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BS1033 Local Government – Continuity and Change

BS1033 Local Government – Continuity and Change. 2. Local democracy – is it viable?. BS1033 Local Government – Continuity and Change 2. Local democracy – is it viable?. Note the roles… http://www.lga.sa.gov.au/role.htm.

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BS1033 Local Government – Continuity and Change

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  1. BS1033 Local Government – Continuity and Change 2. Local democracy – is it viable?

  2. BS1033 Local Government – Continuity and Change2. Local democracy – is it viable? Note the roles… http://www.lga.sa.gov.au/role.htm

  3. BS1033 Local Government – Continuity and Change2. Local democracy – is it viable? Under the current system, councillors spend much of their time attending committee meetings. The new system will change their role so that much more of their job will involve representing their local communities. As part of this new, representative role, councillors will also: • represent local views, aspirations and concerns to providers of services across the city • monitor the provision of local services • represent their communities on outside bodies. (York City Council)

  4. BS1033 Local Government – Continuity and Change2. Local democracy – is it viable? The democratic deficit: Elected members for every 100 citizens… • France 116 • Germany 250 • Denmark 1084 • UK 2605

  5. BS1033 Local Government – Continuity and Change2. Local democracy – is it viable? Results in 2000 indicated: Seats Share Conservatives 1327 39% Labour 1117 33% Liberal Democrat 726 21% Indepnedent 106 3%

  6. BS1033 Local Government – Continuity and Change2. Local democracy – is it viable? Good Guardian article: http://society.guardian.co.uk/localgovelections/story/0,8150,501803,00.html

  7. BS1033 Local Government – Continuity and Change2. Local democracy – is it viable? What are people voting for: • National issues represented on a local scale (hospitals, schools) • Local issues only if strongly energised • Voting against rather than voting for • Too many elections or too few? • Swings tend to be regional (e.g. North, Midlands)

  8. BS1033 Local Government – Continuity and Change2. Local democracy – is it viable? But.. Nearly two-thirds of the general public are satisfied with the overall service provided by their local council, the government announced today. The figure, compiled from the first set of coordinated satisfaction surveys to be held by councils across England, provides an unexpectedly upbeat public assessment of crucial local government services such as education and social care. But the headline figure masks very low satisfaction figures for some individual councils, including the crisis-stricken London borough of Hackney, which received a rating of just 25%. At the other end of the scale, more than nine out of 10 residents in the Hampshire district of New Forest were satisfied with their council's performance.

  9. BS1033 Local Government – Continuity and Change2. Local democracy – is it viable? The democratic deficit: Turnout in local government elections in May 2000 • Overall turnout was 29.6% (26% in metropolitan boroughs) • Turnout exceed 40% in only 4 of the 152 local authorities with an election • In Liverpool, turnout was lower than 1 in 5 • In some wards, turnout was lower than 1 in 10

  10. BS1033 Local Government – Continuity and Change2. Local democracy – is it viable? Explanations for low turnout include: • General pattern of lower turnout in the UK • No PR in Britain and therefore the result is predictable? • Local government financial regime • Lack of autonomy (real power) for local authorities

  11. BS1033 Local Government – Continuity and Change2. Local democracy – is it viable? What can be done about it ? 38 Pilot schemes in 32 local authorities have included: • electronic voting (Bury,Salford,Stratford) • Early voting in designated polling stations • Weekend,extended hours voting • Relaxed rules on postal voting (some even entirely postal voting in some wards)

  12. BS1033 Local Government – Continuity and Change2. Local democracy – is it viable? • What is the exact nature of the problem? • What solution would you suggest • How would you implement it (at little cost!)

  13. BS1033 Local Government – Continuity and Change2. Local democracy – is it viable? Sources: Local government in general (including elections) http://www.lgcnet.com/ Low turnout: http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm199798/cmselect/cmhaff/768/768ap35.htm

  14. BS1033 Local Government – Continuity and Change2. Local democracy – is it viable? Southampton Councillors Local Government Information

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