Out of the Loop? Councillors and the New Political Management

Abstract

As part of the local government modernisation agenda, and under the specific terms of the Local Government Act 2000, local authorities have been required to adopt one of the new models designed to strengthen their core executive: principally, the leader and cabinet, the elected mayor and cabinet, or the elected mayor and council manager. Although the new political management structures are now in place, little is yet known about how they have affected the lives and work of councillors. This paper presents the initial results from a study of elected members in four local authorities in the North of England. Based on a survey and interviews, the research explores the impact of the new arrangements, and other aspects of modernisation, upon the role of the councillor.

Managing Politics? Ethics Regulation and Conflicting Conceptions of “Good Conduct”

“…In some councils, those outside cabinet structures felt that these changes reduced the opportunity for political debate and their chance to influence decision making. As executive members made the decisions, they felt “out of the loop” (Davis and Geddes ; Fenwick, Elcock, and Lilley ). These frustrations and a sense of voicelessness were to have consequences for ethics regulation, as our research shows.…”

Le leadership et la gestion dans le gouvernement local britannique : Quel rôle pour les maires élus ?

“…Ceux-ci doivent, comme tout le monde, apprendre le nouveau système et développer de nouvelles relations (Snape, 2004). Nombreux sont ceux qui ont le sentiment d'être « hors du coup », ce qui inquiète les maires et les membres de l'exécutif (Fenwick, Elcock et Lilley, 2003). Un maire considérait le rôle des conseillers non exécutifs comme consistant à « nous inviter (l'exécutif) à rendre compte, que ce soit au sein de commissions ou via le public ».…”