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New directions in economic development: Localist policy discourses and the Localism Act

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  • Gill Bentley
  • Lee Pugalis

Abstract

Since entering office in 2010, a distinct grammar of localism has pervaded the UK Coalition Government’s philosophical outlook inflecting localist policy discourses and practice. This article, written in June 2012, considers the implications of this new grammar for the scope, organisation and mobilisation of economic development interventions, through a focus on the 2011 Localism Act , which applies to England and Wales. Interpreting these changes through a localist conceptual prism, which helps to refract varieties of localism, it raises some serious concerns regarding localism in action through exposing the controlling tendencies of central government. Analysis is also directed towards the uneasy relationship between centralised powers, conditional decentralisation and fragmented localism. Nevertheless, emergent practice serves to demonstrate how ‘constrained freedoms’ can be negotiated to undertake innovative actions. It concludes by suggesting some foundational elements that would support the notion of ‘empowered localities’ that may secure the government’s imperative to enable private sector-led growth.

Suggested Citation

  • Gill Bentley & Lee Pugalis, 2013. "New directions in economic development: Localist policy discourses and the Localism Act," Local Economy, London South Bank University, vol. 28(3), pages 257-274, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:loceco:v:28:y:2013:i:3:p:257-274
    DOI: 10.1177/0269094212473940
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Calvin Jones & Dylan Henderson, 2019. "Broadband and uneven spatial development: The case of Cardiff City-Region," Local Economy, London South Bank University, vol. 34(3), pages 228-247, May.
    2. Uyarra, Elvira & Shapira, Philip & Harding, Alan, 2016. "Low carbon innovation and enterprise growth in the UK: Challenges of a place-blind policy mix," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 264-272.
    3. Lee Pugalis & Alan R. Townsend, 2014. "The emergence of ‘new’ spatial coalitions in the pursuit of functional regions of governance," Regional Science Policy & Practice, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 6(1), pages 49-67, March.
    4. Neil Lee, 2017. "Powerhouse of cards? Understanding the ‘Northern Powerhouse’," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 51(3), pages 478-489, March.
    5. Elias Giannakis & Adriana Bruggeman, 2017. "Economic crisis and regional resilience: Evidence from Greece," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 96(3), pages 451-476, August.
    6. DUKE Ben, 2014. "‘Small is Beautiful’, Analysing the Democratising Effect of Localism, Greater Regional Autonomy, Decentralisation and Constitutional Reform," European Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, Bucharest Economic Academy, issue 02, June.
    7. Mabel Sánchez Barrioluengo & Elvira Uyarra & Fumi Kitagawa, 2016. "The Evolution Of Triple Helix Dynamics: The Case Of English Higher Education Institutions," Working Papers 32, Birkbeck Centre for Innovation Management Research, revised Jul 2016.

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