Women leaders in local government in the United Kingdom

This article draws upon research undertaken in the United Kingdom in 2006 which examined aspects of the ‘leadership’ roles and functions of female and male councillors. The article highlights the continued under representation of women in terms of the proportion of councillors who are women, and the ‘gender gap’ that exists in terms of council leadership and the portfolios that men and women hold on council cabinets or executives. It moves on to a consideration of qualitative evidence that suggests that there are similarities and differences in the way that female and male councillors in leadership positions perceive of their roles and styles

Other forms of evidence – and how to use them?

This module covers inclusive approaches to policy-making and other forms of evidence and the ways to use them. While quantitative sources of data are useful in producing some forms of evidence, qualitative sources play an important role, including helping to produce policies that work in practice.Inclusive and “ joined up” approaches to policy-making can play an important role in helping policymakers devise more appropriate policies and achieve more effective policy outcomes

Parliament's engagement with the public

This Briefing Paper reviews Parliament's engagement with the public. It outlines the concept of procedural justice, defined as: 'the fairness of the process by which decisions are made, and the role participants may have in this' (Bochel, 2016, p 371). This Paper explores the concept's potential in providing a framework of ideas against which it is possible to examine how Parliament engages with the public. This is the first stage of a project undertaken through the House of Commons Academic Fellowship Scheme to examine whether procedural justice can be a helpful tool to explore how Parliament's engagement is conducted

Process matters: petitions systems in Britain's legislatures

Over the past fifteen years petitions systems have become embedded in the Scottish Parliament and the National Assembly for Wales, and more recently the House of Commons. This article uses the concept of procedural justice, with its emphasis on the fairness of the process by which decisions are made, as an analytical tool to explore four case studies of petitions systems in British legislatures, considering, in particular, the extent to which they enable voice, decision making and transparency. It illustrates that the application of ideas of procedural justice not only provides us with a useful tool for analysing petitions systems in representative political institutions, but also potentially provides a framework of ideas from which petitions systems, and perhaps other participatory initiatives, may learn

Power, participation and representation: exploring the policy process

PhD by publicatio

Petitions Systems: Outcomes, 'Success' and 'Failure'

The use of formal petitions systems has become increasingly widespread in the United Kingdom. The systems in the National Assembly for Wales and the Scottish Parliament have been widely seen as models of good practice. However, one aspect that has not been explored in sufficient depth is the outcomes of petitions. This article uses petitions to the two legislatures to develop a framework to assist in understanding how ‘success’ and ‘failure’ might be judged in relation to petitions. In addition to contributing to our wider understanding of such systems, this may help political institutions think about the processes which underpin their petition systems, the ways in which they frame the systems for the public, and could help better manage petitioner expectations, including by illustrating to petitioners what they might achieve at different stages in the petitions process

Local political leadership and the modernisation of local government

Political leadership has been a key element of central government’s attempts to ‘modernise’ local government over the past decade, within a discourse that emphasised ‘strong’ and ‘visible’ leadership and the role of leaders and leadership in driving change within local authorities. In the context of such an approach, and also taking account of academic discourse, this article draws upon interviews with nearly thirty individuals in leadership positions in local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales to assess their experiences of leadership and their views of some aspects of the role and work of councils. It suggests that whilst there is broad convergence between the aspirations of government and the narratives that emerge from these leaders on some aspects of local political leadership, there are also differences, perhaps most notably over the relationship between changes to decision making structures and the loci of political power

Marginalised or enabled voices? 'User participation' in policy and practice

The idea of participation has been central to many policy developments in recent years. Both Conservative and Labour governments have used notions of participation and involvement in attempts to justify and implement their social policies. Yet, despite a plethora of initiatives and guidance around ‘participation’ emerging from all levels of government, and a substantial academic literature, there remains a major, and potentially damaging, lack of clarity over many aspects of participation, while the secret of achieving ‘real’ participation appears to continue to remain elusive

Reaching in? The potential for E-petitions in local government in the United Kingdom

This article considers the extent to which petitions and e-petitions might allow citizens to ‘reach in’ to local authorities in the United Kingdom. It examines how e-petitions sit against wider debates about the use of technology and digital democracy and the extent to which petitions systems might align with traditional approaches to representative democracy. It highlights that, as with many other participative initiatives, digital or otherwise, there are a variety of issues and risks associated with e-petitions, including those associated with broad socio-economic factors, and others that are more specifically related to the use of e-petitions. However, drawing on existing examples of e-petitions systems in the UK, it suggests that, designed well, they may have potential value, not simply in terms of enabling ‘voice’ and participation, but also in helping educate and inform petitioners about local democracy and decision-making

Exploring the low levels of women's representation in Japanese local government

Although women have consistently outvoted men in elections in Japan since the 1970s, the country has a relatively poor record in terms of women being elected to representative bodies. In recent years, there have been increases, particularly in the number of women in the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors, but at the local level the rate of change has been slower. As in other states, a number of propositions have been put forward to explain the low numbers of women in local assemblies. Drawing upon a variety of sources, including the developing literature and interviews with women councillors and others, this article seeks to identify the variety of factors that have contributed to holding down levels of female representation in local government in Japan. It examines these in the context of recent changes and considers the extent to which there is the prospect for further chang