'PRINCIPLED LOCALISM'- a new framework for local governance

摘要

Over The Last Ten Years or so, sustainable development has become an accepted policy principle both in the UK and in the wider context of Europe. Indeed, the European Union (EU) has adopted sustainable development as its key guiding principle - all EU policies must have sustainable development as their 'core concern'. In the UK the Government has set out its interpretation of the guiding principles of sustainability, and it is anticipated that the current review of the UK Sustainable Development Strategy will provide a clearer statement of the Government's vision. However, this apparent enthusiasm for sustainability at European and national government levels does not seem to have filtered through in any substantial manner to local government. As the 'level of governance closest to the people', local governments, working in partnership with other public agencies, the community, the voluntary sector, and business, have the potential to secure workable solutions to improving the quality of life at local level, within the wider framework of sustainable development. Although there are many pockets of good practice-and the commitment of local governments in the UK to the Local Agenda 21 initiative was one of the strongest in Europe, if not the world-the overall picture is one of a token acceptance of the rhetoric, but only a limited commitment to the necessary changes in policy and practice.