U.S.‐Style Leadership for English Local Government?

Abstract

Significant changes in the political management of local authorities in the United Kingdom are now taking place as a result of legislation passed by the Labour government since 1997. The new political management models aim to modernize local governance by strengthening local leadership, streamlining decision making, and enhancing local accountability. These changes owe much to U.S. experience: They involve the introduction of a separation of powers between an executive and an assembly, and they allow local authorities to introduce directly elected mayors for the first time ever. Is U.K. local government beginning to adopt what might be described as U.S.‐style approaches to local governance? The evidence suggests the new institutional designs for U.K. local authorities represent a radical shift toward U.S.‐style local leadership and decision making. However, the U.K. central state remains heavily involved in the details of local decision making, to an extent that would be unthinkable in the United States.

Leadership, Power and Multisector Urban Regeneration Partnerships

“…It is important to note that the leadership within the Belfast GEMS project can be viewed at two levels: first, the outright ownership of the project by South Belfast Partnership Board and, secondly, the individual leadership role assumed by the Chief Executive of the Partnership Board at Advisory Group meetings. This governance structure has echoes of the committee-style leadership model which demonstrated a clear separation of powers between an executive and assembly discussed by Hambleton and Sweeting (2004). Alongside this committee platform, the Chief Executive at Advisory Group meetings has displayed strong individualised leadership similar to the directly elected mayor situation (Lowndes and Leach, 2004).…”

From Princeps to President? Comparing Local Political Leadership Transformation

“…And in fact there are some apparent similarities with the mayor-council model found in many US cities where strong (directly elected and executive) mayors who are highly visible in the media, pursue a developmental agenda and provide linkage through a variety of networks often away from the classic (partisan) representative anchorages (Savitch & Vogel, 2005). Could we extend the UK-based questioning of Hambleton and Sweeting (2004) of an Americanisation of local leadership to the rest of Europe then?…”

Leading cities: a global review of city leadership

“…Empirical studies have examined the changing role of leadership in the context of local government reform, the role of leadership in fostering participatory democracy, the role of leaders in policy-making and regeneration processes and the links between local leadership and economic development (Bussu and Bartels, 2014;Clark et al, 2015;Hemphill et al, 2006;Purdue, 2001;Vanderleeuw et al, 2011;Zhang and Feiock, 2010). The topic of what constitutes effective city leadership has been addressed in literature from scholars as well as private companies and multilateral organisations (Elcock, 2008;Hambleton and Sweeting, 2004;Hemphill et al, 2006;McKinsey & Company, 2013;PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, 2005;Svara, 2003). In a review of the role of leadership in and for place Collinge et al (2010: 367) have, for instance, flagged how 'effective leadership' is one of the main factors that explains how and why some localities 'are able to adapt to and exploit the opportunities afforded by the complex and rapidly changing social and economic circumstances of the modern world'.…”

“…Zaleznik, 1977) is rarely acknowledged in general leadership theory. Place leadership is dispersed across governance networks within which there are formal and informal leaders (Beer and Clower, 2014;Hambleton and Sweeting, 2004;Sotarauta, 2016). The involvement of informal leaders highlights another important point: leadership is not always a formal, paid role in communities (Beer and Clower, 2014).…”

“…Individual leaders, while they play an important role, are only one element of leadership. The way in which local government structures and institutions are set up, the design of local decision-making processes, and the electoral process all play a role in leadership (Elcock, 2008;Gibney et al, 2009;Grint, 2012;Hambleton and Sweeting, 2004;Hemphill et al, 2006;Howard and Sweeting, 2007;Svara, 2003). 4.…”