ABSTRACT
Chapter 5, titled ‘Localism and public value’, focuses on public value (PV) as a fundamental factor in the design of political institutions and systems. PV refers to the longer-term outcomes of public policy. It encompasses all aspects of good and effective governance, and it should be seen as the main goal of governmental strategy. Three major domains of PV are discussed in turn, each with specific reference to localism. These are democracy and accountability, human wellbeing and environmental sustainability. These domains are increasingly being addressed in a joined-up way, as is evident in the broad scope of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the UN in 2015. The chapter also discusses a further, system-based domain of public value: territorial cohesion (TC). It shows how TC is being addressed within the context of the European Union (EU). The advantage of TC is that it cuts across individual sectors and encourages an integrated, strategic approach to public policy. This encompasses economic effectiveness, social cohesion and ecological balance, and it puts the sustainable development of places at the heart of EU policy making. Its aim is to promote a form of ‘spatial justice’ across the EU’s diverse territorial communities.
