Devolution, community planning and institutional decongestion?
By: PEMBERTON, Simon
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Contributor(s): LLOYD, Greg.
Material type: 
ArticlePublisher: Birmingham : Taylor & Francis, August 2008Local Government Studies 34, 4, p. 437-452Abstract: Devolution in the UK has been in place for a decade. It was introduced in a differentiated manner with respect to executive, legislative and financial powers. It created opportunities for the devolved administrations to devise more appropriate governance arrangements to address their individual economic and social issues. In addressing inherited institutional and policy fragmentation and deficits, however, this has contributed to a 'congested state'. As a consequence interest has turned to devising initiatives to serve as a policy and institutional 'decongestant'. This paper examines what has taken place as the devolved administrations have attempted to develop their own agenda for change with respect to the introduction of 'community planning' (as a potential decongestant). It appears that whilst the agents and structures of relevance to community planning differ by the specificities of each devolved administration, in practice there has been a general lack of 'decongesting' to date. In turn, this implies that despite the potential for devising more customised approaches and 'policy learning' in each area, there are enduring difficulties for modern governance systems to secure the effective local delivery of public policy. It is suggested that more formalised arrangements may be required to support the development of a stronger and broader strategic framework for community planning - and its role as a decongestant therein.
Devolution in the UK has been in place for a decade. It was introduced in a differentiated manner with respect to executive, legislative and financial powers. It created opportunities for the devolved administrations to devise more appropriate governance arrangements to address their individual economic and social issues. In addressing inherited institutional and policy fragmentation and deficits, however, this has contributed to a 'congested state'. As a consequence interest has turned to devising initiatives to serve as a policy and institutional 'decongestant'. This paper examines what has taken place as the devolved administrations have attempted to develop their own agenda for change with respect to the introduction of 'community planning' (as a potential decongestant). It appears that whilst the agents and structures of relevance to community planning differ by the specificities of each devolved administration, in practice there has been a general lack of 'decongesting' to date. In turn, this implies that despite the potential for devising more customised approaches and 'policy learning' in each area, there are enduring difficulties for modern governance systems to secure the effective local delivery of public policy. It is suggested that more formalised arrangements may be required to support the development of a stronger and broader strategic framework for community planning - and its role as a decongestant therein.
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