You are to produce a 2,500 word written evidence submission to the inquiry addressing any or all of the points

You are to produce a 2,500 word written evidence submission to the inquiry addressing any or all of the points above and your submission is to include academic references as appropriate. In producing your submission, check the evidence already submitted which you can do by using the link : https://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/communitiesand-local-government-committee/inquiries/parliament-2015/inquiry6/ The points are: Just before the general election the House of Commons Communities and Local Government Committee launched an inquiry into overview and scrutiny in local government. The inquiry terms of reference and evidence submitted can be found here: https://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/communitiesand-local-government-committee/inquiries/parliament-2015/inquiry6/ The call for evidence was as follows: CLG O&S Inquiry The Communities and Local Government (CLG) Committee launches inquiry into overview and scrutiny in local government. The Committee will consider whether overview and scrutiny arrangements in England are working effectively and whether local communities are able to contribute to and monitor the work of their councils • Inquiry: Overview and scrutiny in local government • Communities and Local Government Governance failings Overview and scrutiny arrangements were introduced by the Local Government Act in 2000 as a counterweight to increasing decision-making powers of Leaders and Cabinets or directly elected mayors. Shortcomings have been exposed, however, following a number of high profile cases, including child sexual exploitation in Rotherham, poor care and high mortality rates at Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust and governance failings in Tower Hamlets. Overview and scrutiny overdue Clive Betts MP, Chair of the Communities and Local Government Committee, said: “This inquiry is long overdue. Local authority executives have more powers than ever before but there has not been any review about how effectively the current overview and scrutiny arrangements are working since they were introduced in 2000. Local authorities have a considerable degree of discretion when it comes to overview and scrutiny. We will examine these arrangements and consider what changes may be needed to ensure decisionmakers in councils and local services are better held to account.” The Committee invites written evidence on: • Whether scrutiny committees in local authorities in England are effective in holding decision-makers to account • The extent to which scrutiny committees operate with political impartiality and independence from executives • Whether scrutiny officers are independent of and separate from those being scrutinised • How chairs and members are selected • Whether powers to summon witnesses are adequate • The potential for local authority scrutiny to act as a voice for local service users • How topics for scrutiny are selected • The support given to the scrutiny function by political leaders and senior officers, including the resources allocated (for example whether there is a designated officer team) • What use is made of specialist external advisers • The effectiveness and importance of local authority scrutiny of external organisations • The role of scrutiny in devolution deals and the scrutiny models used in combined authorities • Examples where scrutiny has worked well and not so well you can use some of the reference here in the list : BASIC TEXTS/RECOMMENDED TEXTS There is no one recommended text for this module but below are a number of suggestions for a series of material that will provide the necessary reading for the module. Most of the journals can be accessed electronically. The following are recommended: Baldersheim, H and L. Rose (2010), Territorial Choice: The Politics of Boundaries and Borders MacMillan, Hampshire. Bulpitt, J., (1983) Territory and Power in the United Kingdom, Manchester University Press Copus, C., (20016 In Defence of Councillors, Manchester University Press Copus, C., (2006) Leading the Localities: Executive Mayors in English Local Governance, Manchester University Press Copus, C., (2004) Party Politics and Local Government, Manchester University Press. Egner, B., D.Sweeting and P-J Klok (eds) 2013, Local Councillors in Europe, Wiebaden, Springer Goldsmith, M., and E. Page., (eds), Changing Government Relations in Europe: from Localism to Intergovernmentalism, Routledge / ECPR, 2010 Kersting, N., and A. Vetter (eds), (2003), Reforming Local Government in Europe: Closing the gap between Democracy and Efficiency, Opladen Mouritzen, P.E and J.H. Svara (2002) Leadership at the Apex: Politicians and administrators in Western Local Government, Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Teles, F., (2016), Local Governance and Inter-Municipal Co-operation, Basingstoke, Palgrave MacMillan SUPPORTING TEXTS Amna, E., and S.Montin (eds), (2000), Towards a New Concept of Local Self-Government? Bergen Back, H., H.Heinelt and A.Magnier (2006), (eds), The European Mayor: Political Leaders in the Changing Context of Local Democracy, Urban and Regional Research International, VS Verlag for Sozialwissenschaften Baldersheim & Wollmann (ed.) (2006) The comparative study of local government and politics. Overview and synthesis. Barbara Budrich Publishers Berg, R., and N. Rao (2005) (eds) Transforming Local Political Leadership, Palgrave Denters, B., and L. Rose, (2005), Comparing Local Governance: Trends and Developments, Palgrave MacMillan Denters, B., M.Goldsmith, A.Ladner, P.E.Mouritzen, L.Rose, (2014) Size and Local Democracy, Edward Elgar, Cheltenham Drage, J., 2008, A Balancing Act: Decision-Making and representation in New Zealand’s Local Government, Institute of Policy Studies, University of Wellington, Wellington. Haus, M. H.Heinelt, M.Stewart (eds) (2005) Urban Governance and Democracy: Leadership and Community Involvement, Routledge, London. Hesse, J.J. & L.J. Sharpe, (1991), Local government in International Perspective: some comparative observations. In: Hesse, J.J. & L.J. Sharp (eds.): Local Government and Urban affairs in International Perspective. Analyses of Twenty Western Industrialised Countries, Baden-Baden, pp. 603-621. Kuhlmann, S and G. Bouckaert (2016) Local Public Sector Reforms in Times of Crisis: National Trajectories and International Comparisons, Palgrave MacMillan Loughlin, J., F.Hendricks and A.Lindstrom (2011), The Oxford Handbook of Regional Democracy in Europe, Oxford, Oxford University Press. Mossberger, K, S, Clarke, P John (2012) The Oxford Handbook of Urban Politics, Oxford Page, E. C. and M., Goldsmith, (eds) 1987: Central and Local Government Relations. A Comparative Analysis of West European Unitary States, Sage. Reiser, M., and E., Holtmann (eds) (2008), Farewell to the Party Model: Independent Local Lists in East and West European Countries, Wiesbaden, Ve Verlag. Reynaert, H., K,Steyvers, P.Delwit and J.B. Pilet (eds) (2005), Revolution or Renovation? Reforming Local Politics in Europe, Vanden Broele. Wilson, D. & Game, C. (2011); Local Government in the United Kingdom (5th edition, Macmillan) JOURNALS British Journal of Political Science British Journal of Politics & International Relations European Union Politics Governance Government and Opposition Lex Localis Local Government Studies Parliamentary Affairs Political Quarterly Political Studies Politics Public Administration West European Politics