Compulsory competition for local Government services in the UK: A case of market rhetoric and camouflaged centralism

1995 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-75 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keith Shaw ◽  
John Fenwick ◽  
Anne Foreman
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Government Services ◽  
The Uk

scholarly journals An evaluation of the information content of local authority websites in the UK using citizen-based scenarios

2007 ◽  
Vol 31 (98) ◽  
pp. 45-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wendy Olphert ◽  
Leela Damodaran
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Local Government ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Local Authority ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Information Provision ◽  
Ease Of Use ◽  
Government Services ◽  
The Uk

The UK Government is pursuing ambitious targets for the delivery of e-government at the local level. As part of the implementation of local e-government, all of the 468 local authorities in the UK now have a website. Surveys show significant advances in the delivery of online local government services, but despite this the level of usage of e-government by citizens in the UK is low compared to other countries at a similar level of e-maturity. One reason hypothesised for this is that the websites do not meet citizens' information needs and consequently fail to engage them. A pilot study was undertaken to explore the use of real life scenario-based queries as a method for evaluating information provision on local authority websites. The findings suggest that even websites that perform highly in terms of accessibility, transactional capability and ease of use will not necessarily meet citizens' information needs. The authors conclude that a citizen-centred approach to developing e-government systems, including the identification of information needs, could generate the 'user pull' needed to stimulate uptake and achieve the intended benefits.

Public health: unchained or shackled?

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
David J Hunter
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Local Government ◽  
Health System ◽  
Cultural Change ◽  
Public Services ◽  
Social Groups ◽  
Coalition Government ◽  
Health Gap ◽  
New Challenges ◽  
The Uk

As in the case of other parts of the UK wider health system, it has been a turbulent time for public health since 2010. Not only has the function undergone major structural and cultural change following its return to local government from the NHS, where it had been located since 1974, but it has had to confront new challenges in public health arising from lifestyle behaviours and a widening health gap between social groups. All of this has occurred during a period of unprecedented financial austerity affecting public services in general but local government in particular. This chapter reviews the state of public health in the lead up to the changes announced by the Coalition government in 2010. It then summarises the reforms before offering an interim assessment of their impact. Finally, it discusses the evidence to date concerning the reforms and speculates on likely prospects in the years ahead.

From front-line defence to back‑foot retreat: the diminishment of local government’s role in social health outcomes

2020 ◽  
pp. 347-364
Author(s):  
Michael Bennett
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Local Government ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
20Th Century ◽  
Social Determinants ◽  
Social Conditions ◽  
Social Health ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
The Uk

This chapter investigates the diminishment of local government's role in social health outcomes. The 20th century led to radical improvements in public health across England and the United Kingdom (UK). Modern local government in the UK was born out of a growing concern about the links between social conditions and the state of public health. Yet while 'social determinants of health' has become a global discipline, local government has ceded its role over the last decade as its capacity has withered during the time of austerity. The COVID-19 crisis of 2020 has shown the capacity of local government to mobilise anew around public health issues, but its fundamental fiscal and constitutional weaknesses show that a new settlement is needed more than ever.

A new page? The public library in austerity

2020 ◽  
pp. 227-248
Author(s):  
Emma Davidson
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Social Security ◽  
Public Services ◽  
Marked Decrease ◽  
Public Library ◽  
The Public ◽  
Communal Space ◽  
Clear Shift ◽  
The Uk

This chapter demonstrates how, in the UK, austerity has not been limited to the provision of social security. Most government departmental budgets were cut and there was a clear shift in responsibility from central to local government, which also had its budgets slashed. The cuts to local government have also resulted in a marked decrease in the provision of key services. The chapter finds that libraries can be important spaces for support workers to meet clients, as well as for those with fewer resources to access computers, books, or simply a safe communal space outside of their home. Future lack of investment in universal public services may perpetuate and further widen the inequalities in access to these resources.

9. Devolution and local government

Public Law ◽  
2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Stanton ◽  
Craig Prescott
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Northern Ireland ◽  
Constitutional Law ◽  
Historical Development ◽  
Regional Institutions ◽  
Legislative Authority ◽  
Recent Addition ◽  
The Uk

Devolution is a recent addition to the UK constitutional law vocabulary. The concept refers to the decentralisation of power from central institutions in London to regional institutions exercising executive and legislative authority in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. This chapter explores the principle of devolution, both in terms of its historical development and its constitutional importance. It discusses recent issues and debates relevant to the role that it continues to play in the UK Constitution through the established institutions in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. All this is tied together in consideration of a problem scenario which encourages discussion of the powers of the devolved institutions and their relationship with centralised authority at Westminster.

E-Service Provision by New Zealand Local Government

2011 ◽  
pp. 718-725 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Paynter
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Local Government ◽  
Web Sites ◽  
Service Provision ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Government Services ◽  
The World ◽  
The Web

Historically, information and services can only be obtained through narrow, one to one, phones, and agency-specific shop fronts (Caffrey, 1998). Information technology, especially the Internet, opens possibilities of using methods to distribute information and deliver services on a much grander scale. The Internet provides a foundation for a variety of communications media. The Web is one of the most important media built upon the Internet. It can be accessed from almost anywhere in the world by means of computers and electronic devices; it is possible to elicit more information, establish platforms for online payment, online consultation and e-voting. Security concerns can be overcome by data-authentication technologies. It can deliver government services and encourage greater democracy and engagement from citizens. Governments around the world are exploring the use of Web-based information technology (Grönlund, 2002). Attention has focused on the design and delivery of portals as a major component of government electronic service infrastructures. The N.Z. government portal site (http://www.govt.nz/en/home/) or the Local Government Online Ltd (LGOL) Web site, (www.localgovt.co.nz/AboutCouncils/Councils/ByRegion/) are examples. Since the mid-1990s governments have been tapping the potential of the Internet to improve and governance and service provision. “In 2001, it was estimated that globally there were well over 50,000 official government Web sites with more coming online daily. In 1996 less than 50 official government homepages could be found on the world-wide-Web” (Ronaghan, 2002). Local governments are faced with growing demands of delivering information and services more efficiently and effectively and at low cost. Along with the rapid growth of technological developments, people demand high quality services that reflect their lifestyles and are accessible after normal office hours from home or work. Thus, the goals of delivering electronic government services are to simplify procedures and documentation; eliminate interactions that fail to yield outcomes; extend contact opportunities (i.e., access) beyond office hours and improve relationships with the public (Grönlund, 2002). Having an effective Web presence is critical to the success of local governments moving to adopt new technologies. Of equal importance is the evaluation of Web sites using different manual and automated methodologies and tools. In this study an evaluation of local authority Web sites was conducted to gain a practical understanding of the impact of the Internet on local governments in New Zealand using a tailor-made model specific to local governments. Issues studied focused on the information and services provided by the local authority Web sites. What is more important is whether the local government operations can or are able to support the expectations for speed, service, convenience, and delivery that the Web creates. Through identification of best practice Web sites and a set of evaluation methods and tools, this paper will provide a set of design guidelines to local authorities that would benefit and better meet the needs of their local communities.

4. How the UK is organised

2021 ◽  
pp. 71-99
Author(s):  
Anne Dennett
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Northern Ireland ◽  
National Security ◽  
Central Government ◽  
State Legislature ◽  
Foreign Affairs ◽  
Government Agencies ◽  
Government Power ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Uk

This chapter details how power is allocated in the UK, and its organisation in terms of devolution and regional and local government. Power in the UK is divided into three branches or arms of state: legislature (law-makers), executive (government and administration), and judiciary (courts and judges). Before devolution, the government’s (executive’s) administrative power was centralised and it extended to the whole of the UK, but devolution has made significant changes to the constitution and has brought a substantial rebalancing of power in the government of the UK. Since devolution’s introduction, the power of central government no longer extends to the growing areas of domestic policy that have been devolved to Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The UK government’s remit therefore now covers England and the whole of the UK on non-devolved matters including the conduct of foreign affairs, defence, national security, and oversight of the Civil Service and government agencies.

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