The Role of Community Development in the Modernising Local Government Agenda, with Specific Reference to the Local Democratic Deficit
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The role of community development in the modernising local government agenda, with specific reference to the local democratic deficit By Matthew Scott Goldsmiths College, University of London Submitted for PhD 1 Declaration I hereby declare that this submission is my own work and that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, it contains no material previously published by another person nor material which to a substantial extent has been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma of the university or other institute of higher learning, except where due acknowledgement has been made in the text. Matthew Scott October 2011 Resubmitted with minor amendments December 2012 2 Acknowledgements The genesis of my research lies in my work as a Community Development Worker between 1999 and 2008. I am indebted to the support, advice and guidance of a great many colleagues and peers who enabled me to reflect critically on my practice. I have been especially privileged to have worked with a wide range of individuals and community groups during this time, whose passion and commitment has been nothing short of inspirational. Many thanks are also due to my supervisors, Ed Randall and Marj Mayo, who have always been insightful and unfailingly supportive over the course of my research. Their encouragement and perspectives have been invaluable. Friends have played a role in sharing the journey, my thanks in particular to Oliver for practical help. I would like to thank my parents for a lifetime of support and also express my indebtedness to my wife Vicky and two children, Thomas and Rachel, for the impositions on family life and for their patience and love. Finally, whilst overwhelmed with encouragement, the work is my own and any faults that appear are entirely my responsibility. Matthew Scott October 20111 1 Resubmitted with minor amendments December 2012 3 Abstract This thesis examines the interplay between community development and local government modernisation as practised in three neighbouring London Boroughs in the East and South East of London. By using qualitative approaches to research the field, including ethnography and semi-structured interviews with a range of statutory and community practitioners, the research seeks to examine a variety of stakeholder perspectives. ‘Community development’ in its UK context over recent decades has, as a distinct process, skill set and discipline, attempted to realise the potential of regeneration programmes and address the democratic deficit found in local government. It therefore reflected many of the main concerns of New Labour modernisation policies, appearing to be well placed to make a strong contribution to ameliorating social ills. There is recognition in this research that whilst government policy demonstrably changed some local structures, the corollary of actual community empowerment cannot be guaranteed or assumed. Through the testimony of local politicians, councillors, activists, managers and Community Development Workers the research examines the extent to which the principles and practice of community development were able to support modernisation as a programme of social reform and the wider factors that shaped the efficacy and transmission of policy. The reflexivity of the researcher as a community development practitioner with twenty years experience adds a deep and especially close engagement with the material. The researcher as a practitioner passionately wants to know ‘what works’ in relation to a shifting, often contradictory field of policy. By using ethnographic methods 4 this research examines the concrete experiences and spaces in which community development and modernising reforms take place. 5 List of Abbreviations2 ABCD Asset-based community development CD Community development CDF Community Development Foundation CDFI Community Development Finance Institution CDJ Community Development Journal CDP Community Development Project CDW Community Development Worker CDX Community Development Exchange CEN Community Empowerment Network CPA Comprehensive Performance Assessment CVS Council for Voluntary Service DCLG Department for Communities and Local Government DETR Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions FCDL Federation for Community Development Learning GOL Government Office for London IMD Indices of multiple deprivation LAA Local Area Agreement LGA Local Government Association LSP Local Strategic Partnership MLGA Modernising local government agenda NDC New Deal for Communities NRA Neighbourhood Renewal Agenda NDPB Non-Departmental Public Body NLGN New Local Government Network NOS National Occupational Standards (for CD) NPM New Public Management NRU Neighbourhood Renewal Unit NSNR National Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal ODPM Office of the Deputy Prime Minister OTS Office for the Third Sector OCS Office for Civil Society QUANGO Quasi-Autonomous Non-Governmental Organisation SCP Single Community Programme SEU Social Exclusion Unit SRB Single Regeneration Budget UK United Kingdom VCS Voluntary and community sector 2 Both CD and MLGA are used as abbreviations throughout since they appear most frequently whereas all others are given in full and as an abbreviation when employed for the first time in a particular section 6 Contents Cover, declaration, acknowledgements, abstract and abbreviations 1 Contents and list of tables 7 1 Introduction 15 - An explanation of the order of the chapters 23 2 Literature review 25 - Introduction 26 - The research question 26 - The argument 26 - Policy: government at a distance 28 - Governmentality 28 - Pluralism and the mixed economy of welfare 30 - Democracy 32 - Power: local government and the state 37 - The central / local relationship 37 - Modernisation and NPM 40 - Community: CD and civil society 43 - Community skills and tactics 44 - Community deficit 47 - Radical community work 49 - Holding the tensions / ways forward 53 - Theoretical framework 53 7 - Structural change, contagious ideas 54 3 Research methods 58 - Contents / Introduction 58 - The researcher’s stance – from radical community work to the well-connected community 61 - Outline of the chapter 62 - Quantitative / qualitative debates 64 - Roy Bhaskar – a transformational model of social activity 66 - Participatory and emancipatory research 68 - Special tensions 70 - Nurturing and holding tensions as a bridge to deeper understanding 72 - 30 interviews across 3 study areas 73 - Semi-structured interviews as research strategy 74 - The interview as process and praxis 75 - Reflections on interviewing 77 - Study areas 81 - The case for and against absolute anonymity of the study areas 82 - Analysing the data - drawing up comparative categories 83 - Range of interviewees 86 - Range of interviewees by study area 87 - Range of secondary material 89 - A final word on study areas 90 - Interviewing as ethnography 91 8 - The ethnographic interview 92 - Ethnography underpinned by a shared access to the field 92 - The shared commitment to social change as ethnographic praxis 93 - Ethics 95 - Reflexivity and ethics 96 - Fieldwork at home 97 - Conclusion 98 4 CD toolbox and tensions 101 - Introduction 101 - History 102 - Definition 107 - Three models of CD – consensus, pluralism and conflict 110 - Asset based CD, networks and locations of CD work 114 - National CD organisations 117 - National Occupational Standards 118 - Conclusion 120 5 The three study areas 121 - Introduction: taking a wrong turn 121 - The London context 123 - Shared geography, demography and politics 126 - Political affiliation: Members of Parliament (MPs) 129 - Political affiliation: councillors 133 9 - Conclusion 135 6 Findings: policy making and participation 137 - Introduction 137 - The MLGA 139 - Third Sector Modernisation 149 - The democratic deficit 163 - The post war settlement and legacy of Thatcherism 178 - Policy making, participation and compromise 187 7 Findings: power 193 - Introduction 193 - The central / local relationship 196 - The role of councillors and of scrutiny 209 - The role of directly elected Mayors 223 - The community empowerment network (CEN) and local strategic partnership (LSP) 229 - Local assemblies 237 - Government Office for London (GOL) 243 - Conclusion 248 8 Findings: community, identity and mutual respect 250 - Introduction 250 - Community – a cautionary note 251 10 - Chapter structure 253 - A CD perspective 254 - A council perspective 274 - A VCS and activist perspective 297 - Conclusion 315 9 Findings: comparisons across the three study areas 316 - Introduction 317 - A cautionary note 319 - Comparison across the study areas 321 - The findings: major commonality; minor divergences 322 - Critical and positive assessments 323 - Locating CD: widespread support except at the top 324 - Comprehensive Area Assessment (CAA) green & red flags (2009-10) 325 - Community empowerment indicators (2009 – 2010) 326 - Comment and analysis 327 - Audit Commission ranking of study areas (2002 – 2008) 328 - Alternative measures of community engagement in the study areas 329 - Conclusion 331 11 10 Conclusion 332 - Introduction 332 - A minimal CD role and a wider policy failure 332 - The deeper failure: the impossibility of reform 335 - The dilution of CD 336 - The central / local relationship 342 - Managerialism and marketisation 346 - Cultures of fear 349 - Party politics 353 - An incorporated and weak VCS 357 - Vested interests 361 - Lack of educational praxis 363 - Conclusion 365 - Recent changes to the political landscape: contemporary neoliberalism and the future of CD 370