Local communities and service distribution in an era of austerity Peter Matthews Annette Hastings...
Transcript of Local communities and service distribution in an era of austerity Peter Matthews Annette Hastings...
Local communities and service distribution in an era of austerity Peter Matthews
Annette Hastings
Research funded by:
Contents
• Realist synthesis
• Local strategy of equality
• Four causal theories of middle class activismo Land-use planningoNeighbourhood services
• Questions for local leadership
Realist Synthesis
• Method from policy analysis
• Between RCTs/systematic review and more “theoretical” approaches
• Identifies families of mechanisms and the evidence base for them
• Aims to create a “middle theory” with predictive power
• 1980 – present day, UK, US, Scandinavia
M
O
Cn
n
Mechanism: middle class community activism
Outcome: disproportionate benefit to middle classes
Cn
Local strategy of equality
“In principle, local people may choose to vote for high or low spending political parties, and so any given level of service should not be enforced by the centre.”
(Powell, Boyne & Ashworth, 2001: 21)
Local strategy of equality
Equality to meet need
• Normative
• Felt
• Expressed
• Comparative
Outcomes:
Local strategy of equality
Rights:
“Each area is entitled to a level of spending proportionate to its contribution to national and local taxes”
Outcomes:
Local strategy of equality
Effort:
“all areas should be able to provide the same standard of service by drawing upon the same proportion of their tax base ”
Outcomes:
Local strategy of equality
• Equal level of service for individuals
• Equitable treatment for taxpayers
• Equal outcomes for individuals
• Local differences expressing local wishes
Outcomes:
Mechanism: middle class community activism
Outcome: disproportionate benefit to middle classes
Cn
Theory name Definition
I’ll stand as the parish council chair
That the level or nature of middle class interest group formation allows for the collective articulation of their needs and demands, and that service providers respond to this.
I’ll write to my councillor and complain
That the level and nature of middle-class engagement with public services on an individualised basis means that services are more likely to be provided according to their needs and demands.
I’ll just phone our doctor That the alignment in the cultural capital enjoyed by middle classes service users and service providers leads to engagement which is constructive and confers advantage .
I’ll vote for them That the needs of middle class service users, or their expectations of service quality, are ‘normalised’ in policy and practice or even that policy priorities can favour middle-class interests.
Localism
• Planning for housing development
• Neighbourhood services in deprived areas
Planning for housing development
Open Source Planning
Mechanism: middle class community activism is stopping development because residents do not get any material benefit from new development, only costs
Outcome: Not enough homes being provided in areas where they are needed
Cn
Planning for housing development
Open Source Planning
Mechanism: materially benefit middle class homeowners and they will want homes to be built:• New homes bonus;• Community Infrastructure Levy.
Outcome: lots of new homes in the south east of England
Cn
“Open Source planning will engage local communities and foster a spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship.”
or a logic of using a rights-based equitable outcome to meet normative or expressed need and equality in provision
‘In order to keep riff-raff from [nearby city] out of the community you need this s106 Agreement [planning policy]’
Sturzaker, 2010: 1014
Causal theories
1. Middle classes much more likely to be members of parish councils
2. Middle classes more likely to comment on applications – self-sustaining cycle
3. Middle classes can call on social capital – retired planners etc.
4. Pre-1997 system generally favoured middle classes
4. Developers imagine a vocal middle class and pre-emptively respond to them
Expressed need trumps normative need
Planning for housing development
Mechanism: middle classes resist development as predicted by four causal theories
Outcome: lower planned housing numbers
Context: socio-economic inequality
Planning for housing development
Mechanism: middle classes resist development as predicted by four causal theories
Outcome: increased planned housing numbers
Context: socio-economic inequality
Mechanism: HMA-led regional planning targets
Planning for housing development
Open Source Planning
Mechanism:• New homes bonus;• Community Infrastructure Levy;• Neighbourhood planning;
Outcome: further reduction in planned housing numbers
Context: socio-economic inequality
four causal theories
Neighbourhood Services
Mechanism: middle class community activism
Outcome: “inverse care law”
Context: socio-economic inequality
Neighbourhood Services - ABIsMechanism: middle class community activism
Outcomes:• Unequal services• More equal outcomes
Context: socio-economic inequality
Mechanism: ABIs• Enhanced services• Tailored services and
projects• Capital investment• Community empowerment
Neighbourhood ManagementMechanism: middle class community activism
Outcomes:• Unequal services• More equal outcomes
Context: socio-economic inequality
Mechanism: neighbourhood management• Enhanced services• Realigned mainstream
expenditure
Control Shift
“By giving people more power and control over the services that are delivered in their areas, we can inspire a new spirit of civic pride in our communities. It’s simple psychology – when people know their actions can make a real difference they are far more motivated to get involved.”
or providing opportunities for felt need to be expressed will enable services to meet this expressed need which will be normative need
Localism
Outcome:“Decentralisation will allow different communities to do different things in different ways to meet their different needs. This will certainly increase variety in service provision. But far from being random – as the word ‘lottery’ implies – such variation will reflect the conscious choices made by local people.”
Context: • No difference in
capacity between communities
• Communities stifled by state
Mechanism: empowering reforms allow felt need to be expressed
Localism in action
• Substantial, front-loaded reductions in grants that met comparative need
• Pressure on local government services in most deprived areas
• Community right-to-buy
• Community right-to-challenge
Neighbourhood Services
Mechanism: middle class community activism four causal theories
Outcome: “inverse care law”Rights or effort-based equity
Context: socio-economic inequality
Community right to challenge
Community right to buy
Conclusion
• Effect of middle class activism is overwhelming
• Needs of middle classes are expressed and normalised
• Localism creates new channels by which mechanisms might be effective
• Very likely to exacerbate inequalities
• Localism must be funded
• Questions for local leadership