The Governance of British Public-Housing Investment in the Late-1970s: Central Encouragement of Comparative Local Diversity

1984 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 325-341
Author(s):  
R Prentice
Keyword(s):  
Public Housing ◽  
Central Government ◽  
Local Autonomy ◽  
Housing Provision ◽  
Local Authorities ◽  
Housing Investment ◽  
Local Diversity

The thesis of this paper is that in the latter 1970s central government encouraged diversity in housing investment by English and Welsh local authorities. This was so particularly in Wales. This diversity was encouraged on the basis of local performance, rather than on the basis of measured local needs. Was this diversity encouraged to further local ‘autonomy’, or simply to achieve expenditure targets when local authorities were underspending in the central government's view? This thesis raises questions as to the role of consensus between central departments and local authorities, and about the constitutional location of public-housing provision in Britain.

scholarly journals Autonomy or integration: Historical analysis of the debate on the purpose of Icelandic local self-government

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-100
Author(s):  
Eva Marín Hlynsdóttir
Keyword(s):  
Central Government ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Historical Analysis ◽  
Local Autonomy ◽  
Local Authorities ◽  
Ongoing Debate ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Right

An ongoing debate on the purpose of local self-government in Iceland has been simmering mainly between those who believe that local authorities should amalgamate in order to assume more responsibilities and those who believe that local autonomy, understood as the right of citizens to govern their own jurisdictions, should not be weakened. The purpose of this study is to discuss the role of local self-government in Iceland from these two very different perspectives by situating it within the context of the Nordic model of local self-government. This study’s findings reveal that the Icelandic central government has successfully introduced functional reforms at the local level over the past 25 years, but it has not been as successful in initiating territorial reforms. The findings also show that conflict between the ideologies of the traditional autonomous model and the more modern model of integration is growing.

Reassessing Voluntary Action in English Housing Provision post 1900

2001 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 613-636
Author(s):  
PATRICIA L. GARSIDE
Keyword(s):  
Social Science ◽  
Central Government ◽  
State Intervention ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
Voluntary Action ◽  
Housing Provision ◽  
Local Authorities ◽  
The Public ◽  
House Building

This article considers the public and voluntary sector relationship in housing provision from an historical and social science perspective. It pays particular attention to models based on markets, hierarchies and networks and presents an overview of voluntary action and state intervention in English housing since 1900. The article focuses on housing agencies with charitable status, and on three periods – pre-1914, the 1950s and the 1970s. For the first two periods, the emphasis is on the William Sutton Trust, England's largest house-building charity. In the latter period, attention shifts to Shelter, founded in 1967 and the most successful of the homelessness charities. In these case studies, the role of the courts, charity commissioners, government legal officers, Ministries responsible for housing, parliament and local authorities are discussed. The importance of attempts to politicise charity law and charitable status throughout the twentieth century is underlined. Central government is shown to play a significant part in this process, legitimising its preferred response from local authorities and voluntary agencies. A hierarchical interpretation of state intervention is tempered, however, by stressing the significance of unintended consequences attending central government's successive interventions in housing provision.

Introduction

2006 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 167-167 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
New Orleans ◽  
Annual Meeting ◽  
Central Government ◽  
Gulf Coast ◽  
Great Earthquake ◽  
Local Authorities ◽  
Major Earthquake ◽  
Earth's Crust ◽  
The Many

This Focus is the outcome of a Symposium planned in 2004 by Theo D'haen and Karl Fuchs and held in association with the Annual Meeting of the Academia Europaea in September 2005 in Potsdam, 250 years after the Great Earthquake of 1755.That ‘Great Event’ was not only recorded as a physical disaster, but it had a profound effect on life in Europe not directly concerned with the local devastation. In the Focus you will find recorded the impression it made on Voltaire and the influence it had on the development of Kant's thinking, on Wesley's sermons and even on poetry in distant Holland.What could not be foreseen was how timely this Focus would be, since 2004–5 was a period of great disasters due to tsunamis in Sumatra and Mumbai, a major earthquake in Kashmir-Pakistan, and the hurricane flooding in New Orleans and other parts of the American Gulf coast.The accusations of incompetence of local authorities, central government and politicians follow the same pattern as 250 years ago! What is rather different is the perceived role of the Almighty; but, after all, the 1755 episode occurred on All Saints Day, a Sunday when the many who were in church at the time of the eruption, were among the most prominent casualties.What is quite different is the realization due to the insight of Alfred Wegener, that the earth's crust is not continuous, but split into plates, some twelve in number, that are unstable where their edges are in contact – the areas of earthquakes.

Réflexions sur l'administration intermédiaire

Res Publica ◽  
1986 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 159-167
Author(s):  
Stefan Schepers
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Public Sector ◽  
Local Government ◽  
Central Government ◽  
The State ◽  
Local Authorities ◽  
The Public

Widespread consideration of the role of the public sector was bound to develop in a society confronted by a serious economic crisis.The reforms of local government carried out in the 60s and 70s have not led to the strengthening of local authorities and their means, as claimed deceptively in politica! speeches, hut towards more influence by central government on these authorities and ultimately to its increased power over the administration of society.There is not doubt that the state in its diligence to run almost everything is not only failing in its task of governing hut is also putting society at risk. The administrations which come under the intermediary authorities could form a useful counterforce against the ever present invasion of the state.For reason of its reduced capabilities local government shows the first virtue of not being able to claim hegemony, but also of being an instrument close to the citizen and his control. Furthermore it could manage many tasks in the best way.

‘POUND FOOLISH PENNY WISE’ SYSTEM: THE ROLE OF ACCOUNTING IN THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE RIVER TYNE, 1800–1850

2003 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susie Brackenborough
Keyword(s):  
19Th Century ◽  
Central Government ◽  
The Body ◽  
Local Authorities ◽  
Early 19Th Century ◽  
Accounting Data ◽  
The Press ◽  
Emancipatory Practice ◽  
The 19Th Century

The relationship between accounting and governmentality, and the increasing statutory regulation of companies by central government during the 19th century have attracted a great deal of attention from accounting historians. Conversely, accounting change within local authorities in this period has attracted far less attention. The paper examines the consequences of the increase in public accountability of local authorities in England and Wales in the context of the Newcastle Corporation, the body responsible for collecting and distributing the town's wealth. During the first half of the 19th century Newcastle Corporation was heavily criticized for neglecting the improvement of the River Tyne. The paper illustrates how the Newcastle Corporation and those opposed to it used accounting as a lobbying tool to promote their interests. Gallhofer and Haslam [2001, p. 29] showed how, in the late 19th century, “radical political activists” used accounting data through the medium of the press as an “emancipatory” practice. In many ways, the case of the improvement of the River Tyne during the early 19th century also reveals the use of accounting as an ‘emancipatory’ force by opposition groups. The paper finds that the Corporation used accounting data to justify inaction and the opposition used accounting data to promote its objectives. These contests resulted in the control of the River Tyne being taken from the Corporation and placed in the hands of a trust in 1850.

Not All Roads Lead to Rome: Local Housing Policy in the Unitary Italian State

1979 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 315-339 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alberta Sbragia
Keyword(s):  
Housing Policy ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Central Government ◽  
Second World War ◽  
Local Autonomy ◽  
Local Independence ◽  
World War ◽  
Local Officials ◽  
Second World

Until the establishment of regional governments in the early 1970S, Italy was a formally centralized, unitary state. Both the legal and formal administrative frameworks within which local officials worked were such as to support the prevailing scholarly view that, in such a centralized state, the possibilities for local autonomy and initiative were very limited. The formal role of local governments after the Second World War continued to be that which had been specified by the Fascists in legislation designed to complete the centralization of the Italian state. Such a role left little room for local independence and initiative. Administratively, most decisions had to be approved by officials in Rome. Moreover, the policies and finances of local governments were closely supervised by the Prefects, who served as agents of central government.

The Financial Health of Local Authorities in England and Wales: Role of the Rate Support Grant, 1974/1975-1980/1981

1982 ◽  
Vol 14 (10) ◽  
pp. 1283-1305 ◽  
Author(s):  
R J Bennett
Keyword(s):  
Central Government ◽  
Financial Health ◽  
Local Authorities ◽  
England And Wales ◽  
Party Control ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Grant Allocations ◽  
Government Transfers ◽  
Urban Stress

The financial health of local authorities in England and Wales is examined over the period 1974/1975-1980/1981 to determine the manner in which financial positions have been affected by central government transfers under the rate support grant. The results of the analysis are preliminary pending fuller analysis of needs positions, but they do demonstrate that local party control has very little relation to grant allocations. This is mostly because of the interrelation with levels of urban stress, which is found to be a very significant correlate with levels of grant received. It is concluded, therefore, that in contrast to the USA, local authorities in England and Wales have received progressively larger grants in relation to higher levels of urban stress.

Losing One's Faculties

1999 ◽  
Vol 5 (24) ◽  
pp. 164-171
Author(s):  
Mark Hill
Keyword(s):  
Central Government ◽  
Main Function ◽  
Local Authorities ◽  
Conservation Area ◽  
Ecclesiastical Law ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Church Buildings

Two main functions are performed by the consistory court. The first is the discipline of clergy which is presently the subject of a wholesale review by General Synod following the recommendations of the Hawker Report and has been the subject of much comment, not least in the pages of this Journal. At the time of writing, a draft Measure is still awaited. The second main function is the exercise of the faculty jurisdiction in relation to church buildings, their contents and their surroundings. Central to the effective exercise of this jurisdiction is the ecclesiastical exemption—a pragmatic ‘stand-off’ between central government and certain Christian denominations whereby listed church buildings are not subject to the secular sytem of listed building consent or conservation area control by local authorities. This too has been the subject of recent review. The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of the consistory court in faculty matters and to contribute to the debate which the Newman Report will doubtless engender. The views expressed are, of course, my own and not those of the Ecclesiastical Law Society or any other body.

Solving the Radon Problem in the UK: The Role of Environmental Health Officers

1994 ◽  
Vol 56 (1-4) ◽  
pp. 367-370 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Jones
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Health ◽  
National Survey ◽  
Central Government ◽  
Local Communities ◽  
Remedial Measures ◽  
Local Authorities ◽  
The People ◽  
The Uk

Abstract A major duty of local authorities in the UK is to the wellbeing of local communities. Much of this work is implemented through the Environmental Health Officers. Following a chance finding of radon during a national survey organised by the Institution of Environmental Health Officers, local authorities in the country of Northamptonshire cooperated to identify the extent of the problem and the cause, and to advise impartially on remedial measures. As the level of government closest to the people, local authorities in the county have been able to inform the people and advance the programme more speedily than if left to central government.

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