The Politics of Policy in Local Government
The Making and Maintenance of Public Policy in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea

Originally published in 1973, this book is a review of the established literature on local government and the mainstream studies of public policy in political science.

John Dearlove (Author)

9780521134507, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 3 February 2011

296 pages
22.9 x 15.2 x 1.7 cm, 0.44 kg

This book was originally published in 1973, at a time when most writers on local government saw local authorities as agents of central government. The few studies which recognised local authorities as policy-shaping bodies explained their activity by regarding them as responsible servants of the local electorate. In the first part of this book, John Dearlove presents a review of the established literature of the time on local government and the mainstream studies of public policy in political science. He argues that both traditions of literature are mistaken, local governments are seen as policy shapers, but their activity cannot be optimistically explained by theories focusing on electors. He also claims that theories which explain public policy by focusing on the impact of environment are inadequate in terms of the context of British local politics. In the second part of the study, the author illustrates these general points with reference to detailed research in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

Introduction: political science and public policy
1. Local government as administration
Part I. Public Policy-Making: The Impact of Environment: 2. Elections: the citizen as policy-maker
3. The importance of pressure groups
4. The demographic approach
5. Overview: organisations and environments
Part II. Public Policy-Maintenance: The Case of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea: Section A: the internal regulation of council activity: 6. Conventions, rules and role theory
7. Rules for recruitment and behaviour
Section B: the external relations of the council: 8. The councillor and interest groups
9. The councillor and his information
Section C: the proper role of government: 10. Councillor ideology
Conclusions: the defence of commitment and the control of disturbance
Sources and bibliography
Index of authors
Index of subjects.

Subject Areas: Politics & government [JP]