Local Government Modernisation In England: A Critical Review of the LGMA Evaluation Studies

Laffin, M.

doi:10.1080/03003930701795014

Local Government Modernisation In England: A Critical Review of the LGMA Evaluation Studies

Laffin, M.

Authors

M. Laffin

Abstract

New Labour has subjected English local government to an unparalleled period of reform. This article reviews the Local Government Modernisation Agenda evaluation studies commissioned by central government. The review identifies valuable insights from the studies into the contemporary state of English local government, central government and central-local relations. However, the studies also illustrate the need for research on public service reform to include analyses of the political origins of reform policies and the political-bureaucratic issues involved in their implementation. It is also argued that future research needs to rediscover the value of studying local politics 'in the round', the impact of socio-economic and non-local factors on local policy outcomes and the role of new sources of policy influence in the channels of central-local relations.

Citation

Laffin, M. (2008). Local Government Modernisation In England: A Critical Review of the LGMA Evaluation Studies. Local Government Studies, 34(1), 109-125. https://doi.org/10.1080/03003930701795014

Journal Article Type	Article
Publication Date	Feb 1, 2008
Deposit Date	May 22, 2009
Publicly Available Date	Jan 26, 2010
Journal	Local Government Studies
Print ISSN	0300-3930
Electronic ISSN	1743-9388
Publisher	Taylor and Francis Group
Peer Reviewed	Peer Reviewed
Volume	34
Issue	1
Pages	109-125
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1080/03003930701795014