Contemporary local governance in Britain comprises a complex network of organisations working in partnership to formulate policies to address local needs and issues. Within this, local government continues to play an important part in policy and practice and in the structures and processes of local democracy. This book provides a systematic assessment of the key development issues and debates that are shaping local governance now situating these in their historical context.

English Social capital is increasingly regarded by politicians, policy makers and theoreticians as an antidote to a range of social ills and its absence as a cause of those same ills. Originating in Bourdieu and popularised by Putnam, much is claimed for social capital. However, there is little agreement on what social capital is, where it comes from, how it can be measured and, if it is a ‘good thing’, how we can get more of it. This article reviews the main schools of thought relating to social capital, summarises what is being claimed for it and then sketches out a research agenda to address the unresolved issues surrounding this attractive but elusive concept.

Strategic partnerships have a key role to play in delivering the government's ‘Every Child Matters’ agenda. There is a developing body of research and other evidence and practice‐informed literature about what works in relation to partnership working. Drawing on a research review commissioned by Barnardos on strategic partnership working for children, this study summarises research findings from a number of sectors relating to the development, delivery and review of effective partnerships. Although there is widespread consensus within the research on the factors contributing to effective partnership processes, there is, currently, relatively little evidence that partnerships lead to positive outcomes for children and young people. © 2006 The Author(s). Journal compilation © National Children's Bureau.

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