Mechanisms of metagovernance as structural challenges to levelling up in England

2023/06/15 by Jack Newman, Simon Collinson, Nigel Driffield +2 · 2 citations
Economics, Econometrics and Finance · Social Sciences · #Housing, Finance, and Neoliberalism #Social Policy and Reform Studies #Political and Economic history of UK and US

paper · pdf · doi:10.1080/00343404.2023.2217215

Abstract

At the time of writing, the UK government is attempting to tackle place-based inequality through its ‘levelling up’ agenda. To be effective, such interventions require local institutions with the capacity, powers, and budgets to develop and implement long-term strategies. Multi-level metagovernance, the ongoing reorganisation of local governance systems by the central state, has become a salient political process in England, characterised by fragmented system design, distorted local strategies, micromanagement and mistrustful central–local relations. These various problems are underpinned by a problematic combination of quasi-markets and state hierarchy. Together, these metagovernance mechanisms significantly constrain local capacity to deliver economic development.

Cited by

• The challenge of devolved English governance and the rise of political spatial inequality
• Independence and dependence in central–local relations: Multilevel governance and state capacity in England since the 1970s

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