Dr Hugh Atkinson is principal lecturer in politics and head of the Politics Division at South Bank University. His specialism is British local government and he is co-author of British Local Government since 1979; The End of an era? Stuart Wilks-Heeg has researched and published widely in the area of local government and urban policy, and is the co-author of British Local Government since 1979; The End of an era? and Talking About Tomorrow: A new Radical Politics., he is Research Fellow, Centre for Sustainable Urban and Regional Futures, University of Salford.

'This book is a powerful and exciting statement of the creative autonomy of British local Government. It explores how local authorities have found ways of pursuing innovative strategies, even in adversity. It is well-informed and right up-to-date in the concerns it raises. The authors' arguments represent a powerful corrective to the currently dominant academic and political "common sense", with its simple slogal of "modernisation".' Allan Cochrane, Open University 'The book has much to offer. Its promotion of the concept of creative autonomy is forceful, insightful, and a valuable contribution to the literature on local governance in the United Kingdom.' Environment and Planning "This is an excellent book combining the offer of a comprehensive and authoritative text suitable for advanced undergraduates and masters students with the advancement of an important thesis." Social Policy

• List of Figures and Tables. Preface and Acknowledgements.List of Abbreviations.Introduction.Part I: The Context of UK Local Government.Chapter 1: The Evolution of Local Government in the UK.Chapter 2: Theories of Local Government and Local Governance.Chapter 3: British Local Government since 1979: Two Decades of Change.Part II: Local Government from Thatcher to Major: Three Dimensions of Change.Chapter 4 The Financing of Local Government.Chapter 5: The Changing Structure and Shape of Local Government.Chapter 6: Local Government and the Private Sector.Part III: Local Government Reinvents Itself?.Chapter 7: Local Elections, Political Realignment and Change in Local Authorities.Chapter 8: Getting Their Own Houses in Order: New Directions in Local Government Internal Organization.Chapter 9: Global Problems, Local Solutions: Government and Sustainable Development.Chapter 10: The Europeanization of British Local Government?.Part IV: Sub-national Government under New Labour.Chapter 11: Towards Regional Government? The Introduction of Regional Offices, the Moves towards Devolution and the Notion of Regionalism.Chapter 12: Local Government under New Labour.Conclusion.Notes.References.Index.

Dr Hugh Atkinson is principal lecturer in politics and head of the Politics Division at South Bank University. His specialism is British local government and he is co-author of British Local Government since 1979; The End of an era? Stuart Wilks-Heeg has researched and published widely in the area of local government and urban policy, and is the co-author of British Local Government since 1979; The End of an era? and Talking About Tomorrow: A new Radical Politics., he is Research Fellow, Centre for Sustainable Urban and Regional Futures, University of Salford.

'This book is a powerful and exciting statement of the creative autonomy of British local Government. It explores how local authorities have found ways of pursuing innovative strategies, even in adversity. It is well-informed and right up-to-date in the concerns it raises. The authors' arguments represent a powerful corrective to the currently dominant academic and political "common sense", with its simple slogal of "modernisation".' Allan Cochrane, Open University 'The book has much to offer. Its promotion of the concept of creative autonomy is forceful, insightful, and a valuable contribution to the literature on local governance in the United Kingdom.' Environment and Planning "This is an excellent book combining the offer of a comprehensive and authoritative text suitable for advanced undergraduates and masters students with the advancement of an important thesis." Social Policy

• List of Figures and Tables. Preface and Acknowledgements.List of Abbreviations.Introduction.Part I: The Context of UK Local Government.Chapter 1: The Evolution of Local Government in the UK.Chapter 2: Theories of Local Government and Local Governance.Chapter 3: British Local Government since 1979: Two Decades of Change.Part II: Local Government from Thatcher to Major: Three Dimensions of Change.Chapter 4 The Financing of Local Government.Chapter 5: The Changing Structure and Shape of Local Government.Chapter 6: Local Government and the Private Sector.Part III: Local Government Reinvents Itself?.Chapter 7: Local Elections, Political Realignment and Change in Local Authorities.Chapter 8: Getting Their Own Houses in Order: New Directions in Local Government Internal Organization.Chapter 9: Global Problems, Local Solutions: Government and Sustainable Development.Chapter 10: The Europeanization of British Local Government?.Part IV: Sub-national Government under New Labour.Chapter 11: Towards Regional Government? The Introduction of Regional Offices, the Moves towards Devolution and the Notion of Regionalism.Chapter 12: Local Government under New Labour.Conclusion.Notes.References.Index.

Dr Hugh Atkinson is principal lecturer in politics and head of the Politics Division at South Bank University. His specialism is British local government and he is co-author of British Local Government since 1979; The End of an era? Stuart Wilks-Heeg has researched and published widely in the area of local government and urban policy, and is the co-author of British Local Government since 1979; The End of an era? and Talking About Tomorrow: A new Radical Politics., he is Research Fellow, Centre for Sustainable Urban and Regional Futures, University of Salford.

'This book is a powerful and exciting statement of the creative autonomy of British local Government. It explores how local authorities have found ways of pursuing innovative strategies, even in adversity. It is well-informed and right up-to-date in the concerns it raises. The authors' arguments represent a powerful corrective to the currently dominant academic and political "common sense", with its simple slogal of "modernisation".' Allan Cochrane, Open University 'The book has much to offer. Its promotion of the concept of creative autonomy is forceful, insightful, and a valuable contribution to the literature on local governance in the United Kingdom.' Environment and Planning "This is an excellent book combining the offer of a comprehensive and authoritative text suitable for advanced undergraduates and masters students with the advancement of an important thesis." Social Policy

• List of Figures and Tables. Preface and Acknowledgements.List of Abbreviations.Introduction.Part I: The Context of UK Local Government.Chapter 1: The Evolution of Local Government in the UK.Chapter 2: Theories of Local Government and Local Governance.Chapter 3: British Local Government since 1979: Two Decades of Change.Part II: Local Government from Thatcher to Major: Three Dimensions of Change.Chapter 4 The Financing of Local Government.Chapter 5: The Changing Structure and Shape of Local Government.Chapter 6: Local Government and the Private Sector.Part III: Local Government Reinvents Itself?.Chapter 7: Local Elections, Political Realignment and Change in Local Authorities.Chapter 8: Getting Their Own Houses in Order: New Directions in Local Government Internal Organization.Chapter 9: Global Problems, Local Solutions: Government and Sustainable Development.Chapter 10: The Europeanization of British Local Government?.Part IV: Sub-national Government under New Labour.Chapter 11: Towards Regional Government? The Introduction of Regional Offices, the Moves towards Devolution and the Notion of Regionalism.Chapter 12: Local Government under New Labour.Conclusion.Notes.References.Index.