Evaluating the Bristol One City Approach
In this Opinion piece for Bristol 24/7, published on 26/4/21, Robin Hambleton suggests that the Bristol One City Approach to city governance has brought about many benefits. He argues that, whist...
View ArticleThe end of Mayoral Governance in Bristol? What are they voting on at Full...
Tomorrow (Tuesday 7th December) City Councillors will debate and hold a vote on a motion which will potentially pave the way for a referendum on changing the system of governance (how decisions are...
View ArticleUnderstanding the choice in the Bristol referendum
Robin Hambleton What is the nature of the choice facing the citizens of Bristol when they vote in the city governance referendum in May 2022? To answer this question, we need to take a quick look...
View ArticleThe Bristol referendum 2022: Thinking through the options
The co-authors of this contribution are members of the Bristol Civic Leadership Research Project: David Sweeting, Senior Lecturer in Urban Studies at the School for Policy Studies, University of...
View ArticleElected mayors deliver ‘direct democratic accountability’ academic claims
Robin Hambleton Article first published on Bristol Live on 18 March 2022 In a referendum on 5 May 222, Bristol citizens will make an important decision about the way our city is governed. They will...
View ArticleTwo minus one equals… none?
Why I won’t be voting to abolish the city mayor because we have a metro mayor David Sweeting Some have made the argument that as now Bristol has a metro mayor, there is no longer any need for a city...
View ArticleGreg Clark should return to his old devolution diagnosis
Robin Hambleton published this piece in Local Government Chronicle on 26/7/22 The new levelling up secretary’s 2003 analysis of over-centralisation in the UK could be used to make a lasting mark on...
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Economic growth Swedish style
Robin Hambleton originally published this piece in Local Government Chronicle on 30/9/22 Sweden’s very strong system of local government helps it deliver far better economic growth than the UK, writes...
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Why we must reverse forty years of super-centralisation
Robin Hambleton originally published this article in Local Government Chronicle on 18/7/23 Giving a significant boost to local government tax raising power is the key to restoring trust in politics...
View ArticleHow councils can strengthen civic engagement
Robin Hambleton Robin originally published this article in Local Government Chronicle on 10/1/24 Given the widespread rise in societal tensions local councils can do more to promote effective...
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