Local democracy

Project report: researching the future of local democracy

When the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill becomes law, the district tier of local government will disappear across 21 currently two-tier shire counties. My research assesses the potential of so-called ‘area committees’ to fill the gap in democratic connectedness that may arise when districts are abolished.

The project considers both the conceptual issues involved and the practical lessons that can be learned from the experience of area committees in shire counties that became unitary authorities in earlier rounds of local government reform, together with selected urban authorities. The aim is to establish an evidence base of what appears to work well – and less well – in preparation for the choices to be made in Oxfordshire and elsewhere.

Area committees and democracy

A central concern in current debates about unitary authorities is the possible loss of democratic connectedness. Larger unitary authorities may lack the local knowledge and flexibility previously provided by district councils, while communities may feel more distant from decision-making.

The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill proposes that all newly created unitary authorities should establish area committees for the effective governance of neighbourhood areas. Although committees of this kind have existed for many years, they will now assume a much more significant role. Understanding how they can best support local democracy will therefore become increasingly important.

Learning from experience

To understand how area committees work in practice, the project examines authorities including Cornwall, Wiltshire, Northumberland, Buckinghamshire and North Yorkshire, alongside selected urban authorities. The research compares how these committees are structured, the responsibilities they hold, the resources available to them and the ways in which they engage local communities.

Alongside documentary analysis, the project draws on interviews with councillors, officers, parish and town councillors and other participants. Bringing together these different perspectives will help identify what enables area committees to function effectively and where improvements might be made.

Expected outcomes

The research aims to provide a stronger evidence base on how area committees can be organised, what benefits they can deliver and the challenges involved in establishing them. By identifying examples of effective practice and the lessons that can be learned from existing authorities, the project seeks to inform future decisions about local democracy in Oxfordshire and elsewhere.