ABSTRACT

First published in 1966, Local Government in Crisis presents a comprehensive overview of the challenges and limitations of the local government in Britain. William A. Robson discusses major themes like loss of municipal functions and public utilities; transfer of powers from county districts to county councils; increased central control and dependence on central finance; attitude of local authorities to municipal reforms; the Local Government Act, 1958; and work of the Local Government Commission, to showcase the demand for far reaching substantial changes in a) the structure and finance of local government, b) the relations of local authorities with central departments and c) the power entrusted to local councils. This book is an essential read for scholars and researchers of public administration, political science, and public policy.

chapter |3 pages

Local Government in Crisis

chapter I|6 pages

The Loss of Municipal Functions

chapter II|7 pages

The Loss of Public Utilities

chapter III|2 pages

Socialist Belief in Municipal Trading

chapter IV|1 pages

New Towns

chapter V|4 pages

Some Local Government Gains

chapter VII|6 pages

Delegation of Powers to District Councils

chapter VIII|6 pages

Regional Planning

chapter IX|6 pages

Increased Central Control

chapter X|16 pages

Local Dependence on Central Finance

chapter XI|6 pages

A Diagnosis

chapter XIII|1 pages

The Labour Party's Report 1943

chapter XVI|4 pages

The Boundary Commission's Proposals 1947

chapter XVII|4 pages

Mr Aneurin Bevan and Local Government Reform

chapter XXI|3 pages

The Concordat 1956

chapter XXII|2 pages

The White Paper on Areas and Status 1956

chapter XXIII|2 pages

The Local Government Act, 1958

chapter XXIV|5 pages

The Work of the Local Government Commission

chapter XXV|2 pages

The Case of Rutland

chapter XXVI|2 pages

The Upsurge of the Counties

chapter XXVII|2 pages

The Situation in Wales

chapter XXVIII|2 pages

The Liberal Party's Scheme for Wales 1962

chapter XXIX|4 pages

The Principal Defects of the Structure

chapter XXX|6 pages

Democratic Regional Government

chapter XXXI|11 pages

The Reform of London Government

chapter XXXII|3 pages

Plain Speaking by Mr Crossman

chapter XXXIII|3 pages

Conclusions