p:704-727 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_1870957_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20220907T060133 git hash: 85d61bd949 Author-Name: Jacob Salder Author-X-Name-First: Jacob Author-X-Name-Last: Salder Title: Defining local economies beyond their boundaries Abstract: Local economy is conventionally defined through political administrative units. The continuity of this approach has been challenged as more networked forms of economy have evolved. In response, local economies are increasingly reconfigured around city-regions, on presumption of linking network potential with local dynamics. Such challenges present several problems for practitioners in local economic governance. This paper examines the continuity between city-regional articulations of local economy units (LEU) and localised dynamics. Using lower-tier localities in Staffordshire, UK, reconfigured into the Greater Birmingham & Solihull city-region, it uses a location quotient to examine industrial concentration as a determinant of related variety. It extrapolates these concentrations to define LEUs and examine their continuity with formal political designation. It argues growing dependence on the city-region is a partial representation which ignores industry-based approaches and the need for plurality in defining local economies. Adopting such approaches may be of value to local government policy practitioners. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 579-603 Issue: 4 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 07 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1870957 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1870957 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:4:p:579-603 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_1869544_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20220907T060133 git hash: 85d61bd949 Author-Name: Jeremy L. Hall Author-X-Name-First: Jeremy L. Author-X-Name-Last: Hall Author-Name: Geiguen Shin Author-X-Name-First: Geiguen Author-X-Name-Last: Shin Author-Name: Christopher E. Bartels Author-X-Name-First: Christopher E. Author-X-Name-Last: Bartels Title: Measuring the effect of performance management in local economic development policy: the case of tax increment finance districts in the Dallas-Ft. Worth metroplex Abstract: Does performance management use in local governments actually bring about performance improvement? If so, can performance be attributed to the use of particular tools or approaches? This study examines the particular performance measurement tools and approaches being utilised within Tax Increment Finance (TIF) districts in one metropolitan area – the Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex – to ascertain whether they are positively associated with district tax revenues and property valuations. We utilise archival analysis of TIF district records to identify the presence and characteristics of four conceptual types of activities: strategic planning, performance measurement, performance reporting, and performance management. We then develop predictive models to obtain quantitative evidence of the effectiveness of particular observed approaches. Our findings offer a comparative assessment of the value of various tools and approaches in the highly competitive policy field of economic development, with broader implications for performance management and public management in local governments. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 628-654 Issue: 4 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 07 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1869544 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1869544 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:4:p:628-654 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_1916477_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20220907T060133 git hash: 85d61bd949 Author-Name: Sungho Park Author-X-Name-First: Sungho Author-X-Name-Last: Park Author-Name: Yunseung Kim Author-X-Name-First: Yunseung Author-X-Name-Last: Kim Author-Name: Carol Ebdon Author-X-Name-First: Carol Author-X-Name-Last: Ebdon Author-Name: Craig Maher Author-X-Name-First: Craig Author-X-Name-Last: Maher Title: Fiscal effects of interlocal collaboration: evidence from Nebraska counties Abstract: The fiscal effects of interlocal collaboration, a growing method of service delivery, remain inconclusive. We analysed the revenue and expenditure effects of collaboration arrangements as a whole and in six service areas for counties in the U.S. state of Nebraska over the period 2013–2018. Our analyses reveal that counties with a higher number of interlocal collaborations had lower total per capita revenues and expenditures, but higher property taxes. Lower per capita revenues and expenditures appear to be the result of collaboration in service areas that include general government purposes. Interlocal collaboration related to health and human services activities, however, resulted in higher per capita spending and revenues, suggesting that the primary goal of collaborating in these activities may not be cost savings. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 749-770 Issue: 4 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 07 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.1916477 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.1916477 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:4:p:749-770 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2007080_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20220907T060133 git hash: 85d61bd949 Author-Name: Antonija Buljan Author-X-Name-First: Antonija Author-X-Name-Last: Buljan Author-Name: Sandra Švaljek Author-X-Name-First: Sandra Author-X-Name-Last: Švaljek Author-Name: Milan Deskar-Škrbić Author-X-Name-First: Milan Author-X-Name-Last: Deskar-Škrbić Title: In search of the optimal size for local government: an assessment of economies of scale in local government in Croatia Abstract: This paper brings an empirical assessment of economies of scale in local government units in Croatia. Using cross-section OLS models, we found statistically significant U-shaped relationship between local per capita expenditures and population size, while controlling for various demographic, socio-economic and institutional factors. The choice of control variables in the paper is based on the existing empirical literature but also includes factors capturing the specificities of Croatian economy and local government institutional setup. Using estimated regression coefficients we calculated the optimal size of local units and showed that population size is below optimal in 72% of cities and 76% of municipalities (based on median results). Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 604-627 Issue: 4 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 07 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.2007080 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.2007080 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:4:p:604-627 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_1980390_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20220907T060133 git hash: 85d61bd949 Author-Name: Caillan Fellows Author-X-Name-First: Caillan Author-X-Name-Last: Fellows Author-Name: Brian Dollery Author-X-Name-First: Brian Author-X-Name-Last: Dollery Author-Name: Rui Marques Author-X-Name-First: Rui Author-X-Name-Last: Marques Title: Identifying interactions between size effects in New South Wales local government Abstract: Size effects such as economies of scale and economies of scope can be utilised to achieve cost savings in local government systems. Numerous municipal reform policies in Australia and elsewhere have historically been premised on size effects. In this paper, we investigate whether an interaction effect exists between scale economies and scope economies in New South Wales local government using a 2011 sample of local councils. We estimate the effects of scale and specialisation on efficiency by way of a multiple regression, using a novel approach to measure specialisation. We find empirical evidence that indicates economies of scale and economies of scope are both likely to be present across a broad range of scales. However, we find no evidence of any interaction effect between scale and scope economies. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 842-863 Issue: 5 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 09 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.1980390 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.1980390 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:5:p:842-863 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2007081_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20220907T060133 git hash: 85d61bd949 Author-Name: Bram Faber Author-X-Name-First: Bram Author-X-Name-Last: Faber Title: Platforms as distinctive realms and the role of policy discretion: a cross-platform assessment of citizen engagement with Dutch municipalities through Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram Abstract: Cross-platform government social network studies have focused on the messages that are being sent, and less on community responses the content generates. Moreover, little attention has been paid to possible contextual drivers of online citizen engagement. This article assesses 505 social media posts made by a sample of Dutch municipalities across four different platforms (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram), their policy area, and the level of engagement they have fostered. The findings support the proposition of policy discretion as contextual driver of online citizen engagement: when municipalities can exert more discretionary power in a policy area, citizens could feel empowered to engage, as they could personally persuade decision makers. Moreover, although Facebook fostered the highest levels of engagement, the platforms show a multifaceted picture with respect to engagement levels and policy area. This suggests that local governments should treat platforms as distinctive realms, requiring a holistic approach to online citizen engagement. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 973-994 Issue: 5 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 09 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.2007081 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.2007081 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:5:p:973-994 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2009805_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20220907T060133 git hash: 85d61bd949 Author-Name: Yukun Wang Author-X-Name-First: Yukun Author-X-Name-Last: Wang Author-Name: Yu Qi Author-X-Name-First: Yu Author-X-Name-Last: Qi Author-Name: Gao Chen Author-X-Name-First: Gao Author-X-Name-Last: Chen Title: Participatory governance and local government responsiveness: evidence from participation in politics on television in China Abstract: Based on the data of cities in China from 2005 to 2015, this paper examines the impact of the sandwiching approach involving the media governance model on government responsiveness with a quasi-natural experiment of participation in politics on television (PPTV). The study found that PPTV can help strengthen government responsiveness. After a series of robustness tests, the conclusion is still valid. The heterogeneity analysis shows that PPTV can effectively enhance government responsiveness in technology, social security, and employment sectors. Furthermore, government responsiveness is more effectively enhanced by adopting PPTV in form of annual live broadcast activities with public rating and cooperation with print media. This policy has a stronger role in enhancing government responsiveness in cities with high levels of economic development and high government competition. Considering officials characters, the longer the tenure of the mayor and the secretary of the municipal party committee, the stronger the government responsiveness. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 995-1016 Issue: 5 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 09 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.2009805 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.2009805 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:5:p:995-1016 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_1889516_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20220907T060133 git hash: 85d61bd949 Author-Name: Annette Hastings Author-X-Name-First: Annette Author-X-Name-Last: Hastings Author-Name: Maria Gannon Author-X-Name-First: Maria Author-X-Name-Last: Gannon Title: Absorbing the shock of austerity: the experience of local government workers at the front line Abstract: Whilst post-GFC austerity state retrenchment is widely studied, there is little research which focuses on the experiences of those who work at the front-line of austere public services. Drawing on qualitative evidence with front-line workers in four UK local authorities significantly impacted by austerity, this paper explores ‘coping mechanisms’ developed by workers to manage resource restriction. It argues that existing conceptualisations of coping mechanisms, such as either resistance or adaptation, are insufficient to understand how workers manage contemporary austerity. This paper proposes an additional mechanism – absorption – and explores analytically how workers cope with austerity in terms of resistance, adaptation and absorption. The paper concludes that front-line local government workers are coping with austerity cuts, in large part, by acting as ‘shock absorbers’ of state retrenchment. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 887-906 Issue: 5 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 09 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.1889516 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.1889516 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:5:p:887-906 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_1919634_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20220907T060133 git hash: 85d61bd949 Author-Name: Hyewon Kang Author-X-Name-First: Hyewon Author-X-Name-Last: Kang Author-Name: Gang Chen Author-X-Name-First: Gang Author-X-Name-Last: Chen Title: Can better financial conditions lead to more fiscal transparency? Evidence from municipalities in California Abstract: Fiscal transparency is widely promoted as an effective means to achieve government accountability. Although scholars have explored various drivers of fiscal transparency, the relationship between a government’s financial condition and fiscal transparency has received less attention. This study explores this relationship based on signalling, blame-avoidance, and resource hypotheses. Presuming that following the best practices in financial reporting leads to a higher degree of fiscal transparency, this study examines how a local government’s financial condition is associated with the probability of having a certification that represents the quality of financial reporting. Using a sample of municipalities in California from 2003 to 2015, we find that municipalities with a higher debt level and a lower fund balance ratio are more likely to pursue fiscal transparency in financial reporting. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 821-841 Issue: 5 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 09 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.1919634 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.1919634 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:5:p:821-841 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_1988935_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20220907T060133 git hash: 85d61bd949 Author-Name: Neil Barnett Author-X-Name-First: Neil Author-X-Name-Last: Barnett Author-Name: Steven Griggs Author-X-Name-First: Steven Author-X-Name-Last: Griggs Author-Name: Stephen Hall Author-X-Name-First: Stephen Author-X-Name-Last: Hall Author-Name: David Howarth Author-X-Name-First: David Author-X-Name-Last: Howarth Title: Local agency for the public purpose? Dissecting and evaluating the emerging discourses of municipal entrepreneurship in the UK Abstract: This article explores the contested politics and interpretations of the new practices of municipal entrepreneurship across local government in the UK. Drawing on empirical evidence from six case studies of entrepreneurship in local councils, descriptions of income-generating projects by officers in thirty authorities, and a series of semi-structured interviews, we identify, name and characterise an emergent discourse of municipal entrepreneurship for the public purpose. We argue that this novel strand of discourse within the wider field of urban entrepreneurialism confers a degree of political agency to local authorities under austerity, while redescribing and attaching commercialism and entrepreneurship to the public good. In so doing, we challenge overly reductionist accounts of local state agency under austerity, and articulate and evaluate the potentials and obstacles for a progressive interventionism in this discursive space. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 907-928 Issue: 5 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 09 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.1988935 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.1988935 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:5:p:907-928 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_1986392_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20220907T060133 git hash: 85d61bd949 Author-Name: Steffen Zabler Author-X-Name-First: Steffen Author-X-Name-Last: Zabler Title: Uncovering the effect of local government debt brakes in Germany using synthetic controls Abstract: Strategies for limiting public debt remain a constant issue in public policy and are set to become more salient considering the current high levels of public spending in response to the COVID-19 crisis. One noteworthy strategy has been the introduction of institutional debt brakes. Although public debt at the local level does not necessarily follow the same rules and trends as debt at the national level, debt brakes at the local level are not nearly as comprehensively covered by both public and scholarly debate. The adoption of voluntary debt brakes in several German municipalities in the last decade offers intra-state variance to assess their fiscal effectiveness. A generalised synthetic control analysis is applied to mitigate for the special challenges of causal attribution and rare treatment cases. This approach provides a clear result: on average debt brakes in their present form are unable to limit debt levels in the examined municipalities. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 864-886 Issue: 5 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 09 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.1986392 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.1986392 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:5:p:864-886 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_1996357_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20220907T060133 git hash: 85d61bd949 Author-Name: Emma Taylor-Collins Author-X-Name-First: Emma Author-X-Name-Last: Taylor-Collins Author-Name: James Downe Author-X-Name-First: James Author-X-Name-Last: Downe Title: The local government response to austerity in a small devolved country: the case of Wales Abstract: The 2008 Global Financial Crisis and subsequent austerity drive across Europe and North America has been particularly felt at a local government level. Wales presents a valuable case study through which to explore the impact of austerity on local government: it is a small country with a devolved government that is philosophically opposed to austerity, yet where cuts to local government have been drastic. Drawing on interviews with Welsh councils and key stakeholders, this paper explores three approaches councils have taken to managing austerity – efficiency, investment, and retrenchment – and finds that councils were already at a financial ‘tipping point’ before the pandemic. This paper concludes by considering the lessons that could be applied to the new challenge of recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 929-950 Issue: 5 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 09 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.1996357 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.1996357 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:5:p:929-950 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2013208_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20220907T060133 git hash: 85d61bd949 Author-Name: Karel Kouba Author-X-Name-First: Karel Author-X-Name-Last: Kouba Author-Name: Tomas Dosek Author-X-Name-First: Tomas Author-X-Name-Last: Dosek Title: Municipal size and local democracy: understanding the trade-off between participation and contestation in Latin America Abstract: Municipal size affects local democracy through two mechanisms – participation and contestation. By drawing on national-level theories of democracy, this article identifies a necessary tradeoff: decreasing municipal size maximises the participatory dimension of local democracy but reduces the level of contestation, which is similarly crucial for a healthy democracy. Employing multilevel models that simultaneously account for national-level and local-level influences, this proposition is tested using a large dataset of over 9,000 municipalities in 15 Latin American countries with competitive local elections. The evidence supports the operation of such a tradeoff in a regional comparison, and single-country analyses suggest that it is present with varying force in most countries of the region. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 951-972 Issue: 5 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 09 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.2013208 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.2013208 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:5:p:951-972 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_1866555_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20220907T060133 git hash: 85d61bd949 Author-Name: Vicente Rios Author-X-Name-First: Vicente Author-X-Name-Last: Rios Author-Name: Miriam Hortas-Rico Author-X-Name-First: Miriam Author-X-Name-Last: Hortas-Rico Author-Name: Pedro Pascual Author-X-Name-First: Pedro Author-X-Name-Last: Pascual Title: What shapes the flypaper effect? The role of the political environment in the budget process Abstract: This study investigates the spatial heterogeneity of the flypaper effect in a sample of 2,451 Spanish municipalities over the period 2003–2015 by means of Bayesian spatial panel data econometric techniques including municipal and time-period fixed effects. In particular, we analyse how differences in the degree of political competition and the local governments’ monitoring and enforcement effort in tax collection affect the size of the flypaper effect. Our results suggest that municipalities with higher tax collection efficiency and where local governments have more political strength exhibit a lower flypaper effect. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 793-820 Issue: 5 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 09 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1866555 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1866555 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:5:p:793-820 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_1857246_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20220907T060133 git hash: 85d61bd949 Author-Name: Aude-Claire Fourot Author-X-Name-First: Aude-Claire Author-X-Name-Last: Fourot Author-Name: Aisling Healy Author-X-Name-First: Aisling Author-X-Name-Last: Healy Author-Name: Anouk Flamant Author-X-Name-First: Anouk Author-X-Name-Last: Flamant Title: French participation in transnational migration networks: understanding city (dis)involvement and “passivism” Abstract: Transnational city networks (TCNs) bring together the characteristics of both supranationalisation and subnationalisation processes. In the context of an increased securitisation and criminalisation of borders, several networks have become more vocal – particularly with the advent of the so-called ‘refugee crisis’ – advocating for inclusive changes in terms of immigration, integration, human rights protection and refugee resettlement. How do French cities position themselves in this context of increased transnational activism? In comparing the cases of Lyon, Nantes and Strasbourg and their respective involvement in TCNs over the last fifteen years, our findings indicate that instead of becoming increasingly active, French cities within European networks have developed three distinct processes of disinvolvement, which we identify according to their ‘neglectful,’ ‘testing,’ and ‘competing’ characteristics. We highlight the fact that, in some cases, the activities undertaken by municipal or metropolitan governments in city networks do not automatically lead to transnational ‘activism.’ They may instead be understood as forms of ‘passivism.’ Moreover, contrary to passivity, ‘passivism’ in these cases does not equal an absence of decision-making, leadership or responsiveness, nor does it refer to inertia or a distinctive approach towards refugees and asylum seekers (whether it be welcoming or exclusionary). Rather, ‘passivism’ refers to the agency of local actors in policy-making within a specific institutional context. Focusing on passivism highlights (i) the necessity to disentangle networks’ robustness from its membership, since networks might be robust despite the presence of disengaged members. It also underlines (ii) the effects of the politicisation of migration as illustrated by a change in agenda towards humanitarian issues and by the increased involvement of elected city officials, notably deputy mayors. Finally (iii), it stresses the lack of collaboration with civil society actors in the context of a greater visibility and activism of the French national state regarding the integration of newcomers. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1152-1174 Issue: 6 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1857246 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1857246 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:6:p:1152-1174 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_1885378_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20220907T060133 git hash: 85d61bd949 Author-Name: Tiziana Caponio Author-X-Name-First: Tiziana Author-X-Name-Last: Caponio Author-Name: Anthony Clément Author-X-Name-First: Anthony Author-X-Name-Last: Clément Title: Making sense of trajectories of participation in European city networks on migration: insights from the cases of Turin (Italy) and Saint-Etienne (France) Abstract: The article addresses the topic of cities’ trajectories of participation in Transnational City Networks on migration-related issues to identify factors and mechanisms of mobilisation. We present the results of a qualitative study on Turin (Italy) and Saint-Etienne (France). Both cities started to mobilise internationally in the 1990s on the initiative of entrepreneurial mayors, yet throughout the 2000s took opposite paths: in Turin, intense participation until 2014 was followed by partial dis-involvement and renewed activism since 2018; Saint-Etienne started to distance itself in 2008 and has not actively participated since then. We show how in the case of Turin, internationalisation has been driven by networks’ professionals engaging their personal relations in boundary-spanning work, establishing connections between public and non-public actors and between the local and international spheres. Such dynamics are absent in the case of Saint-Etienne, where mobilisation on migration has always been mayors-centred. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1132-1151 Issue: 6 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.1885378 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.1885378 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:6:p:1132-1151 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_1938552_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20220907T060133 git hash: 85d61bd949 Author-Name: Dirk Gebhardt Author-X-Name-First: Dirk Author-X-Name-Last: Gebhardt Author-Name: Simon Güntner Author-X-Name-First: Simon Author-X-Name-Last: Güntner Title: ‘We as leaders of major European cities’ – how Eurocities works to influence EU migration and integration policies Abstract: This article analyses how the transnational city network Eurocities engages in EU policies on migration and integration. Eurocities stands out from other cases through its autonomy and its clear objective to influence EU policies. To understand how the network operates as a policy entrepreneur, we analyse how cities and the Brussels-based secretariat collaborated in shaping the network’s positions on migration and asylum – from the launch of the work on this dossier in 2001 to the ‘Solidarity Cities’ campaign in 2016. During this period, Eurocities’ agenda developed, to some extent opportunistically, driven by institutional and thematic interests. We find that it had the highest impact during the refugee reception crisis, when the secretariat’s facilitation work, technical exchanges between city representatives and the activism of local politicians converged creating a common narrative on how to tackle the crisis from a city-centred angle. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1113-1131 Issue: 6 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.1938552 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.1938552 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:6:p:1113-1131 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2045277_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20220907T060133 git hash: 85d61bd949 Author-Name: Anouk Flamant Author-X-Name-First: Anouk Author-X-Name-Last: Flamant Author-Name: Aude-Claire Fourot Author-X-Name-First: Aude-Claire Author-X-Name-Last: Fourot Author-Name: Aisling Healy Author-X-Name-First: Aisling Author-X-Name-Last: Healy Title: Special issue: city network activism and the governance of migration Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1017-1026 Issue: 6 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2022.2045277 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2022.2045277 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:6:p:1017-1026 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2005030_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20220907T060133 git hash: 85d61bd949 Author-Name: Bob W. White Author-X-Name-First: Bob W. Author-X-Name-Last: White Title: City-based inclusion networks in a post-multicultural world: the Intercultural Cities programme of the council of Europe Abstract: Cities are increasingly important actors in the field of migration and integration policy, both in terms of the design and implementation of policy and via cities participation in larger international networks. In this text I will explore how one such network, the Council of Europe’s Intercultural Cities programme(ICC), has evolved over its ten year history, not only in terms of membership and geographical coverage, but also in terms of its attempts to respond to changes in global political sensibilities. The analysis presented her attempts to understand how the participation of cities in international networks can have an impact on local dynamics of governance and on public policy. The analysis of city-based inclusion networks makes it possible to see not only the shifting dynamics of power between cities and states, but also the impact of international networks on cities’ abilities to mobilise locally or subnationally. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1070-1090 Issue: 6 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.2005030 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.2005030 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:6:p:1070-1090 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_1932478_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20220907T060133 git hash: 85d61bd949 Author-Name: Elif Durmus Author-X-Name-First: Elif Author-X-Name-Last: Durmus Author-Name: Barbara Oomen Author-X-Name-First: Barbara Author-X-Name-Last: Oomen Title: Transnational city networks and their contributions to norm-generation in international law: the case of migration Abstract: Local governments and transnational city networks (‘TCNs’) have been increasingly engaging with norm-generation in the traditionally state-centric international law and migration governance. We identified two modes of this engagement: participation in mainstream state-centric processes, and norm-generation within their own networks. Through four examples, his article identifies four functions of this jurisgenerative activity. Theexternal function is bringing local interests and expertise to influence international normative developments. The internal function is regulating local governments' behaviour towards their own citizens, creating and upholding standards. Through a horizontal function, local governments recruit peers and rally around normative documents that offer a compact, crystallised expression of their interests. The integrating function enables local governments to combine fragmented issues of international law in unified, practical toolkits for their own use. All throughout, TCNs challenge state-centric international law and their traditional exclusion from it by demonstrating competence and fluency in international norm-generation relating to migration. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1048-1069 Issue: 6 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.1932478 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.1932478 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:6:p:1048-1069 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_1938553_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20220907T060133 git hash: 85d61bd949 Author-Name: Thomas Lacroix Author-X-Name-First: Thomas Author-X-Name-Last: Lacroix Title: Migration-related city networks: a global overview Abstract: In recent years, one observes a surge in the number of city networks formed to address the welcoming and integration of immigrant populations. Drawing on a database of over sixty networks, the paper provides a global overview of their different types, scales and activities. Exploring the underlying factors explaining this worldwide expansion, it highlights two sets of congruent dynamics. This phenomenon has been elicited by the longue durée devolution to local authorities of powers and responsibilities pertaining to the management of immigrant populations on the one hand and the recent events of the 2015–2016 ‘migration crisis’ on the other. It is also the outcome of the top-down influence of international organisations (including the European Union) and the bottom-up mobilisations of municipalities facing the growing contradictions between their welcoming responsibilities and security-oriented migration management. In the concluding section, the paper points to the challenges faced by international actors for the building of a ‘glocal’ migration governance. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1027-1047 Issue: 6 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.1938553 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.1938553 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:6:p:1027-1047 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_1964476_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20220907T060133 git hash: 85d61bd949 Author-Name: Christiane Heimann Author-X-Name-First: Christiane Author-X-Name-Last: Heimann Author-Name: Danielle Gluns Author-X-Name-First: Danielle Author-X-Name-Last: Gluns Author-Name: Hannes Schammann Author-X-Name-First: Hannes Author-X-Name-Last: Schammann Title: Characterising two German city networks: the interplay of internal structure, issue orientation and outreach strategies Abstract: Making use of qualitative data from case studies on two of the most important city networks in the field of migration and diversity in Germany, this contribution aims to deepen the understanding of city networks and their modes of operation. Based on a literature review covering the characteristics of city networks we propose an analytical framework that distinguishes between the dimensions of internal and external representation. This framework enables the analysis of the two cases: Deutscher Städtetag (Association of German Cities) and Kommunaler Qualitätszirkel zur Integrationspolitik (Municipal Quality Circle on Integration Policy). While the former is an umbrella organisation of larger cities, the latter can be described as an informal network of likeminded municipalities in the field of migration and diversity. In order to shed light on the interplay of structure, strategies and issues addressed by these networks (in the field of migration), we draw on the analysis of various documents as well as participant observation and face-to-face interviews. Concluding, we critically discuss the conventional characteristics of city networks and develop assumptions on how a network’s structure influences its outreach strategies. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1091-1112 Issue: 6 Volume: 48 Year: 2022 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.1964476 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.1964476 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:48:y:2022:i:6:p:1091-1112 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2146201_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20230119T200553 git hash: 724830af20 Author-Name: David Adams Author-X-Name-First: David Author-X-Name-Last: Adams Title: Kittens are Evil II: little heresies in public policy Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 250-252 Issue: 1 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 01 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2022.2146201 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2022.2146201 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:1:p:250-252 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_1882428_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20230119T200553 git hash: 724830af20 Author-Name: Luís de Sousa Author-X-Name-First: Luís Author-X-Name-Last: de Sousa Author-Name: Nuno F. da Cruz Author-X-Name-First: Nuno F. Author-X-Name-Last: da Cruz Author-Name: Daniel Fernandes Author-X-Name-First: Daniel Author-X-Name-Last: Fernandes Title: The quality of local democracy: an institutional analysis Abstract: Much of the literature on quality of democracy is case study-oriented and focused on nation states. Theoretical work and, in particular, comparative empirical research on the quality of local democracy are less advanced. This paper contributes to our understanding of how democracy works from below. It develops a conceptual framing and employs a multidimensional index of the quality of democracy across all 278 municipalities in mainland Portugal by focusing on procedural dimensions of democratic performance at three levels of legitimacy: input, throughput, and output. Regression analysis is then used as a preliminary test of the usefulness of these measures of quality of local democracy and to uncover associations between them and a range of political and socioeconomic factors. The results suggest that municipalities led by independent mayors, with larger populations and higher levels of multiculturalism are likelier to be associated with ‘better’ local democracy. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1-29 Issue: 1 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 01 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.1882428 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.1882428 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:1:p:1-29 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2047029_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20230119T200553 git hash: 724830af20 Author-Name: Thomas Karv Author-X-Name-First: Thomas Author-X-Name-Last: Karv Author-Name: Kim Backström Author-X-Name-First: Kim Author-X-Name-Last: Backström Author-Name: Kim Strandberg Author-X-Name-First: Kim Author-X-Name-Last: Strandberg Title: Consultative referendums and democracy - assessing the short-term effects on political support of a referendum on a municipal merger Abstract: Local consultative referendums are a widely used democratic innovation. Nevertheless, there is still limited knowledge about the local effects following a referendum, especially in terms of how the public reactions varies given if a citizen has been on the winning or on the losing side of the referendum. The purpose with this study is therefore to add to this line of research by assessing how a local referendum about a municipal merger affects external political efficacy and political trust within a local community. By analysing two cross-sectional datasets collected in a bilingual Finnish municipality before a merger referendum, in 2018 (N = 6,686), and after the referendum, in 2020 (N = 3,133), as a pseudo-experiment of effects of a municipal merger, we show that the aggregated levels of external political efficacy and political trust have increased and vary based on being on the winning or losing side of the referendum. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 151-180 Issue: 1 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 01 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2022.2047029 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2022.2047029 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:1:p:151-180 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2103673_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20230119T200553 git hash: 724830af20 Author-Name: Blane D. Lewis Author-X-Name-First: Blane D. Author-X-Name-Last: Lewis Title: Vigilantism and the transition to local democratic elections Abstract: I examine the impact of the transition to local democratic elections on vigilantism in Indonesia. Using an event study model, I find that the introduction of local elections led to an increase in vigilante conflict, consistent with most theory and qualitative evidence focussing on national level impacts. I determine that the effects are particularly noteworthy in long-established districts and that the impacts are positively associated with rising state-led violence in law enforcement, results that argue against the propositions that lack of state capacity leads to rising vigilantism and that vigilantism serves to substitute for the state’s weak enforcement of law. Contrary to other research, I find no evidence of increased vigilantism in the run-up to direct local elections, and I establish that vigilante conflict appears to be short-lived after the initiation of local elections, a determination that helps to resolve another debate in the literature. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 226-247 Issue: 1 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 01 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2022.2103673 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2022.2103673 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:1:p:226-247 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_1926240_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20230119T200553 git hash: 724830af20 Author-Name: William Voorberg Author-X-Name-First: William Author-X-Name-Last: Voorberg Author-Name: Brenda Vermeeren Author-X-Name-First: Brenda Author-X-Name-Last: Vermeeren Author-Name: Arwin Van Buuren Author-X-Name-First: Arwin Author-X-Name-Last: Van Buuren Title: The clear model as a predictor of candidacy for council membership Abstract: This paper tests to what extent the dimensionof the CLEAR model can be used as reliable predictors of an individual’s decision to pursue council membership. By using the CLEAR framework as an extension of known frameworks such as self-determination theory and public service motivation that only focus on motivation, we develop a more comprehensive view of an individual’s decision to run for candidacy. Our research shows that people do not distinguish between the ‘can do’ and ‘like to’ dimensions. Rather, these two dimensions must be considered as three sub-dimensions in our research coined as amotivation, intrinsic motivation, and extrinsic motivation. Furthermore, in explaining why people tend to decide to run for council membership, only amotivation, intrinsic motivation and social support (enabled dimension) appeared to be reliable predictors. To further our analysis, we have analysed how these different dimensions differ across different societal groups. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 54-77 Issue: 1 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 01 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.1926240 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.1926240 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:1:p:54-77 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2087060_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20230119T200553 git hash: 724830af20 Author-Name: Roberta Troisi Author-X-Name-First: Roberta Author-X-Name-Last: Troisi Author-Name: Gaetano Alfano Author-X-Name-First: Gaetano Author-X-Name-Last: Alfano Title: The re-election of corrupt mayors: context, relational leadership and level of corruption Abstract: This study examines why citizens re-elect corrupt mayors, adopting a conceptual framework that considers two mitigating factors in punishing corrupt leaders: first, a strong relationship between the mayor and the citizens; second, a low level of corruption that may be considered negligible by the citizens. Both factors are contingent on local contexts. Thus, the study investigates in clustered local contexts, the impact of variables related to the mayor-citizen (taking account of the duration of the political career, party membership and trasformismo/party-switching) and the level of corruption on mayoral re-election. The results shows that the relationship between the mayor and the citizens is a mitigating factor that works homogeneously across contexts, albeit based on different factors. With regard to low levels of corruption as a mitigating factor, evidence of this is found only in medium and highly developed communities. The theoretical and policy implications are examined. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 204-225 Issue: 1 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 01 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2022.2087060 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2022.2087060 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:1:p:204-225 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_1996358_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20230119T200553 git hash: 724830af20 Author-Name: Angelika Vetter Author-X-Name-First: Angelika Author-X-Name-Last: Vetter Author-Name: Achim Hildebrandt Author-X-Name-First: Achim Author-X-Name-Last: Hildebrandt Author-Name: Patrick Bernhagen Author-X-Name-First: Patrick Author-X-Name-Last: Bernhagen Title: Franchise extensions and second-order contests: evidence from German local elections Abstract: Local turnout has declined in many European countries, posing challenges to the inclusiveness and representativeness of elections. One response proposed to address this challenge are franchise extensions to new groups of voters. Distinguishing between horizontal extensions to non-national EU-citizens and vertical extension to 16- to 18-year-olds, we analyse their effects on voter turnout in the context of German local council elections. The country’s federal system enables us to analyse the effects on voter turnout in 13 states from 1978 until 2019. We find that the horizontal franchise extension is associated with a subsequent drop in overall turnout at German local council elections. By contrast, vertical franchise extensions do not affect turnout. The findings temper expectations concerning the ability of local franchise extensions to boost democratic legitimacy via increased participation. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 100-119 Issue: 1 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 01 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.1996358 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.1996358 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:1:p:100-119 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2033228_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20230119T200553 git hash: 724830af20 Author-Name: Marko Kukec Author-X-Name-First: Marko Author-X-Name-Last: Kukec Title: Localisation of politics and local electoral participation Abstract: Nationalisation of politics generally decreased the voter participation at municipal elections by lowering their salience, but the variation in nationalisation has been underestimated. Leveraging variation in two dimensions of localisation of municipal political competition – ethnic minority concentration and number of non-partisan local lists – this paper tests whether increased stakes and salience at ‘localised’ municipal elections increase electoral participation in respective municipalities. Based on the data from Croatian local elections (2001–2017), non-partisan lists drive voter participation, particularly in smaller municipalities. The effect of ethnic minority concentration depends on the minority status of the ethnic group within a municipality. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 120-150 Issue: 1 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 01 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2022.2033228 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2022.2033228 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:1:p:120-150 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2052856_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20230119T200553 git hash: 724830af20 Author-Name: Bernardino Benito Author-X-Name-First: Bernardino Author-X-Name-Last: Benito Author-Name: Pedro-José Martínez-Córdoba Author-X-Name-First: Pedro-José Author-X-Name-Last: Martínez-Córdoba Author-Name: Maria-Dolores Guillamón López Author-X-Name-First: Maria-Dolores Author-X-Name-Last: Guillamón López Title: Influence of managerial ability on the re-election of municipal political parties Abstract: This article investigates whether citizens reward those politicians who achieve better results in public management with re-election. It analyses the last three electoral processes in Spanish local governments, a period that runs from the beginning of the economic crisis (2007) to the last municipal elections (2019). For periods of financial crisis, the results indicate a higher probability of re-election for governments that have better managed public services. In periods of economic growth, citizens do not take into account the capacity that rulers have shown in public management. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 181-203 Issue: 1 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 01 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2022.2052856 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2022.2052856 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:1:p:181-203 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_1938554_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20230119T200553 git hash: 724830af20 Author-Name: Raymond Gradus Author-X-Name-First: Raymond Author-X-Name-Last: Gradus Author-Name: Elbert Dijkgraaf Author-X-Name-First: Elbert Author-X-Name-Last: Dijkgraaf Author-Name: Tjerk Budding Author-X-Name-First: Tjerk Author-X-Name-Last: Budding Title: Dutch municipal elections 1998-2018: what explains the electoral success of local parties? Abstract: Using data for Dutch municipal elections between 1998 and 2018, this paper finds two dominant trends: more political fragmentation and increasing electoral success of independent local parties. The relative size of local parties in the council rises from 25% in 1998 to 37% in 2018 and the relative share of their aldermen from 21% to 32%. When understanding the increasing share of local parties, the number of inhabitants, regional diversity, the share of elderly people and the election year dummies are important explanations. Looking at the changes after large decentralisations, also indications for a welfare hypothesis were found, if fixed effects are included. Following an empirical approach for AfD in local elections in German state of Lower Saxony, the impact of the anti-establishment Freedom Party on contesting local parties was analysed and this influence turned out to be small. This also gives an indication that Dutch local parties are becoming more established. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 78-99 Issue: 1 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 01 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.1938554 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.1938554 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:1:p:78-99 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_1906230_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20230119T200553 git hash: 724830af20 Author-Name: Lorenzo Estrada Author-X-Name-First: Lorenzo Author-X-Name-Last: Estrada Author-Name: Francisco Bastida Author-X-Name-First: Francisco Author-X-Name-Last: Bastida Title: The public purse as a reelection lever: does it work in a corrupt political environment? The case of Honduras Abstract: Using a sample composed of the 298 Honduran municipalities for the period 2006–2014, we evaluate the impact of budgetary, political and socioeconomic factors on the probability of mayors’ re-election. The findings show that mayors who have initiated greater municipal spending are more likely to be re-elected (a $100 increase in real per capita expenditure increases re-election chances by 19.01%). This finding partially supports both public choice theory and the theory of political budget cycles: voters prefer increased spending. Furthermore, mayors with greater transfers from higher levels of government have more chance of being re-elected. When it comes to political factors, progressive parties and mayors with a majority have more chance of being re-elected. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 30-53 Issue: 1 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 01 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.1906230 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.1906230 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:1:p:30-53 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2115712_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20230119T200553 git hash: 724830af20 Author-Name: Niva Golan-Nadir Author-X-Name-First: Niva Author-X-Name-Last: Golan-Nadir Title: When cities lobby: how local governments compete for power in state politics Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 248-250 Issue: 1 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 01 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2022.2115712 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2022.2115712 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:1:p:248-250 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2184047_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20230119T200553 git hash: 724830af20 Author-Name: Jason Lowther Author-X-Name-First: Jason Author-X-Name-Last: Lowther Title: Governing cities: politics and policy Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 446-448 Issue: 2 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 03 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2023.2184047 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2023.2184047 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:2:p:446-448 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_1895769_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20230119T200553 git hash: 724830af20 Author-Name: Kate Broadhurst Author-X-Name-First: Kate Author-X-Name-Last: Broadhurst Author-Name: Nigel Berkeley Author-X-Name-First: Nigel Author-X-Name-Last: Berkeley Author-Name: Jennifer Ferreira Author-X-Name-First: Jennifer Author-X-Name-Last: Ferreira Title: Shapers or schemers of collaborative governance: network management in England’s Local Enterprise Partnerships Abstract: The coordination of inter-organisational networks is key to their success and yet partnership management in the context of regional economic development remains a complex and ambiguous process. To address this lack of understanding, this article reviews the extant literature on brokerage and network coordination and presents a theoretical framework comprising three propositions on the benefits of a private sector influence over the management and coordination of multi-organisational economic development partnerships. The propositions are then explored through a qualitative study of those tasked with the role of leading the management of Local Enterprise Partnerships in England. The findings conversely reveal a reliance on the public sector to lead the framing and mobilisation of these networks and questions whether the policy shift has resulted in truly collaborative governance. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 253-273 Issue: 2 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 03 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.1895769 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.1895769 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:2:p:253-273 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2041416_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20230119T200553 git hash: 724830af20 Author-Name: Germà Bel Author-X-Name-First: Germà Author-X-Name-Last: Bel Author-Name: Ivo Bischoff Author-X-Name-First: Ivo Author-X-Name-Last: Bischoff Author-Name: Sara Blåka Author-X-Name-First: Sara Author-X-Name-Last: Blåka Author-Name: Mattia Casula Author-X-Name-First: Mattia Author-X-Name-Last: Casula Author-Name: Jakub Lysek Author-X-Name-First: Jakub Author-X-Name-Last: Lysek Author-Name: Pawel Swianiewicz Author-X-Name-First: Pawel Author-X-Name-Last: Swianiewicz Author-Name: António F. Tavares Author-X-Name-First: António F. Author-X-Name-Last: Tavares Author-Name: Bart Voorn Author-X-Name-First: Bart Author-X-Name-Last: Voorn Title: Styles of inter-municipal cooperation and the multiple principal problem: a comparative analysis of European Economic Area countries Abstract: Cooperation in the delivery of public services is generally framed as desirable, but it is often hindered by serious collective action problems. The article compares inter-municipal cooperation in seven countries with different institutional settings. It investigates the rules of governance characterising these diverse institutional settings and assesses how they deal with the multiple principal problem. The authors find that in almost all cases, all participating municipalities are represented on the supervisory board of the cooperative entity. In contrast, in other less frequent case cooperation is frequently managed through a different tier of local government, thus circumventing the multiple principal problem affecting inter-municipal arrangements in the other countries. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 422-445 Issue: 2 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 03 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2022.2041416 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2022.2041416 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:2:p:422-445 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2039635_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20230119T200553 git hash: 724830af20 Author-Name: Lukas Baschung Author-X-Name-First: Lukas Author-X-Name-Last: Baschung Author-Name: Jérôme Heim Author-X-Name-First: Jérôme Author-X-Name-Last: Heim Title: Characterising strategic collaboration of large Swiss municipalities Abstract: By analysing legislative programmes of all Swiss municipalities having more than 20,000 inhabitants (in 2018) and in two different time periods (2010 and 2020), this study examines the general place of collaboration in municipal strategies, by paying attention to the various public fields and degree of complexity in terms of actor constellations. As in real life, collaboration occupies also an important part of the large Swiss municipal governments’ strategic reflections. Yet, a certain gap exists regarding the weight given to public fields. Indeed, politically selling fields seem to get more place in legislative programmes than in real life. Collaboration, such as planned in municipal strategies, involves a large diversity of actors and thereby achieves a certain complexity which clearly goes beyond the intermunicipal level. The degree of complexity does not evolve over time but inhabitants become a strategically more important collaborative actor for municipalities. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 397-421 Issue: 2 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 03 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2022.2039635 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2022.2039635 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:2:p:397-421 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2013210_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20230119T200553 git hash: 724830af20 Author-Name: Signy Irene Vabo Author-X-Name-First: Signy Irene Author-X-Name-Last: Vabo Author-Name: Anne Lise Fimreite Author-X-Name-First: Anne Lise Author-X-Name-Last: Fimreite Author-Name: Kurt Houlberg Author-X-Name-First: Kurt Author-X-Name-Last: Houlberg Title: Why such a different choice of tools? Analysing recent local government reforms in Denmark and Norway Abstract: Local government amalgamation reforms are politically demanding ventures because potential benefits are often diffuse and long term, while costs are concentrated and immediate. We investigate the role of national political actors in forming alliances and choosing policy tools in such demanding reform contexts. Empirically, we compare the Danish amalgamation reform, characterised by the use of authoritative government tools and a nationally directed amalgamation process, and the Norwegian reform, which primarily used softer tools that involved substantial autonomy at the local level. Our analysis is built on a rich set of qualitative data. We show that differences in the pro-reform alliances established by the two national governments help explain the different choices of government tools for carrying out the local government reforms. A strong pro-reform alliance, as was the case in Denmark, lent legitimacy to the use of authoritative tools. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 355-374 Issue: 2 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 03 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.2013210 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.2013210 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:2:p:355-374 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2052857_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20230119T200553 git hash: 724830af20 Author-Name: Sissel Hovik Author-X-Name-First: Sissel Author-X-Name-Last: Hovik Author-Name: Inger Marie Stigen Author-X-Name-First: Inger Marie Author-X-Name-Last: Stigen Title: The paradox of organizational complexity in urban development: boundary spanners’ handling of citizen proposals Abstract: Although local governments establish various arrangements to stimulate citizen participation, knowledge about what happens with citizens’ proposals after participation is weak. To gain impact, citizen initiatives must be handled through the decision-making process. This article examines the dynamics of such handling of input from citizen participation in three different cases linked to an area-based initiative in Oslo, Norway. The study shows that different actors can play a role as boundary spanners handling citizen proposals, and how this crucial handling varies with the structural and procedural linkages between the participatory spaces and the formal decision-making processes. The study reveals a ‘complexity paradox’; in cases where responsibility is shared among different sectors and levels of government, each unit represents a veto point that can hinder citizen impact, but also an entrance that can enable such impact. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 314-333 Issue: 2 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 03 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2022.2052857 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2022.2052857 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:2:p:314-333 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_1976156_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20230119T200553 git hash: 724830af20 Author-Name: Tamara Dimitrijevska-Markoski Author-X-Name-First: Tamara Author-X-Name-Last: Dimitrijevska-Markoski Title: The impact of rational and political factors on performance measurement and its utilisation: analysis of municipal governments from Mississippi Abstract: Public performance measurement and management are orthodox practices, but existing scholarship heavily focuses on large and exemplary cities. Thus, generalising lessons from large municipalities to smaller, and mostly rural, localities has been challenging. This study uses an updated rational/technocratic and political/cultural framework, focuses on municipalities in Mississippi, and examines the predictors of performance measurement and its utilisation. The results of a survey administered to local municipal officials provide support that organisational capacity is a critical factor for performance measurement adoption. At the same time, innovative culture is necessary for the utilisation of performance measures. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 334-354 Issue: 2 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 03 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.1976156 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.1976156 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:2:p:334-354 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_1932479_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20230119T200553 git hash: 724830af20 Author-Name: Maria Dodaro Author-X-Name-First: Maria Author-X-Name-Last: Dodaro Title: Municipal entrepreneurship support policies: convergence or divergence? Abstract: This paper develops a critical understanding of municipal entrepreneurship support policies (MESPs) by investigating the strength of convergence and divergence trends with respect to neoliberal modes of governance in this policy field. To do so, it draws on a comparison between Milan and Barcelona’s MESPs and investigates the ways local policy actors interpret, invalidate or reproduce a neoliberal approach to entrepreneurship policies. Findings from the analysis of grey literature and interviews with policy actors and practitioners show the role municipal governments and local socio-economic and institutional conditions play in shaping compound and divergent approaches to MESPs. On this basis, the article reflects on the agency of local governments and the way urban policies and governance may deviate from neoliberal trajectories. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 274-293 Issue: 2 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 03 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.1932479 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.1932479 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:2:p:274-293 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2184046_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20230119T200553 git hash: 724830af20 Author-Name: Jonathan Davies Author-X-Name-First: Jonathan Author-X-Name-Last: Davies Title: How cities can transform democracy Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 448-450 Issue: 2 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 03 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2023.2184046 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2023.2184046 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:2:p:448-450 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_1857248_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20230119T200553 git hash: 724830af20 Author-Name: Estefania Cruz Lera Author-X-Name-First: Estefania Author-X-Name-Last: Cruz Lera Title: When local political opportunity structures matter in political agency: the multipronged incorporation of Latinos in Chicago Abstract: This paper analyses immigrant political incorporation through the political opportunity structure (POS) approach. This research acknowledges the contemporary interactions between the agency of Latinos and the political context of Chicago. The agency has three dimensions in the analysis: organisation, mobilisation, and policy incidence. The research design consists of a qualitative case study that includes observation and elite interviews. The main finding is how the degree of political inclusiveness of the city and the contextual factors merge with the multipronged agency, leading to complex interactions. Latinos in Chicago are experiencing the following dilemmas: 1) mainstreaming vs. autonomy in the case of organisation, 2) the simultaneous use of contentious and uncontentious mobilisations, and 3) the generation of community innovations to avoid depoliticisation. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 294-313 Issue: 2 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 03 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2020.1857248 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2020.1857248 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:2:p:294-313 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2009804_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20230119T200553 git hash: 724830af20 Author-Name: Yanwei Li Author-X-Name-First: Yanwei Author-X-Name-Last: Li Author-Name: Yunpeng Song Author-X-Name-First: Yunpeng Author-X-Name-Last: Song Title: State-led pilot innovation upscaling? A tale of the Sanming healthcare reform in China Abstract: Chinese governments have already applied pilot innovations widely with the aim of resolving various wicked problems efficiently, effectively and legitimately. Through an in-depth study on a pilot healthcare innovation in Sanming city, we identify a three-stage mechanism underlying its upscaling: its success in one setting, its horizontal upscaling in other settings, and its political upscaling nationwide. Moreover, we identify five conditions combined that are important in explaining its political upscaling: the support of central government, the knowledge transfer mechanism, the pilot’s salience, the involvement of a boundary spanner, and consistent institutional frameworks. Furthermore, we propose a state-led pilot innovation upscaling model; this implies that Chinese central government plays a deterministic role in achieving the upscaling of pilot innovations. Our study helps to elucidate mechanisms underlying the upscaling of pilot innovations in the Chinese governance context. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 375-396 Issue: 2 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 03 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.2009804 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.2009804 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:2:p:375-396 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2023015_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20230119T200553 git hash: 724830af20 Author-Name: Carolyn-Thi Thanh Dung Tran Author-X-Name-First: Carolyn-Thi Thanh Dung Author-X-Name-Last: Tran Author-Name: Brian Dollery Author-X-Name-First: Brian Author-X-Name-Last: Dollery Title: An empirical analysis of the impact of administrative intensity on the operational efficiency of the Victoria state local government system in Australia Abstract: While a voluminous empirical literature has investigated municipal efficiency, much less attention has focused on the impact of administrative intensity on municipal performance. In this paper we seek to contribute to the empirical literature by examining the relationship between operational efficiency and administrative intensity in the Victorian local government system over the period 2014/15 to 2018/19 using a second stage bootstrapping Data Envelopment Analysis fractional regression model. We find that administrative intensity negatively affects the performance of local councils for the bias-corrected efficiency model. Moreover, administrative intensity exhibits a U-shaped relationship with municipal efficiency. We also find that administrative intensity has a differential impact on the efficiency of rural councils in contrast to urban councils. Various public policy implications are considered. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 544-567 Issue: 3 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 05 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.2023015 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.2023015 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:3:p:544-567 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2013209_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20230119T200553 git hash: 724830af20 Author-Name: Francisca Tejedo-Romero Author-X-Name-First: Francisca Author-X-Name-Last: Tejedo-Romero Author-Name: Joaquim Filipe Ferraz Esteves Araújo Author-X-Name-First: Joaquim Filipe Author-X-Name-Last: Ferraz Esteves Araújo Title: Does political ideology act as a moderator of transparency drivers? An empirical analysis of active information disclosure in local governments Abstract: This article provides an analysis of the moderating role played by political ideology in transparency, thereby contributing to the growing body of literature on the topic of local government transparency. Although previous research has indicated that transparency in local governments depends on a variety of political factors, the influence of political ideology on transparency shows some inconsistencies. This paper argues that, among various political issues that affect the disclosure of information, political ideology acts as a moderator of active information disclosure. The empirical analysis is based on unbalanced panel data from 308 Portuguese municipalities. The results of this study confirm that political ideology moderates the relationship between political factors and active information disclosure. Specifically, they indicate that political ideology plays an important role in improving levels of transparency in municipalities governed by left-wing politicians. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 519-543 Issue: 3 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 05 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.2013209 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.2013209 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:3:p:519-543 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2031160_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20230119T200553 git hash: 724830af20 Author-Name: Sungho Park Author-X-Name-First: Sungho Author-X-Name-Last: Park Title: Examining the fiscal impact of tax and expenditure limitations on municipal governments: a rule design approach Abstract: The effect of state fiscal restrictions on local governments is often debatable. While the institutional heterogeneity of such controls is often thought to generate variations in outcomes, more theoretical and empirical attention is imperative. This study aims to address the needs with a particular focus on state-imposed tax and expenditure limitations on municipal governments (municipal TELs), one of the long-standing forms of state pre-emption in the United States. Specifically, it adopts a rule design approach to institutions to capture different institutional designs of municipal TELs, and disentangles their impacts on municipal revenues and expenditures. The results of this study extend the extant literature, suggesting that the fiscal impact of municipal TELs, and more broadly fiscal restrictions, is dependent upon their rule design rather than their presence or stringency. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 676-697 Issue: 3 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 05 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2022.2031160 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2022.2031160 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:3:p:676-697 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_1986391_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20230119T200553 git hash: 724830af20 Author-Name: Jonas Larsson Taghizadeh Author-X-Name-First: Jonas Author-X-Name-Last: Larsson Taghizadeh Title: Are more affluent parents treated more favourably by elementary school principals? Socioeconomic discrimination among local Swedish public officials Abstract: This article argues that previous public administration and political science research might have missed important class-based inequalities by primarily focusing on ethnic discrimination among public officials and ignoring discrimination based on socioeconomic status (SES). A large-scale field experiment on the presence of SES discrimination among local Swedish public officials is presented. A total of 3430 Swedish elementary school principals were randomly contacted by parents with low- or high-SES professions and with Arabic- or Swedish-sounding names. The fictional parents were considering moving to the municipality and were interested in placing their children at the school. The results show clear signs of SES discrimination, particularly in regard to the more qualitative aspects of the replies. The findings also show interactions between SES and ethnicity, in which primarily the more formal aspects of the replies suggested that SES discrimination could be more prevalent against ethnic minority aliases than against other aliases. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 590-622 Issue: 3 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 05 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.1986391 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.1986391 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:3:p:590-622 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2031157_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20230119T200553 git hash: 724830af20 Author-Name: Javier Cifuentes-Faura Author-X-Name-First: Javier Author-X-Name-Last: Cifuentes-Faura Author-Name: Bernardino Benito López Author-X-Name-First: Bernardino Benito Author-X-Name-Last: López Author-Name: María-Dolores Guillamón López Author-X-Name-First: María-Dolores Author-X-Name-Last: Guillamón López Title: Factors influencing the structure of municipal taxation. Special reference to political corruption Abstract: There are few studies that relate tax revenues to corruption at the municipal level due to their great complexity and the difficulty in obtaining data. Continuing the research we started years ago, the main objective of this article is to analyse whether municipal political corruption influences some or all tax revenues. A panel database of all Spanish municipalities with more than 50,000 inhabitants is compiled for the period 2002–2013. The most outstanding result is that municipalities with cases of corruption obtained higher revenues in construction-related taxes than those where there have been no political corruption cases, which shows the close relationship between this sector of economic activity and political corruption. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 698-722 Issue: 3 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 05 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2022.2031157 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2022.2031157 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:3:p:698-722 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_1942853_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20230119T200553 git hash: 724830af20 Author-Name: Dag Magne Berge Author-X-Name-First: Dag Magne Author-X-Name-Last: Berge Author-Name: Harald Torsteinsen Author-X-Name-First: Harald Author-X-Name-Last: Torsteinsen Title: Governance challenges of different institutional logics and modes of organising: a Norwegian case study of municipal water supply Abstract: This article explores how agencification, in terms of increasing arm's length governance, may influence governance control with municipal service-provision if the principal and the agent develop different institutional logics. The basic expectation is that structural separation between principal and agent will challenge the principal’s control of the agent, and that this challenge will be accentuated if the structural change also leads to cultural separation, conceptualised as different institutional logics. Our findings lead to the conclusion that the relationship between formal structure and institutional logics is reciprocal; structural separation creates a separation in culture and identity, thereby accentuating the perceived distance between principal and agent, which stimulates their sense of belonging to different types of organisations. Still, development of appropriate control mechanisms is in its infancy. Formally, output control exists, but receives scarce political attention. Informal control may also work depending on adherence to a common community logic. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 471-491 Issue: 3 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 05 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.1942853 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.1942853 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:3:p:471-491 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_1932480_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20230119T200553 git hash: 724830af20 Author-Name: Jose Antonio Langarita Author-X-Name-First: Jose Antonio Author-X-Name-Last: Langarita Author-Name: Jordi Mas Grau Author-X-Name-First: Jordi Mas Author-X-Name-Last: Grau Author-Name: Pilar Albertín Author-X-Name-First: Pilar Author-X-Name-Last: Albertín Title: Local government policies on sexual and gender diversity in Spain. Experiences from Alt Empordà Abstract: In recent years, local government administrations in Spain have strengthened their commitment to putting into effect policies that favour the well-being of LGBTQ+ people. This has happened not only in large cities, but in small rural municipalities as well. Based on the discourses, representations and practices of professionals in health and social services, this article is organised around two interrelated axes of analysis. First, we assess the extent of knowledge regarding public policies among professionals and LGBTQ+ people. And second, we examine the rural area as a specific setting for the application of LGBTQ+ policies. This leads us to the conclusion that such legal changes are important but not sufficient in themselves to ensure the well-being of LGBTQ+ people. Moreover, LGBTQ+ policies need to consider local contexts and avoid transferring the rationale of the big city into rural environments. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 451-470 Issue: 3 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 05 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.1932480 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.1932480 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:3:p:451-470 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2033229_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20230119T200553 git hash: 724830af20 Author-Name: Søren Kjær Foged Author-X-Name-First: Søren Kjær Author-X-Name-Last: Foged Author-Name: Kurt Houlberg Author-X-Name-First: Kurt Author-X-Name-Last: Houlberg Title: The economic costs of voucher markets for public service provision Abstract: Voucher markets where governments subsidise the consumers of public services to give them a free choice of service provider are implemented by public authorities as a means to reap the supposed benefits of competition and choice. Such voucher markets imply economic costs for the public authority in the form of transaction costs, e.g., for preparation of quality standards and information material as well as approval, coordination and supervision of providers. However, voucher markets may also affect the public authority’s production costs through a competitive pressure for increased efficiency and/or by affecting the potential economies of scale for public service delivery. This article shows that in a voucher market without price competition voucher markets increase the public production costs of delivering home help services. Specifically, the larger the share of elderly persons who choose a private provider, the higher the public costs of delivering practical home help. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 623-643 Issue: 3 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 05 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2022.2033229 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2022.2033229 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:3:p:623-643 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2025359_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20230119T200553 git hash: 724830af20 Author-Name: Susana Jorge Author-X-Name-First: Susana Author-X-Name-Last: Jorge Author-Name: Pedro Cerqueira Author-X-Name-First: Pedro Author-X-Name-Last: Cerqueira Author-Name: Sofia Furtado Author-X-Name-First: Sofia Author-X-Name-Last: Furtado Title: Municipal revenue over-budgeting: a dynamic analysis of its determinants Abstract: This paper investigates which factors affect revenue over-budgeting in the local government, considering budgetary, political, and institutional determinants. It applies dynamic panels analysis to data from Portuguese municipalities between 2005 and 2017. Regarding budgetary arrangements, over-budgeting has implications for several years, taking up to three years to dissipate. The difference between budgeted revenues and the ones collected in the previous year is a good predictor that revenue is overestimated. The ratio of own-source over total revenue is directly related with over-budgeting; however, this effect comes from the municipality’s wealth. About political factors, municipal Executives with political majorities and in electoral years are more prone to over-budget; however, ideology does not seem to be important. As for institutional arrangements, participation in any debt restructuring program is inversely related to over-budgeting, while excessive debt does not seem to play any role. Overall, the only mechanism which reduces over-budgeting misbehavior is external control. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 644-675 Issue: 3 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 05 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.2025359 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.2025359 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:3:p:644-675 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2025360_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20230119T200553 git hash: 724830af20 Author-Name: Jonas Stein Author-X-Name-First: Jonas Author-X-Name-Last: Stein Author-Name: Troy Saghaug Broderstad Author-X-Name-First: Troy Saghaug Author-X-Name-Last: Broderstad Author-Name: Hilde Bjørnå Author-X-Name-First: Hilde Author-X-Name-Last: Bjørnå Title: Territorial reforms, mobilisation, and political trust: a case study from Norway Abstract: The focus of this study is the political trust implications of territorial reforms, approaches to territorial reform, and the effects of the mobilisation of political-territorial collective identities. We focus on the political trust effects of political-territorial mobilisation grounded on territorial reforms, and of voluntary and forced structural reforms. The case examined is that of Norway, a country characterised by high levels of trust before a recent county reform. Utilising four survey waves from 2013 to 2019, we measure trust in national politicians both pre- and post-reform, giving us a quasi-experimental design. The findings indicate that political trust was not affected by whether the reform was forced on counties or they accepted it voluntarily. However, political trust was negatively affected by forced structural reforms in combination with regionalism, i.e., mobilisation of political-territorial collective identities. This finding provides new insight about how territorial reforms may affect political trust. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 568-589 Issue: 3 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 05 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.2025360 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.2025360 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:3:p:568-589 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_1997743_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20230119T200553 git hash: 724830af20 Author-Name: Jin Li Author-X-Name-First: Jin Author-X-Name-Last: Li Title: Signalling compliance: an explanation of the intermittent green policy implementation gap in China Abstract: The existence of the green policy implementation gap in China has aroused widespread concern, and is frequently explained with officials’ characteristics, problematic institutions, and citizens’ participation. However, few studies have noticed the intermittence of the gap. By coding six media signals and 394 documents issued by the central government (2000–2015) from 27 items in dimensions of credibility/reliability, intensity, and clarity according to the signalling theory, causes of the intermittence were explored. I found that central signals are the driving force. Document signals work better than media signals, particularly in Hu Jintao’s era. Documents’ credible commitments, threats, legal effects, issuing departments, wording intensity, clear definition of departments and society’s responsibilities, and regulation targets can significantly stimulate local governments’ environmental regulation behaviours, especially in eastern China. In Xi Jinping’s era, credible commitments and environmental campaigns’ impacts are higher. The paper demonstrates how, where and when China’s model of environmental authoritarianism is effective. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 492-518 Issue: 3 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 05 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2021.1997743 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2021.1997743 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:3:p:492-518 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2169674_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20230119T200553 git hash: 724830af20 Author-Name: Laurence Bherer Author-X-Name-First: Laurence Author-X-Name-Last: Bherer Title: The politics of third actors: strategies used by public participation professionals in their interactions with public forum sponsors Abstract: Public participation professionals (PPPs) are individuals hired to design, implement, and facilitate participatory forums. Since PPPs are seen as third actors who ensure that dialogue between sponsors and citizens in these forums is fair and open, perceived impartiality is important to their profession. While studies on the impartiality of PPPs have mostly focused on their interactions with citizens in these kinds of forums, less attention has been paid to the role of PPPs as third actors interacting with sponsors. This article seeks to describe some strategies PPPs use with sponsors to ensure fair and open dialogue in participatory forums. Based on 35 interviews with PPPs in Quebec, six strategies employed by PPPs to maintain impartiality are described in detail. An organisational field approach was used to identify these and other strategies and capture the nature of the interdependence and mutual recognition among PPPs. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 759-779 Issue: 4 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 07 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2023.2169674 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2023.2169674 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:4:p:759-779 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2047028_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20230119T200553 git hash: 724830af20 Author-Name: Wieke Blijleven Author-X-Name-First: Wieke Author-X-Name-Last: Blijleven Title: Expert, bureaucrat, facilitator: the role of expert public servants in interactive governance Abstract: Public servants in local governments, including policy experts, are increasingly expected to facilitate public participation and citizens’ initiatives. At the same time, critical research points out that their dominant or hesitant attitude and emphasis on rules and expert knowledge might hamper authentic participation. Based on shadowing and in-depth interviews, this article explores what tensions expert public servants (planners, lawyers, designers and historians) in Dutch municipalities experience when engaging the public, and how they handle these tensions in practice. The analysis shows that for expert civil servants, facilitating interactive governance means constantly finding a balance between their role as a bureaucrat, facilitator and expert. The findings show how expertise can both constrain but also enable facilitation, by mediating tensions between municipal and citizens’ demands. In addition, the findings shed new light on the close relationship between knowledge and trust in interactive governance. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 841-860 Issue: 4 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 07 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2022.2047028 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2022.2047028 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:4:p:841-860 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2190586_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20230119T200553 git hash: 724830af20 Author-Name: Claire Bynner Author-X-Name-First: Claire Author-X-Name-Last: Bynner Author-Name: Oliver Escobar Author-X-Name-First: Oliver Author-X-Name-Last: Escobar Author-Name: Sarah Weakley Author-X-Name-First: Sarah Author-X-Name-Last: Weakley Title: Facilitators as culture change workers: advancing public participation and deliberation in local governance Abstract: Practitioners who facilitate public participation in governance operate at the interface of three policy agendas: public service reform, social justice and democratic innovation. Scotland offers a paradigmatic site for studying this interface through the role of officials who work as facilitators of public participation. Reforms in the last two decades have generated new spaces for engaging citizens and communities while challenging official facilitators to reconcile grassroots community action with institutional engagement. This article draws on empirical research from the What Works Scotland dataset (2014–2019), which is the first to examine the nature of this role across Scotland. Our analysis unpacks the tensions of interactive modes of governance and explores facilitators’ agency in responding to cultural practices that are resistant to change. The paper argues that official facilitators are more than process designers and discursive stewards; their work involves challenging and changing the cultural practices of the state at the frontlines of democratic upheaval and renewal. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 738-758 Issue: 4 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 07 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2023.2190586 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2023.2190586 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:4:p:738-758 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2110077_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20230119T200553 git hash: 724830af20 Author-Name: Imrat Verhoeven Author-X-Name-First: Imrat Author-X-Name-Last: Verhoeven Author-Name: Evelien Tonkens Author-X-Name-First: Evelien Author-X-Name-Last: Tonkens Title: Enabling civic initiatives: frontline workers as democratic professionals in Amsterdam Abstract: For more than fifteen years, frontline workers in the Netherlands have facilitated civic initiatives by practicing a ‘modest approach’ that can be seen as an example of democratic professionalism as developed by Albert Dzur. In this paper we empirically explore the understudied topic of how the implementation of this modest approach affects frontline workers. Based on a case study in Amsterdam, we find that frontline workers’ face a tension between sharing authority while retaining professional responsibility, which manifests itself as active support versus stepping back to leave the initiative to citizens, and as being present versus other daily work or private life. If frontline workers do not succeed in dealing with these tensions, democratic professionalism ceases to exist. Reflecting on this tension between sharing authority while retaining professional responsibility may help to develop a richer understanding of democratic professionalism. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 821-840 Issue: 4 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 07 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2022.2110077 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2022.2110077 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:4:p:821-840 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2077728_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20230119T200553 git hash: 724830af20 Author-Name: Caitlin McMullin Author-X-Name-First: Caitlin Author-X-Name-Last: McMullin Title: “I’m paid to do other things”: Complementary co-production tasks for professionals Abstract: Previous literature on co-production tends to position the professional as engaging in core service delivery activities, while the citizen co-producer may contribute to either complementary or core tasks. Bringing together insights from the literature on co-production and the facilitation of citizen initiatives, I present a typology of the complementary tasks undertaken by professionals, focusing on professionals who work for third sector organisations. Based on an analysis of qualitative data, I posit that third sector professionals may undertake three categories of complementary tasks – training, administrative support and budget management. These professionals experience tensions between balancing core/complementary tasks and skilled/unskilled tasks, and between co-producing with citizens or doing the work on their own. This article makes an important contribution to our understanding of the role of the professional as a facilitator in co-production, as a means to more effectively engage citizens in designing and delivering public services. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 780-800 Issue: 4 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 07 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2022.2077728 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2022.2077728 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:4:p:780-800 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2245340_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20230119T200553 git hash: 724830af20 Author-Name: Laurence Bherer Author-X-Name-First: Laurence Author-X-Name-Last: Bherer Author-Name: Imrat Verhoeven Author-X-Name-First: Imrat Author-X-Name-Last: Verhoeven Title: Introduction to the special issue: facilitating citizen engagement in interactive governance Abstract: This is an introduction to the special issue on facilitating citizen engagement in interactive governance. In this special issue, we focus on facilitators: the professionals that support and organise various forms of collaboration between governments and citizens that elsewhere have been conceptualised as interactive governance. We explore the main pressures that facilitators face and how these are negotiated in deliberative forms of policy-making, the co-production of public services, and in community-induced civic initiatives. With this exploration, we contribute to a burgeoning literature on facilitators as in-between actors, we make a unique comparison across three forms of interactive governance that are often analysed separately, we bring together disparate literatures on democratic innovation and public policy implementation, and we offer nuances and perspectives from various countries with six articles addressing facilitation in Scotland, Canada, France, the United Kingdom, Denmark and the Netherlands. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 723-737 Issue: 4 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 07 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2023.2245340 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2023.2245340 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:4:p:723-737 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2081552_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20230119T200553 git hash: 724830af20 Author-Name: Annika Agger Author-X-Name-First: Annika Author-X-Name-Last: Agger Author-Name: Anne Tortzen Author-X-Name-First: Anne Author-X-Name-Last: Tortzen Title: ‘Co-production on the inside’ – public professionals negotiating interaction between municipal actors and local citizens Abstract: A growing number of public professionals are now expected to facilitate co-production processes with affected citizens to produce robust policies and services. Yet the role of ‘front-line co-producers’ and how their mindset and ability to cope with the cross-pressures affects co-production remains under-theorised and empirically understudied in the scholarly literature. The article provides concepts and empirical evidence of how ‘frontline co-producers’ navigate cross-pressures by exploring the enabling and inhibiting factors for co-production. Empirically, we draw on a case study of a Danish municipality consisting of qualitative interviews with 18 public professionals at different levels, all of whom have experience working with co-production. The findings contribute to the small but growing academic literature on the role of public professionals in co-production and how their individual-level practices, together with organisational and management factors, can enable or inhibit ‘co-production on the outside’. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 801-820 Issue: 4 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 07 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2022.2081552 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2022.2081552 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:4:p:801-820 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2031155_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20230119T200553 git hash: 724830af20 Author-Name: Katharina Schone Author-X-Name-First: Katharina Author-X-Name-Last: Schone Title: The impact of inter-municipal land use plans on social segregation: first lessons from the French experience Abstract: The article aims to investigate whether social segregation in urban areas can be reduced by transferring jurisdiction over urban planning from municipalities to the inter-municipal level. Specifically, we analyse the evolution of social segregation between 1968 and 2010 in French inter-municipal cooperation structures exercising jurisdiction over urban planning since at least 1995 and compare it with that of groupings of municipalities that do not have this competence. In order to minimise the risk of selection bias we use difference-in-difference matching methods. The effects revealed by the analysis are mixed and show that the success of this transfer of competence depends on the communities’ intentions as well as on the extent of responsibilities that have been transferred. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1000-1023 Issue: 5 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 09 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2022.2031155 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2022.2031155 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:5:p:1000-1023 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2152009_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20230119T200553 git hash: 724830af20 Author-Name: Philip T. Roundy Author-X-Name-First: Philip T. Author-X-Name-Last: Roundy Author-Name: John M. Trussel Author-X-Name-First: John M. Author-X-Name-Last: Trussel Author-Name: Stephan A. Davenport Author-X-Name-First: Stephan A. Author-X-Name-Last: Davenport Title: The text complexity of local government annual reports Abstract: This study explores the factors that contribute to the text complexity of local government communication and whether text complexity varies with governments’ financial performance. We first identify factors associated with text complexity, including the local government’s size, external monitoring, organisational complexity, and financial complexity. We then explore if text complexity varies with the financial performance of local governments. We find that the annual reports of poor-performing governments are less understandable, but that performance is not related to the amount of information content. Our findings contribute to research on local government communication, accountability, and transparency and have practical implications for those who interact with local governments through government documents. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1135-1156 Issue: 5 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 09 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2022.2152009 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2022.2152009 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:5:p:1135-1156 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2106222_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20230119T200553 git hash: 724830af20 Author-Name: Veronika Vakulenko Author-X-Name-First: Veronika Author-X-Name-Last: Vakulenko Author-Name: Anatoli Bourmistrov Author-X-Name-First: Anatoli Author-X-Name-Last: Bourmistrov Author-Name: Giuseppe Grossi Author-X-Name-First: Giuseppe Author-X-Name-Last: Grossi Title: Through the prism of cognition: exploration of local political leaders’ behaviour during incented voluntary municipal amalgamation Abstract: For decades, amalgamation has remained at the top of the international reform agenda. Seeking to enhance local governments’ economic efficiency and democracy, municipal mergers were encouraged in numerous countries. However, the results of such reforms remain controversial. The paper aims to extend the understanding of reasons for municipalities’ diverging responses to financial incentives under amalgamation. In this way, the study adds to local public administration literature, by showing the influence of psychological factors and individuals’ cognition on the result of mergers in the context of two Ukrainian local governments. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 975-999 Issue: 5 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 09 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2022.2106222 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2022.2106222 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:5:p:975-999 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2052855_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20230119T200553 git hash: 724830af20 Author-Name: Aleš Kudrnáč Author-X-Name-First: Aleš Author-X-Name-Last: Kudrnáč Author-Name: Eliška Vejchodská Author-X-Name-First: Eliška Author-X-Name-Last: Vejchodská Author-Name: Lenka Slavíková Author-X-Name-First: Lenka Author-X-Name-Last: Slavíková Title: Effects of school forums on political development in early adolescence. A field experiment Abstract: Scholars and practitioners endorse public participation in the decision-making process as enhancing the health of democracy, justice, and effectiveness of policy outcomes. To sustain or even increase the number of participants in the long run, it is crucial to start raising a new politically active generation already during their youth and even early adolescence. This article presents School Forums as an extracurricular participatory method involving early adolescents (11–15 years old) in decision-making concerning their school and municipality. We made a field experiment on a sample of 480 Czech secondary school pupils to examine the potential of School Forums to enhance prerequisites for youth’s political engagement. Our results revealed a positive effect of School Forum attendance on the sense of internal political efficacy and interest in local affairs. The results suggest a high potential of participative extracurricular programmes in raising a new generation of politically active citizens. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 932-952 Issue: 5 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 09 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2022.2052855 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2022.2052855 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:5:p:932-952 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2188448_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20230119T200553 git hash: 724830af20 Author-Name: Giulia Giraldi Rocha Coelho Author-X-Name-First: Giulia Giraldi Rocha Author-X-Name-Last: Coelho Author-Name: Henrique Augusto Campos Fernandez Hott Author-X-Name-First: Henrique Augusto Campos Fernandez Author-X-Name-Last: Hott Author-Name: Sergio Naruhiko Sakurai Author-X-Name-First: Sergio Naruhiko Author-X-Name-Last: Sakurai Title: Fiscal impacts of electoral abstention: a study on the electorate biometric update in Brazilian municipalities Abstract: Because electoral abstention may generate a difference between the preferences of general voters, i.e., those who are eligible to vote, and the preferences of effective voters, i.e., those who do vote, policies adopted by incumbents may differ according to differences in turnout rates across the electorate. The Brazilian biometric electorate update offers an innovative opportunity to explore exogenous variations in abstention rates, allowing us to verify its impact on public policies, especially local public expenditures. By combining propensity score matching, differences-in-differences and instrumental variables models, we find that the electorate biometric update decreased abstention rates in local elections in Brazil, which, in turn, changed local public spending composition towards expenditures on education. The remaining categories of public expenditures explored in this study, however, seem not to be affected by the change in the electorate composition. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1074-1109 Issue: 5 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 09 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2023.2188448 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2023.2188448 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:5:p:1074-1109 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2123799_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20230119T200553 git hash: 724830af20 Author-Name: Simon Otjes Author-X-Name-First: Simon Author-X-Name-Last: Otjes Author-Name: Marijn Nagtzaam Author-X-Name-First: Marijn Author-X-Name-Last: Nagtzaam Author-Name: Rick van Well Author-X-Name-First: Rick Author-X-Name-Last: van Well Title: Scrutiny and policymaking in local councils: how parties use council tools Abstract: In recent years, political scientists have gained greater understanding of how national parliamentary parties use their parliamentary tools: that is under what conditions they submit parliamentary questions or amendments to legislation. We know surprisingly little about how local councillors use the tools at their disposal: under what conditions do these local councillors submit questions to the local executive? When do they submit amendments to local ordinances? We examine to what extent the use of amendments and questions reflects differences between local party groups’ ideologies in terms of anti-elitism and the left-right dimension, and differences between coalition and opposition parties. On the basis of an analysis 454 local council groups in 53 Dutch municipalities we find considerable evidence for differences in the use of council tools between coalition and opposition parties. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1110-1134 Issue: 5 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 09 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2022.2123799 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2022.2123799 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:5:p:1110-1134 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2148662_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20230119T200553 git hash: 724830af20 Author-Name: Puyao Xing Author-X-Name-First: Puyao Author-X-Name-Last: Xing Author-Name: Hua Xing Author-X-Name-First: Hua Author-X-Name-Last: Xing Title: Environmental inter-local collaboration under meta-governance: the trade-off between collective and selective benefits Abstract: This study investigates how local decision-makers influence the impact of high-level government meta-governance tools on environmental inter-local collaboration when the collective benefits of inter-jurisdictional collaboration conflict with the selective benefits of decision-makers. We address this issue focusing on empirical cases of inter-provincial watershed environmental collaborations in China. Using a difference-in-differences model for the analysis, we find that meta-governance tools of high-level government can facilitate the adoption of environmental inter-local collaboration arrangements. However, this facilitation decreases when local decision-makers lack progressive ambition or face peer competition. This study demonstrates the strategic responses of local decision-makers in environmental inter-local collaboration influenced by high-level government. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1024-1044 Issue: 5 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 09 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2022.2148662 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2022.2148662 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:5:p:1024-1044 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2081551_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20230119T200553 git hash: 724830af20 Author-Name: Susan Baxter Author-X-Name-First: Susan Author-X-Name-Last: Baxter Author-Name: Amy Barnes Author-X-Name-First: Amy Author-X-Name-Last: Barnes Author-Name: Caroline Lee Author-X-Name-First: Caroline Author-X-Name-Last: Lee Author-Name: Rebecca Mead Author-X-Name-First: Rebecca Author-X-Name-Last: Mead Author-Name: Mark Clowes Author-X-Name-First: Mark Author-X-Name-Last: Clowes Title: Increasing public participation and influence in local decision-making to address social determinants of health: a systematic review examining initiatives and theories Abstract: Creating conditions to empower local people is an important determinant of health, and crucial in addressing health inequity. Yet, experimentation with initiatives to support public participation at a local level is threatened by enduring global economic instability. A better understanding of how different participatory approaches might address the social determinants of health would support future prioritisation of actions and investment.We reviewed recent literature and theories on initiatives to increase peoples’ influence in local decision-making and on social determinants of health. Our synthesis found little detail about the form and function of initiatives, but diverse factors deemed influential in achieving outcomes. Studies highlighted that pressure on resources undermines individual and community capacities to participate, and requires organisational leaders to think/act differently.Suggested priorities for local governance are: supporting capabilities and relationships between organisations and communities; creating safe and equitable spaces for interaction and knowledge-sharing; and changing institutional culture. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 861-887 Issue: 5 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 09 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2022.2081551 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2022.2081551 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:5:p:861-887 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2039128_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20230119T200553 git hash: 724830af20 Author-Name: Dana McQuestin Author-X-Name-First: Dana Author-X-Name-Last: McQuestin Author-Name: Joseph Drew Author-X-Name-First: Joseph Author-X-Name-Last: Drew Author-Name: Hirokuni Iiboshi Author-X-Name-First: Hirokuni Author-X-Name-Last: Iiboshi Title: The temporal dependence of public policy evaluation: the case of local government amalgamation Abstract: Amalgamation has been a cornerstone of many local government reform programmes internationally. However, there has been a lack of consensus in the academic literature surrounding the outcomes associated with amalgamation. One potential explanation for this is the difference in the length of time over which the evaluation takes place. In order to determine if the impacts of boundary reform are indeed temporally dependent on nature, we collected and analysed a 17-year panel of empirical data from a large-scale amalgamation programme in 2008. Our results indicate that the outcomes arising from the program do indeed display variation over time, with initial savings being negated by increased costs in the medium-term and ultimately an insignificant impact over the long term. The public policy implications and recommendations suggested by our analysis have important implications for the design and evaluation of future local government boundary reform programmes. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 953-974 Issue: 5 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 09 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2022.2039128 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2022.2039128 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:5:p:953-974 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2117165_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20230119T200553 git hash: 724830af20 Author-Name: Lenka Maličká Author-X-Name-First: Lenka Author-X-Name-Last: Maličká Author-Name: Paulo Reis Mourao Author-X-Name-First: Paulo Reis Author-X-Name-Last: Mourao Title: Political budget cycles at the municipal level in Slovakia: between structural dependence and electoral exhibitionism Abstract: This paper discusses the strategic composition of Slovak municipalities’ revenues and expenditures and the role of political budget cycles. We found that Slovak municipalities tend to have significantly higher capital revenues and capital expenditures in periods close to municipal elections. We also found strategic management of current expenditures and revenues depending on the time of municipal elections. We have controlled these estimations with several dimensions identified in the literature, from socio-economic variables to political characteristics of the incumbent mayors. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1045-1073 Issue: 5 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 09 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2022.2117165 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2022.2117165 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:5:p:1045-1073 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2116575_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20230119T200553 git hash: 724830af20 Author-Name: Peter Matthews Author-X-Name-First: Peter Author-X-Name-Last: Matthews Author-Name: Alex Parsons Author-X-Name-First: Alex Author-X-Name-Last: Parsons Author-Name: Elvis Nyanzu Author-X-Name-First: Elvis Author-X-Name-Last: Nyanzu Author-Name: Alasdair Rae Author-X-Name-First: Alasdair Author-X-Name-Last: Rae Title: Dog fouling and potholes: understanding the role of coproducing ‘citizen sensors’ in local governance Abstract: Local governments around the world are increasingly coproducing services with citizens, commonly as a response to austerity. A common approach is to use ‘citizen sensors’, relying on citizens to report issues digitally through web portals or apps. There is mixed evidence about how different citizens act in different environments with concerns about resulting (in)equity in outcomes. This paper examines citizen-reporting of maintenance of the public realm through a UK digital platform (FixMyStreet.com). We find service requests follow a parabolic relationship between neighbourhood deprivation levels and reporting, but ignoring the contributions of ‘superusers’ there is a more linear relationship, with more reports in less-deprived areas. We find that the presence of significant infrastructure (transport, schools) leads to more reports, suggesting guardianship over journeys as well as residential neighbourhoods. We conclude that local government, when directly coproducing services with citizens, need to be careful to ensure equitable outcomes between neighbourhoods. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 908-931 Issue: 5 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 09 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2022.2116575 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2022.2116575 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:5:p:908-931 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2087061_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20230119T200553 git hash: 724830af20 Author-Name: S. N. Blok Author-X-Name-First: S. N. Author-X-Name-Last: Blok Author-Name: H. J. M. Fenger Author-X-Name-First: H. J. M. Author-X-Name-Last: Fenger Author-Name: M. W. van Buuren Author-X-Name-First: M. W. Author-X-Name-Last: van Buuren Title: Stimulating civic behavior? The paradoxes of incentivising self-organization Abstract: Crowding theory has highlighted the unintended consequences that well-meant financial incentives can have on behaviour. Using field research, this study applies crowding theory to self-organising citizens’ initiatives in the Netherlands. Citizens’ initiatives create different kinds of goods and services and are sometimes supported by governmental ‘citizens’ initiatives stimulation funds’. We found that (1) the crowding effect is multifaceted; (2) the psychological processes and mechanisms of crowding in and out are subtle and can happen simultaneously; (3) in some instances, stimulation funds seem to have affected the preferences of the initiatives, such as expectations about the funds’ presence and procedures; and, (4) stimulation funds are well-suited to instrumentally support the initiatives in realising their plans and ambitions, but less suited in fostering civic behaviour or spontaneous self-organisation. Our research raises important considerations about the possibilities and constraints for stimulating civic behaviour through stimulating citizens’ initiatives. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 888-907 Issue: 5 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 09 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2022.2087061 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2022.2087061 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:5:p:888-907 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2098722_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20231203T183118 git hash: be90730853 Author-Name: Charles Breton Author-X-Name-First: Charles Author-X-Name-Last: Breton Author-Name: Jack Lucas Author-X-Name-First: Jack Author-X-Name-Last: Lucas Author-Name: Zack Taylor Author-X-Name-First: Zack Author-X-Name-Last: Taylor Title: Local autonomy: unconditional elites and conditional publics Abstract: This paper investigates elite and mass attitudes towards local autonomy. Using surveys of more than 1,200 elected municipal politicians and 5,800 citizens in Canada, we ask three questions: Do citizens agree with their elected representatives about the need for increased power for local authorities? Are predictors of support for expanded local power similar among elites and the public? Finally, do elected politicians understand their constituents’ attitudes on local autonomy? We find that elites and citizens differ substantially in their attitudes towards local autonomy: politicians overwhelmingly support increased power for local governments, while citizens’ preferences are conditional on their support for the current provincial government, level of education, and ideological alignment with their local community. Moreover, politicians display no knowledge of citizens’ preferences regarding local autonomy. We explain the implications of our findings for theoretical debates about citizen support for local autonomy and for practical debates regarding the empowerment of local governments. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1263-1284 Issue: 6 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2022.2098722 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2022.2098722 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:6:p:1263-1284 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2086538_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20231203T183118 git hash: be90730853 Author-Name: Francisco Ferraioli Author-X-Name-First: Francisco Author-X-Name-Last: Ferraioli Author-Name: Xavier Ballart Author-X-Name-First: Xavier Author-X-Name-Last: Ballart Title: Measuring performance concerning air and noise pollution: a comparison of Madrid’s official data and results from a citizen survey Abstract: The main objective of this study is to analyse whether citizens’ perceptions of noise and air pollution are related with objective measures of noise and air pollution in the urban context. Merging local services performance and air quality research, the study makes a contribution to theories on how objective and subjective measures relate, identifying differences in ease of perception between noise and air pollution and the effect of previous attitudes. The analysis is based on datasets from the city of Madrid. After matching territorial zones, we use correlation and OLS regression analysis. Only in the case of noise, there is a significant relation between the actual levels of pollution and citizen’s perceptions, which is explained by differential characteristics of both types of pollution. Previous concern for the environment colours the assessment of local government actions as well as some personal characteristics and general attitudes towards the local community. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1386-1409 Issue: 6 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2022.2086538 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2022.2086538 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:6:p:1386-1409 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2212586_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20231203T183118 git hash: be90730853 Author-Name: Stephen Kwamena Aikins Author-X-Name-First: Stephen Kwamena Author-X-Name-Last: Aikins Title: Effects of intergovernmental revenue on local government draw on fiscal reserves: evidence from COVID-19 fiscal stress Abstract: This study investigates the effects of receipt and anticipation of intergovernmental revenues on local governments draw on accumulated fiscal reserves to cushion the impacts of COVID-19-related fiscal stress. Several studies have been conducted on determinants of fiscal reserves accumulation. However, little is known about the determinants of government draw on fiscal reserves, beyond revenue shortfall, in times of fiscal stress. Dwelling on the premise that government’s draw on fiscal reserves is influenced by factors beyond revenue shortfall and controlling for the effects of revenue shortfalls and other factors, we analysed local government survey data to determine the effects of intergovernmental revenue on government draw on fiscal reserves. Results show that draw on fiscal reserves is significantly constrained by percent of FY 2020 revenue received from federal and state governments, but significantly and positively influenced by revenue losses and percent of FY 2021 revenue anticipated from federal government. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1198-1217 Issue: 6 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2023.2212586 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2023.2212586 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:6:p:1198-1217 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2105840_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20231203T183118 git hash: be90730853 Author-Name: Benjamin Gröbe Author-X-Name-First: Benjamin Author-X-Name-Last: Gröbe Author-Name: Stephan Grohs Author-X-Name-First: Stephan Author-X-Name-Last: Grohs Author-Name: Jan Porth Author-X-Name-First: Jan Author-X-Name-Last: Porth Title: Local responses to European Integration: patterns of Europe-related activities of German local governments Abstract: Europeanisation situates local governments in a constantly changing environment, bringing challenges, opportunities, and constraints. These circumstances raise the question, how local authorities adapt to the process of European integration, face its challenges, and use its diverse opportunity structures. The article explores four dimensions, through which Europeanisation hits the ground of local government: downloading, uploading, dissemination, and horizontal networking. It examines the distribution of different types of Europe-related activities at the local level using data from a survey sent to all 396 independent cities, towns, and municipalities in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Our empirical analysis provides an overview of the most and least frequent Europe-related activities within the different types of local authorities. The findings of our multivariate analysis shows that next to the direct affectedness by Europeanisation, the municipalities’ capacities in terms of financial and institutional resources have a major influence on their efforts towards Europe. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1410-1433 Issue: 6 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2022.2105840 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2022.2105840 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:6:p:1410-1433 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2158818_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20231203T183118 git hash: be90730853 Author-Name: Luís de Sousa Author-X-Name-First: Luís Author-X-Name-Last: de Sousa Author-Name: Cláudia S. Costa Author-X-Name-First: Cláudia S. Author-X-Name-Last: Costa Author-Name: Filipe Grilo Author-X-Name-First: Filipe Author-X-Name-Last: Grilo Title: COVID-19 pandemic and local executive-opposition institutional relations: a survey analysis Abstract: Local governments were on the front line in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. They also had to rethink their action mode and carry out a swift digital transition. These changes affected the performance of local democracy, in particular, the nature of Local Executive-Opposition Institutional Relations (LEOIR). Using new survey data on the perceptions of local elected representatives, we run an ordered probit regression model to understand the perceived effect of exceptional measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic on LEOIR in the Portuguese context. The results show, through the lenses of local key informants, that the Executive’s capacity to explain to its constituents the exceptional measures adopted and its formal duty to communicate these decisions to the Municipal Assembly have aggravated the conflictual nature of LEOIR. This study contributes to local governance research by elucidating how accountability and communication practices can soothe or aggravate Executive-Opposition institutional tensions in extraordinary times. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1157-1177 Issue: 6 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2022.2158818 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2022.2158818 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:6:p:1157-1177 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2161523_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20231203T183118 git hash: be90730853 Author-Name: Ana-Maria Dimand Author-X-Name-First: Ana-Maria Author-X-Name-Last: Dimand Author-Name: Shaoming Cheng Author-X-Name-First: Shaoming Author-X-Name-Last: Cheng Title: Bottom-up innovation adoption of green public procurement in the United States Abstract: Climate change and its outcomes are complex issues facing communities worldwide. Among policy options to address such issues, existing scholarship focuses mainly on regulatory policies. An innovative market-based policy option is green public procurement (GPP), which may induce private companies to voluntarily switch to more environmentally friendly products. The study examines the adoption and diffusion of GPP practices among local governments under the influence of state governments which may have distinct environmental policies and efforts. By drawing on data from an original national survey and supplemental sources and by employing a multilevel regression approach, this paper highlights GPP as an innovative, yet often overlooked, environmental policy option and strategic management tool. Results suggest a bottom-up, grassroots GPP adoption mechanism, emphasising local initiatives, strategic planning, and vision in sustainability advancement. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1359-1385 Issue: 6 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2022.2161523 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2022.2161523 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:6:p:1359-1385 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2078807_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20231203T183118 git hash: be90730853 Author-Name: Luca Tangi Author-X-Name-First: Luca Author-X-Name-Last: Tangi Author-Name: Marco Gaeta Author-X-Name-First: Marco Author-X-Name-Last: Gaeta Author-Name: Michele Benedetti Author-X-Name-First: Michele Author-X-Name-Last: Benedetti Author-Name: Luca Gastaldi Author-X-Name-First: Luca Author-X-Name-Last: Gastaldi Author-Name: Giuliano Noci Author-X-Name-First: Giuliano Author-X-Name-Last: Noci Title: Assessing the effect of organisational factors and ICT expenditures on e-maturity: empirical results in Italian municipalities Abstract: The article quantitatively investigates the e-maturity of municipalities, defined as the extent to which a public organisation uses Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) for delivering public services. We first question existing e-maturity models and then propose a new method for assessing e-maturity based on the usage of digital services. We performed a Latent Class Analysis on data from 2,219 Italian Municipalities. The article quantitatively investigates the e-maturity of municipalities, defined as the extent to which a public organisation uses Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) for delivering public services. We first question existing e-maturity models, and then propose a new method for assessing e-maturity based on the usage of digital services registered in 2,219 Italian municipalities. We perform Latent Class Analysis and introduce organisational factors and ICT expenditures to investigate the determinants underlying the resulting classes. Consequently, we underline the importance of key organisational characteristics, which partially explain e-maturity. Furthermore, municipalities with low e-maturity tend to spend less in ICT. Instead, no difference is found when comparing municipalities with medium and high e-maturity. Hence, the adoption of digital services does not depend on the amount of money spent in ICT, rather, probably, on the priorities and strategic choices set by municipalities. This result paves the way for further studies in the field. Subsequently, we introduced organisational factors and ICT expenditures to investigate the determinants underlying the resulting classes. Results underline the importance of key organisational characteristics, which partially explain e-maturity. Furthermore, municipalities with low e-maturity tend to spend less in ICT. Instead, no difference is found when comparing municipalities with medium and high e-maturity. Hence, the adoption of digital services does not depend on the amount of money spent in ICT, rather, probably, on the priorities and strategic choices set by municipalities. This result paves the way for further studies in the field. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1333-1358 Issue: 6 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2022.2078807 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2022.2078807 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:6:p:1333-1358 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2122960_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20231203T183118 git hash: be90730853 Author-Name: Madeleine Pill Author-X-Name-First: Madeleine Author-X-Name-Last: Pill Author-Name: Nicole Gurran Author-X-Name-First: Nicole Author-X-Name-Last: Gurran Title: Australian adaptation of UK dealmaking: towards state rescaling? Abstract: Place-based funding deals are inter-governmental contracts focused on boosting economic growth and productivity. Informed by policy adaptation scholarship, we compare the policy and practice of City Deals and dealmaking in the UK and Australia to consider the implications for scalar power relations. In the UK, local government is compelled to engage in dealmaking and the rescaling to the supralocal, city-regional level it incentivises. Thus, central-local state relations have been upscaled whilst city-regional powers are highly constrained. In Australia, deals enable the federal government to engage in the ostensible policy domains of state government, but purposive state rescaling is absent. However, the Australian case indicates an appetite for more formalised forms of supralocal governance, should the state tier concur, revealing that dealmaking has opened up alternative ways of working and that local as well as higher tiers of government play a role in shaping rescaling. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1241-1262 Issue: 6 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2022.2122960 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2022.2122960 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:6:p:1241-1262 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2033227_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20231203T183118 git hash: be90730853 Author-Name: Ben Clifford Author-X-Name-First: Ben Author-X-Name-Last: Clifford Author-Name: Janice Morphet Author-X-Name-First: Janice Author-X-Name-Last: Morphet Title: Local authorities doing it for themselves: austerity, the direct provision of housing and changing central-local relations in England Abstract: Since 2010, local authorities in England have faced a dramatic cut in funding from central government, associated with a neoliberal super-austerity seen in many countries. At the same time, these authorities have also been increasingly concerned about the problems associated with private sector delivery of housing and the consequences of their increasing responsibilities for dealing with homelessness. The result has been a resurgence of local authority direct engagement in housing provision. Drawing on extensive survey data, this paper explores the extent of this housing delivery activity, the various means utilised and the motivations for this engagement, which includes activity on a spectrum from more entrepreneurial income generation to more socially focussed actions that align to the ‘New Municipalism’. We conclude that this growing housing provision activity by local authorities has the potential to reduce dependence on central government and could help reinvigorate the local state, albeit with associated risks. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1218-1240 Issue: 6 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2022.2033227 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2022.2033227 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:6:p:1218-1240 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2132386_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20231203T183118 git hash: be90730853 Author-Name: William Hatcher Author-X-Name-First: William Author-X-Name-Last: Hatcher Author-Name: Beth Rauhaus Author-X-Name-First: Beth Author-X-Name-Last: Rauhaus Author-Name: Wesley L. Meares Author-X-Name-First: Wesley L. Author-X-Name-Last: Meares Title: The career paths of the chief administrative officers of U.S. cities: a survey of city managers and content analysis of how they discuss their careers Abstract: We expand the research on the career paths of the chief administrative officers managing cities of all sizes in the United States (U.S.) by surveying the chief administrative officers working in the small, medium, and large cities throughout the U.S. We collected 345 surveys from chief administrative officers. The survey included questions on the career paths of managers and asked respondents to discuss factors and challenges that have influenced their career paths. From our analysis, we find that the career path to city management positions often begins with prior experience in local government administration and higher educational attainment, such as an MPA degree. The surveyed managers appear to be working longer in the same cities and they identify technical aspects of their jobs as being more challenging than political conflict and relations with the public.. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1312-1332 Issue: 6 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2022.2132386 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2022.2132386 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:6:p:1312-1332 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2077729_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20231203T183118 git hash: be90730853 Author-Name: Miguel Rodrigues Author-X-Name-First: Miguel Author-X-Name-Last: Rodrigues Title: Can even still be uneven? The effect of quotas in Portuguese local governments Abstract: Portuguese society has undergone considerable progress towards addressing gender issues. From the education system to the job market, many changes promoting gender equity have taken place. In the political sphere, the implementation of regulations on gender quotas marked a significant milestone. Since 2006, party lists have been required to meet a gender diversity quota of at least 33%. However, the implementation of such policies necessitate a more detailed analysis. This paper focusses on the impact of quota regulations on the composition of municipal councils. Based on an analysis of the data from the municipal elections from 1978 to 2017, our research supports two major findings. First, the introduction of quota regulations considerably increased the number of women in office, but also created a glass ceiling around the legal threshold. Second, an institutional history of gender diversity and a competitive political environment are both factors that boost the number of women elected. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1285-1311 Issue: 6 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2022.2077729 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2022.2077729 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:6:p:1285-1311 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2113991_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20231203T183118 git hash: be90730853 Author-Name: Seungwon Yu Author-X-Name-First: Seungwon Author-X-Name-Last: Yu Author-Name: Suhee Kim Author-X-Name-First: Suhee Author-X-Name-Last: Kim Author-Name: Yeonwoo Sim Author-X-Name-First: Yeonwoo Author-X-Name-Last: Sim Title: Factors affecting relief aid policy of local governments – electoral competitiveness, fiscal capacity, and severity of crisis Abstract: We examined the effects of three factors on whether and how local governments provide relief aid to their citizens in the context of the COVID-19 crisis: the demand side (electoral competitiveness), the supply side (fiscal capacity) and the severity of the crisis (the number of confirmed cases). Our findings indicate that local governments with lower electoral competitiveness chose the targeting method over the universal method. Those with stronger fiscal capacity tended to provide relief aid using the targeting method. For those in areas with few confirmed cases, the universal method was favoured. While the results for individual relief aid were consistent with those for the entire sample, the results for business relief aid were not. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1178-1197 Issue: 6 Volume: 49 Year: 2023 Month: 11 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2022.2113991 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2022.2113991 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:49:y:2023:i:6:p:1178-1197 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2198219_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20231214T103247 git hash: d7a2cb0857 Author-Name: Andreas Kirlappos Author-X-Name-First: Andreas Author-X-Name-Last: Kirlappos Title: The Europeanisation of gender equality at the municipal level: insights from the Republic of Cyprus Abstract: The Republic of Cyprus is a small EU member state, whose domestic structures replicate a durable tradition of centralisation, limiting the overall role of local government. This work employs the vertical research dimension of top-down Europeanisation to investigate the influence of European Integration vis-à-vis the promotion of gender equality at the municipal level. It adopts a local government comparative viewpoint to analyse the adoption of the European Charter for Equality of Women and Men in Local Life by the Cypriot Municipalities (2011–present). This work utilises specific analytical frameworks (Europeanisation and Historical Institutionalism) to provide a theoretically and empirically informed analysis based on empirical data resulting from three field studies (2013, 2019 and 2021) and respective electoral data. Our research results suggest that the effects of Europeanisation, in terms of promoting gender equality, have been limited due to long-lasting formal and informal institutional restrictions. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 261-285 Issue: 1 Volume: 50 Year: 2024 Month: 01 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2023.2198219 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2023.2198219 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:50:y:2024:i:1:p:261-285 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2174979_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20231214T103247 git hash: d7a2cb0857 Author-Name: Amanda Rutherford Author-X-Name-First: Amanda Author-X-Name-Last: Rutherford Author-Name: Cullen C. Merritt Author-X-Name-First: Cullen C. Author-X-Name-Last: Merritt Title: The limits of framing effects: citizen perceptions of councilor compensation Abstract: Existing research provides evidence that the framing of information can substantively alter how citizens perceive institutions of government and a range of policy issues. While prior work acknowledges that there are limits to the effects of framing, less attention has been given to examining contexts in which framing fails to shape perceptions. Using an exploratory survey experiment, we compare the effects of political knowledge, perceived ideological distance, and more deliberative thinking to framing regarding councilor pay, an issue for which citizens consistently express negative sentiment. When provided real-world information showing local councilors are compensated less than their counterparts in comparable cities, citizens are somewhat more likely to rate their councilors as underpaid. However, framing effects are not observed when respondents use more deliberative thinking. Further, we find that explained variance in perceptions is more strongly associated with political knowledge, ideological distance, trust, and, in the case of deliberative thinking, gender. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 87-108 Issue: 1 Volume: 50 Year: 2024 Month: 01 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2023.2174979 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2023.2174979 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:50:y:2024:i:1:p:87-108 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2198217_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20231214T103247 git hash: d7a2cb0857 Author-Name: Huanming Wang Author-X-Name-First: Huanming Author-X-Name-Last: Wang Author-Name: Xiaoyun Sun Author-X-Name-First: Xiaoyun Author-X-Name-Last: Sun Author-Name: Yu Shi Author-X-Name-First: Yu Author-X-Name-Last: Shi Title: Commercial investment in public–private partnerships: the impact of government characteristics Abstract: How to attract commercial investment to provide infrastructure and public service is an important issue for governments around the world. This paper investigated what government characteristics can attract commercial investment. Using China’s PPP cases, this study shows that local government’s fiscal stress, land resources, and wealth are important determinants in attracting commercial investment. The business environment of local government plays a moderating role between government characteristics (i.e., fiscal stress, land resources, and wealth) and commercial investment. By highlighting the determinants of commercial investment, this study offers important implications for the theory and practice of PPP management. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 230-260 Issue: 1 Volume: 50 Year: 2024 Month: 01 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2023.2198217 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2023.2198217 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:50:y:2024:i:1:p:230-260 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2185230_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20231214T103247 git hash: d7a2cb0857 Author-Name: Henrique Augusto Campos Fernandez Hott Author-X-Name-First: Henrique Augusto Campos Fernandez Author-X-Name-Last: Hott Author-Name: Naercio Menezes-Filho Author-X-Name-First: Naercio Author-X-Name-Last: Menezes-Filho Title: Are newcomers financially responsible? Evidence from close elections in Brazilian Municipalities Abstract: This paper examines how mayors’ political experience impacts fiscal outcomes. Using a regression discontinuity design in highly-contested elections in Brazilian municipalities, we estimate the differences in fiscal performance between newcomers and veteran politicians. We find that municipalities governed by mayors who never won an election before experience a worse budget balance and a substantial increase in public investments. This difference appears to be driven by differences in candidates’ experience rather than by factors such as re-election concern, ideology, vertical partisan alignment, gender and political party turnover. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 48-86 Issue: 1 Volume: 50 Year: 2024 Month: 01 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2023.2185230 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2023.2185230 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:50:y:2024:i:1:p:48-86 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2158184_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20231214T103247 git hash: d7a2cb0857 Author-Name: Pierre Donatella Author-X-Name-First: Pierre Author-X-Name-Last: Donatella Author-Name: David Karlsson Author-X-Name-First: David Author-X-Name-Last: Karlsson Title: Local politicians’ perceptions of financial conditions – do they align with financial indicators? Abstract: Throughout history, critics of democracy have doubted people’s ability to govern themselves. For example, are local politicians – who often lack any formal training in accounting or economics – really able to comprehend complex financial information? Previous studies addressing this issue are in short supply, and their results are generally pessimistic. The aim of this paper is to test which – if any – financial indicators are related to local politicians’ perceptions of financial conditions in the setting of Swedish municipalities, thus extending earlier studies to a European context. Our analysis shows strong and significant correlations between most of the financial indicators tested and politicians’ perception of their municipality’s financial condition, including financial indicators capturing the levels of net income, equity ratio and tax rates. These findings provide optimism and strengthen arguments for the defenders of democratic government. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 28-47 Issue: 1 Volume: 50 Year: 2024 Month: 01 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2022.2158184 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2022.2158184 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:50:y:2024:i:1:p:28-47 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2185229_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20231214T103247 git hash: d7a2cb0857 Author-Name: Ashwaq Mondey Author-X-Name-First: Ashwaq Author-X-Name-Last: Mondey Author-Name: Itai Beeri Author-X-Name-First: Itai Author-X-Name-Last: Beeri Title: The competing impact of network politics and hamula (clan) politics on perceived network performance: the case of minority networks Abstract: Studies of network governance have found that network management contributes to the effective performance of the network. Nevertheless, the influence of politics on the relationship between network management and network performance has not yet been examined. This is particularly true within traditional minority communities that have only partially adopted aspects of modernity and democratic governance. We conducted a survey among 160 Arab Israeli network members to examine the relationship between network management and perceived network performance by taking into account the effect of internal and external politics. Our findings show that network politics and hamula politics have a moderated mediation effect on this relationship. The study makes a theoretical contribution by emphasising the role of socio-cultural, managerial and political aspects of traditional communities when trying to develop local network governance. In these frameworks, the adoption of local network governance is challenging because democracy and network governance are still under-developed. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 204-229 Issue: 1 Volume: 50 Year: 2024 Month: 01 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2023.2185229 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2023.2185229 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:50:y:2024:i:1:p:204-229 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2198216_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20231214T103247 git hash: d7a2cb0857 Author-Name: Sebastian Desmidt Author-X-Name-First: Sebastian Author-X-Name-Last: Desmidt Author-Name: Kenn Meyfroodt Author-X-Name-First: Kenn Author-X-Name-Last: Meyfroodt Title: Unlocking politicians’ potential: what fosters purposeful use of performance information in support of voice? Abstract: Pivotal for decision making quality in representative governing boards of local authorities is that performance information is used in a purposeful way by its members to challenge the status quo and express constructive changes in support of collective learning (i.e., voice). However, despite the presumed importance of purposeful use of performance information and voice, empirical insights on the relationship between both constructs as well as the motivational mechanisms fostering voice are limited. To address this omission, we build on motivated information processing theory and develop a model that includes a person-based and situation-based pathway. Data from 520 politicians populating the representative governing boards of 242 local authorities in Belgium are used to test the developed model. Results indicate that the studied drivers help explain the detected variance in purposeful use of performance information and voice, but that the role of individual antecedents like public service motivation and open-mindedness is predominant. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 150-173 Issue: 1 Volume: 50 Year: 2024 Month: 01 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2023.2198216 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2023.2198216 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:50:y:2024:i:1:p:150-173 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2185227_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20231214T103247 git hash: d7a2cb0857 Author-Name: Tom Verhelst Author-X-Name-First: Tom Author-X-Name-Last: Verhelst Author-Name: Klaartje Peters Author-X-Name-First: Klaartje Author-X-Name-Last: Peters Title: Scrutinising council scrutiny: from theoretical black box to analytical toolbox1 Abstract: Despite their vast relevance to democracy, scholars have paid little systematic attention to the scrutiny function of local councils. To stimulate such research, this study theorises the concept of council scrutiny. First, we outline the rationale, wider policy context, and conceptualisations. Next, we present and discuss an actor-centred institutionalist approach to introduce an analytical framework that depicts council scrutiny as a loop comprising eight interrelated parts. These parts include the institutional context and policy environment, intrinsic motivations and actor properties, scrutiny objects, objectives, constellations, the scrutiny process as such, and its effects and personal rewards. Finally, we explain how this analytical framework may serve as a vehicle for a more comprehensive and detailed study of the various aspects of council scrutiny. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 128-149 Issue: 1 Volume: 50 Year: 2024 Month: 01 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2023.2185227 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2023.2185227 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:50:y:2024:i:1:p:128-149 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2179995_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20231214T103247 git hash: d7a2cb0857 Author-Name: Siobhan Daly Author-X-Name-First: Siobhan Author-X-Name-Last: Daly Author-Name: Rachael Chapman Author-X-Name-First: Rachael Author-X-Name-Last: Chapman Author-Name: Andreja Pegan Author-X-Name-First: Andreja Author-X-Name-Last: Pegan Title: Local government officers, pragmatism and creativity during austerity – the case of Urban Green Newcastle Abstract: In the UK, during austerity local governments face pressures to identify transformative financial solutions to parks provision and to protect parks as public spaces. Yet, how local government officers balance these demands is under-explored. This article discusses the transfer of Newcastle upon Tyne’s parks from local government to a new entity, Urban Green Newcastle. Working within a project framework, across the local authority, and in public consultation, we show how local government officers crafted narratives to legitimise their work and to provide an ex-post rationalisation for: creative working; the changes to democratic accountability in the new model; and the risks involved in creating UGN. The article deepens our understanding of local government officers’ agency during austerity via its attention to legitimisation narratives. We show how local government officers contribute to the (re)conception of parks as public spaces through the negotiation of alternative narratives of parks management, governance, and democratic accountability. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 109-127 Issue: 1 Volume: 50 Year: 2024 Month: 01 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2023.2179995 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2023.2179995 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:50:y:2024:i:1:p:109-127 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2185228_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20231214T103247 git hash: d7a2cb0857 Author-Name: Giada Gianola Author-X-Name-First: Giada Author-X-Name-Last: Gianola Author-Name: Dominik Wyss Author-X-Name-First: Dominik Author-X-Name-Last: Wyss Author-Name: André Bächtiger Author-X-Name-First: André Author-X-Name-Last: Bächtiger Author-Name: Marlène Gerber Author-X-Name-First: Marlène Author-X-Name-Last: Gerber Title: Empowering local citizens: assessing the inclusiveness of a digital democratic innovation for co-creating a Voting Advice Application Abstract: Increasing citizen dissatisfaction with democracy leads governments and municipalities across the globe to seek new ways of including and empowering citizens. Little is known about whether ‘Digital Democratic Innovations’ (DDIs) could contribute to this goal. We developed a new DDI in a Swiss municipality, dubbed Demokratiefabrik, where 1,079 citizens co-created a questionnaire that served as an official Voting Advice Application for candidates and voters in communal elections. We find that while sophisticated and allegiant citizens and left-green voters participated more in the DDI, they did not dominate the process of creating the questionnaire. Intriguingly, citizens with lower political trust were particularly active on the platform, suggesting that DDIs might give disenchanted citizens a new voice in the political process. Overall, carefully designed DDIs can be a venue for inclusive citizen participation, involving and empowering local citizens in decision-making. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 174-203 Issue: 1 Volume: 50 Year: 2024 Month: 01 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2023.2185228 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2023.2185228 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:50:y:2024:i:1:p:174-203 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2171018_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20231214T103247 git hash: d7a2cb0857 Author-Name: Laura Ryser Author-X-Name-First: Laura Author-X-Name-Last: Ryser Author-Name: Greg Halseth Author-X-Name-First: Greg Author-X-Name-Last: Halseth Author-Name: Sean Markey Author-X-Name-First: Sean Author-X-Name-Last: Markey Title: Municipal entrepreneurialism: exploring new fiscal levers for small municipalities Abstract: Municipal reform has accelerated since the 1980s, with municipalities learning to adjust to changes in responsibilities downloaded by senior governments. However, small municipalities struggle with outdated financial and jurisdictional structures as senior governments ask them to become more ‘entrepreneurial’ for a broader range of responsibilities. To date, little research has explored the influence of statutory settings that shape municipal powers, and hence, an understanding of the concept and associated processes pertaining to municipal entrepreneurialism. Drawing upon key informant interviews in four regions across Canada, this paper explores how small municipalities are generating revenue and other resources needed to address community and economic development priorities. Findings indicate that small municipalities are engaging in a variety of entrepreneurial activities, including municipal enterprises, social enterprises, and service contracts, while pursuing pro-active approaches to leverage place-based assets. These endeavours, however, are shaped by many dimensions of risk that underline the conceptualisation of municipal entrepreneurialism. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 1-27 Issue: 1 Volume: 50 Year: 2024 Month: 01 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2023.2171018 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2023.2171018 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:50:y:2024:i:1:p:1-27 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2198218_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20240209T083504 git hash: db97ba8e3a Author-Name: Alejandro Salazar-Adams Author-X-Name-First: Alejandro Author-X-Name-Last: Salazar-Adams Title: The influence of organisational and staff characteristics on local governments’ efficiency: the case of Mexican municipalities Abstract: Administrative capacity depends on organisational and human factors that can enhance or diminish the performance of local governments. To analyse the effect of these factors, efficiency scores of municipal governments were calculated and regressed against organisational and staff characteristics, using double bootstrap data envelopment analysis, on a sample of 1470 Mexican municipalities. Of the variables related to staff characteristics, the proportion of employees with college education, and remunerations, have a positive and statistically significant effect on efficiency. Of the organisational characteristics of local governments, the number of computers per employee was the main variable explaining the efficiency of municipal governments. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 287-306 Issue: 2 Volume: 50 Year: 2024 Month: 03 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2023.2198218 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2023.2198218 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:50:y:2024:i:2:p:287-306 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2206121_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20240209T083504 git hash: db97ba8e3a Author-Name: Chang-Gyu Kwak Author-X-Name-First: Chang-Gyu Author-X-Name-Last: Kwak Author-Name: Richard Feiock Author-X-Name-First: Richard Author-X-Name-Last: Feiock Title: Costs and outcomes of collaborative relationships: interlocal collaboration effects on green job creation in Florida Metropolitan Areas Abstract: This study investigates how the costs of different network structures influence the effectiveness of collaborations in achieving their desired outcomes. Building from the ICA framework, an explanation is advanced for how the performance of collaborative arrangements is influenced by costs imposed on participating actors that result from the structure of the network and the actors positions within the network. Fixed-effects panel regression analysis is applied to collaborations on green economic development in Florida metropolitan areas over an eleven-year period. The findings demonstrate greater collaboration not only produces better outcomes, but that the effect of collaboration is influenced by threshold effects of collaboration costs on participants. Over-time high-cost mechanisms can reduce commitment to collaboration or lead to partially connected collaboration. We conclude that achieving better performance through collaborative networks may require governments to seek optimal patterns and positions with predictable and acceptable collaboration costs, rather than simply scaling up collective efforts. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 307-328 Issue: 2 Volume: 50 Year: 2024 Month: 03 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2023.2206121 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2023.2206121 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:50:y:2024:i:2:p:307-328 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2206652_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20240209T083504 git hash: db97ba8e3a Author-Name: Min Wang Author-X-Name-First: Min Author-X-Name-Last: Wang Title: Can environmental regulations change the environmental behaviour of local leaders and enterprises? Evidence using the accountability audit of natural resources in China Abstract: Securing long-term environmental pollution control in a system where local leaders in China hold tenure for only a short term is a challenge. The innovative Chinese accountability audit of natural resources (AANR) pilot project attempts to address this problem by mandating lifelong accountability for local leaders. Using this pilot as a quasi-natural experiment, we explored macro-effectiveness and micro-mechanisms of AANR. The results show that AANR has a positive impact on the environmental investment behaviour of enterprises. This paper finds that AANR stimulates enterprises’ investments in the environment by improving the environmental behaviour of local leaders. During mobilisation meetings, local leaders convey signals on environmental matters. Political connections are bridges which convey the signals of mobilisation to enterprises. Those enterprises receive the signals and increase environmental investment. AANR thus promotes collaborative governance by ensuring that the interests of key stakeholders are aligned to prevent pollution. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 352-374 Issue: 2 Volume: 50 Year: 2024 Month: 03 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2023.2206652 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2023.2206652 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:50:y:2024:i:2:p:352-374 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2212241_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20240209T083504 git hash: db97ba8e3a Author-Name: Md Shahriar Islam Author-X-Name-First: Md Shahriar Author-X-Name-Last: Islam Author-Name: Abu Hossain Muhammad Ahsan Author-X-Name-First: Abu Hossain Author-X-Name-Last: Muhammad Ahsan Author-Name: Rifat Mahmud Author-X-Name-First: Rifat Author-X-Name-Last: Mahmud Title: Is a powerful but corrupt public manager more trustworthy? Lessons from the case of rural local government in Bangladesh Abstract: A survey experiment was conducted at the Union Council level in Bangladesh to gauge if citizens emphasise the power of the public manager (popularly known as Chairman of the Union Council) more than their corrupt practices. The analysis gauges that perspective based on citizens’ perception of public managers’ trustworthiness at the local level. The chronic absence of empirical research on local government public managers in a country from the Global South prompted us to focus on Bangladesh to carry out this research. The analysis of the two independent sample populations in the survey experiment suggests that local citizens have normative trust in less powerful but honest public managers. Our findings highlight that citizens in rural local government in Bangladesh have a certain degree of normative political awareness, which allows them to evaluate the public manager’s trustworthiness, not merely based on the power distance or patriarchal culture. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 451-474 Issue: 2 Volume: 50 Year: 2024 Month: 03 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2023.2212241 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2023.2212241 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:50:y:2024:i:2:p:451-474 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2205133_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20240209T083504 git hash: db97ba8e3a Author-Name: Caroline Patsias Author-X-Name-First: Caroline Author-X-Name-Last: Patsias Author-Name: Sylvie Patsias Author-X-Name-First: Sylvie Author-X-Name-Last: Patsias Title: Politicisation at the local political level within representative and participative institutions: the example of a poor Montreal borough Abstract: The majority of studies on local politics and politicisation have focused on the study of electoral participation, political parties or civil society. The qualitative dimension of politicisation within local institutions has thus been overlooked. This research addresses this dimension by comparing how citizens politically discuss the world in a representative and a participative institution (The borough council and the participatory budget respectively) of local democracy in one of the poorest areas of the city of Montreal in Canada. In order to grasp the politicisation within political institutions, we link the notion to a rise in generality echoing a conflictualisation of stakes or/and a reference to (in)justice. Our analysis reveals that both institutional designs examined acts in complementary ways. By giving utterance to conflict, the borough council permits the expression of all neighbourhood issues while the participatory budget allows for citizens to dream the future by bringing out the consensus of the moment. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 329-351 Issue: 2 Volume: 50 Year: 2024 Month: 03 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2023.2205133 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2023.2205133 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:50:y:2024:i:2:p:329-351 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2211010_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20240209T083504 git hash: db97ba8e3a Author-Name: Itai Beeri Author-X-Name-First: Itai Author-X-Name-Last: Beeri Title: The impact of the central government’s intervention on local democracy Abstract: Does the central government’s intervention in the operation of failed local authorities affect the functioning of local democracy? We examined the theoretical and practical factors associated with the opportunities and risks inherent in an intervention policy in Israel called convened committees. We developed an index called the Effective Number of Council Parties by Seats at the Municipal Level (ENCPSML) and a number of measures that together express the degree of democratic representation, governability and voter turnout. We compare the functioning of democracy before and after the convened committees in 31 local authorities and a control group of 191 local authorities during four elections in 2003-2018. Contrary to what one might expect, convened committees did not hurt the exercise of democracy and in some cases, improved it. We discuss the practical and theoretical implications of these findings in the context of multi-level governance, local democracy, regulation and coping with local crises. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 375-404 Issue: 2 Volume: 50 Year: 2024 Month: 03 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2023.2211010 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2023.2211010 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:50:y:2024:i:2:p:375-404 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2217410_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20240209T083504 git hash: db97ba8e3a Author-Name: Linnéa Henriksson Author-X-Name-First: Linnéa Author-X-Name-Last: Henriksson Author-Name: Henrik Serup Christensen Author-X-Name-First: Henrik Serup Author-X-Name-Last: Christensen Title: Miles’ law in Finnish municipalities: where decision-makers stand depends on where they sit Abstract: Miles’ Law, i.e., the notion that institutional position affects attitudes, is considered a truism, but not much attention has been given to properly test or develop it. Here, we argue that Miles’ Law is effective not only for civil servants but among municipal decision-makers in different positions. We examine how well institutional position can explain differences in attitudes to welfare service provision among decision-makers on different levels. Differences in opinion depending on institutional position are usually overlooked when attitudes on welfare are explained. Using survey data (N = 1,578) from 42 municipalities in Finland, our analyses show that institutional position does affect attitudes to service provision. However, the differences are contingent on the mode of service provision under consideration and are moderated by the size of the municipality and the economic status. This shows that it is important to consider the position of local government decision-makers to understand their attitudes. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 405-426 Issue: 2 Volume: 50 Year: 2024 Month: 03 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2023.2217410 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2023.2217410 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:50:y:2024:i:2:p:405-426 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2228237_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20240209T083504 git hash: db97ba8e3a Author-Name: Andrea Carson Author-X-Name-First: Andrea Author-X-Name-Last: Carson Author-Name: Gosia Mikolajczak Author-X-Name-First: Gosia Author-X-Name-Last: Mikolajczak Author-Name: Leah Ruppanner Author-X-Name-First: Leah Author-X-Name-Last: Ruppanner Author-Name: Emily Foley Author-X-Name-First: Emily Author-X-Name-Last: Foley Title: From online trolls to ‘Slut Shaming’: understanding the role of incivility and gender abuse in local government Abstract: Fair political representation is an important goal of democratic governments, yet Australia lags behind many democracies in women’s representation in elected politics. Attacks against women in public spaces through harassment and verbal abuse have long constrained women’s ease in physical spaces and, in the digital age, this has extended into online spheres. This paper examines the impact of on- and offline incivility on women’s experiences in local politics. It focuses on Australia’s southern state of Victoria and its 79 local government municipalities. We conduct two surveys of men and women elected representatives (N1 = 222, N2 = 205) to determine their experiences during the campaigning period and first year on council. We follow up with in-depth interviews with women who have experienced gender harassment (n = 10) to further understand its impacts. We offer new insights in to a ‘push factor’ that contribute to women leaving elected local government and their political underrepresentation. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 427-450 Issue: 2 Volume: 50 Year: 2024 Month: 03 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2023.2228237 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2023.2228237 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:50:y:2024:i:2:p:427-450 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2227592_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20240209T083504 git hash: db97ba8e3a Author-Name: Liese Berkvens Author-X-Name-First: Liese Author-X-Name-Last: Berkvens Author-Name: A. Roets Author-X-Name-First: A. Author-X-Name-Last: Roets Author-Name: T. Haesevoets Author-X-Name-First: T. Author-X-Name-Last: Haesevoets Author-Name: B. Verschuere Author-X-Name-First: B. Author-X-Name-Last: Verschuere Title: Local civil society organisations’ appreciation of different local policy decision-making instruments Abstract: In societies with a neo-corporatist tradition, organised interests like civil society organisations (CSOs) are largely embedded in the policy-making process. However, as (local) governments increasingly experiment with new forms of democratic innovation, this challenges the traditionally privileged position of CSOs in the policy-making process. We investigate the attitudes of local CSOs towards different types of policy decision-making instruments with an increasing level of decision-making power by individual citizens. Cluster analysis and a subsequent multinomial logistic regression analysis on survey data show that the extent to which CSOs appreciate increased participation of individual citizens is related to an organisation’s role in democracy (policy influence) and relationship with local government (financial dependence). Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 545-572 Issue: 3 Volume: 50 Year: 2024 Month: 05 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2023.2227592 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2023.2227592 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:50:y:2024:i:3:p:545-572 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2282565_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20240209T083504 git hash: db97ba8e3a Author-Name: Maria Antonieta Collazos-Ortiz Author-X-Name-First: Maria Antonieta Author-X-Name-Last: Collazos-Ortiz Author-Name: Arjan H. Schakel Author-X-Name-First: Arjan H. Author-X-Name-Last: Schakel Title: Avoiding a natural resource curse? The impact of administrative efficiency on Colombian municipalities’ fiscal effort Abstract: The term ‘paradox of the plenty’ was coined to describe an often-found inverse relationship between royalty revenue and economic development. The main causal mechanism is thought to be a substitution effect whereby governments use royalty revenue to lower taxes instead of investing in activities that promote long-term economic growth. However, the occurrence of a ‘natural resource curse’ differs widely both for countries and subnational jurisdictions. Based on a dataset that traces 1,078 municipalities in Colombia from 2006 to 2017 and utilising a policy reform in 2012 that reduced royalty revenue for producer municipalities, we argue and find that municipal fiscal effort is higher when producer municipalities have more-efficient administrations. Our findings have important implications for the design of policy that allocates royalty revenue across subnational jurisdictions, in particular for developing countries where administrative efficiency tends to vary widely between local governments. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 596-616 Issue: 3 Volume: 50 Year: 2024 Month: 05 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2023.2282565 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2023.2282565 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:50:y:2024:i:3:p:596-616 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2234302_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20240209T083504 git hash: db97ba8e3a Author-Name: Hugo Consciência Silvestre Author-X-Name-First: Hugo Consciência Author-X-Name-Last: Silvestre Author-Name: Rui Cunha Marques Author-X-Name-First: Rui Cunha Author-X-Name-Last: Marques Author-Name: Brian Dollery Author-X-Name-First: Brian Author-X-Name-Last: Dollery Author-Name: Aldenisio Moraes Correia Author-X-Name-First: Aldenisio Moraes Author-X-Name-Last: Correia Title: An institutional and transaction cost analysis for the efficiency of water service in Brazilian local government consortia Abstract: In this paper, we seek to break new ground by empirically investigating the relationship between cooperating entities, local government institutions and transaction costs and its effect on cost efficiency for water services through consortia in Brazilian local government. Drawing on an institutional and transaction cost framework, our results show that the institutional arrangements employed in water service provision have had a significant effect on cost efficiency, measured by total expenditure per user, between 2011 to 2019. Through a Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE), we found that cost efficiency increases slowly for those units performing under bureaucracies and faster under public enterprises. In all instances, dedicated asset specificities and contract management complexity explained differences in water service provision cost efficiency. These findings have theoretical significance as well as significant public policy implications for intermunicipal cooperative agreements. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 475-497 Issue: 3 Volume: 50 Year: 2024 Month: 05 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2023.2234302 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2023.2234302 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:50:y:2024:i:3:p:475-497 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2218801_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20240209T083504 git hash: db97ba8e3a Author-Name: Simone van de Wetering Author-X-Name-First: Simone Author-X-Name-Last: van de Wetering Title: Facilitating citizen participation in marginalised neighbourhoods: selective empowerment in between vulnerability and active citizenship Abstract: Residents of marginalised neighbourhoods have long been governed as a vulnerable group in need of help. Increasingly, however, they are expected to be active citizens and (co-)creators in improving their neighbourhood. While much is written about the shift towards more participatory governance, less is known about how this shift manifests in the work practice of urban professionals, particularly in marginalised neighbourhoods and in terms of citizen (dis)empowerment. This paper explores how urban professionals give shape to citizen participation in a marginalised Dutch neighbourhood. I found that they navigated between narratives of ‘vulnerability’ and ‘active citizenship’ and employed ‘selective empowerment’: a differentiated approach in which they ascribed a significant supportive role to themselves and facilitated participation within a normative framework. The research offers a more nuanced image of ‘empowerment’ than previous studies suggest, demonstrating that a discursive shift in governance approach is not automatically synchronised with urban professionals’ work practice. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 498-520 Issue: 3 Volume: 50 Year: 2024 Month: 05 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2023.2218801 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2023.2218801 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:50:y:2024:i:3:p:498-520 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2288708_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20240209T083504 git hash: db97ba8e3a Author-Name: Mildred E. Warner Author-X-Name-First: Mildred E. Author-X-Name-Last: Warner Author-Name: Paige M. Kelly Author-X-Name-First: Paige M. Author-X-Name-Last: Kelly Title: Proceed with caution: US local governments and the American Rescue Plan Abstract: Will a legacy of fiscal stress limit local governments’ willingness to make equity-focused investments even in the context of the relative surplus that American Rescue Plan funds provide for local governments in the US after COVID-19? Focus groups with local officials show the desire to address basic infrastructure investments (water and sewer) is primary, and concerns over recurring expenditure responsibilities, administrative burden and rising citizen expectations cause them to proceed with caution. However, the flexibility and size of ARPA funds make more progressive investments possible. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 573-595 Issue: 3 Volume: 50 Year: 2024 Month: 05 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2023.2288708 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2023.2288708 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:50:y:2024:i:3:p:573-595 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2198221_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20240209T083504 git hash: db97ba8e3a Author-Name: Jiyue Guo Author-X-Name-First: Jiyue Author-X-Name-Last: Guo Author-Name: Daniel Del Barrio Álvarez Author-X-Name-First: Daniel Author-X-Name-Last: Del Barrio Álvarez Author-Name: Jingfeng Yuan Author-X-Name-First: Jingfeng Author-X-Name-Last: Yuan Author-Name: Hironori Kato Author-X-Name-First: Hironori Author-X-Name-Last: Kato Title: Determinants of the formation process in public-private partnership projects in developing countries: evidence from China Abstract: Public-private partnerships (PPPs) are expected to play a pivotal role in mobilising financial resources for infrastructure. However, the promotion of PPPs has faced challenges to their success in many countries. This study empirically analysed the determinants of initiation and adoption in PPP projects. It employed Tobit regression models with a Chinese provincial-level panel dataset from 2009 to 2019 for evaluating how government, market, and operating environment affect the number and investments in PPP projects. The results unveiled that local governments are motivated by fiscal pressure to initiate PPP projects. They also showed that the successful adoption of PPPs is associated with the activeness of private capital in local markets while neither PPP policy nor PPP fund at provincial level could facilitate the formation of PPPs. This study distinguished the initiation of PPP projects from their adoption, through which the truly key determinants of formatting PPPs were successfully identified. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 521-544 Issue: 3 Volume: 50 Year: 2024 Month: 05 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2023.2198221 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2023.2198221 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:50:y:2024:i:3:p:521-544 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2258811_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20240209T083504 git hash: db97ba8e3a Author-Name: Hemin Choi Author-X-Name-First: Hemin Author-X-Name-Last: Choi Title: Determinants of internal migration to smaller cities: local public goods, job opportunities, and lifecycle stages Abstract: People moving from smaller to larger cities often do so in search of better economic opportunities. But what motivates migration from larger to smaller cities, which are acknowledged to offer fewer available jobs and prospects? This study’s empirical findings, in the context of South Korea, reveal that an individual’s willingness to move to a smaller-sized, secondary city is positively associated with the perception of local public goods there, but, surprisingly, not significantly aligned with job opportunities. However, this valuation differs by marital status and family-life-cycle stage. In addition, our results illustrate the importance of non-employment factors: dissatisfaction with current residency and place ties (e.g., length of previous residence and psychological place attachment) are strong factors motivating internal migration intention to smaller secondary cities. We discuss the implications of these findings for local government and policy makers in small cities that aim to attract new young and middle-aged adult residents. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 617-642 Issue: 3 Volume: 50 Year: 2024 Month: 05 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2023.2258811 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2023.2258811 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:50:y:2024:i:3:p:617-642 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 # input file: FLGS_A_2292662_J.xml processed with: repec_from_jats12.xsl darts-xml-transformations-20240209T083504 git hash: db97ba8e3a Author-Name: Liam Clegg Author-X-Name-First: Liam Author-X-Name-Last: Clegg Title: Party politics and the effectiveness of local climate change policy frameworks: green influence from the sidelines Abstract: Are national-level party political drivers of climate change performance reproduced locally? Here, I explore whether Greens’ ability to influence climate commitment nationally via legislative presence and coalition partnership is translated into English local government, using Climate Emergency gradings of local authority policy frameworks as the focus of comparative analysis. Scholarship on English local authority policy-making and performance suggests that, on balance, we should expect to see Green legislative presence and governing coalition effects translate to this level of government. While the finding of a positive Green legislative presence effect adds weight to the characterisation of local climate governance in England as a relatively collaborative process, the null finding on the coalition effect raises questions over the ability of junior coalition partners to realise preferences rapidly. Given the importance of sub-national politics to successful climate change transformation, it is vital that the factors associated with strengthened local commitment be further explored. Journal: Local Government Studies Pages: 643-662 Issue: 3 Volume: 50 Year: 2024 Month: 05 X-DOI: 10.1080/03003930.2023.2292662 File-URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/03003930.2023.2292662 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:taf:flgsxx:v:50:y:2024:i:3:p:643-662