This paper discusses two contemporary trends in localdecision-making. Firstly, there seems to be more centralised decisionmakingtoday than before in important policy fields such as welfarepolicy. Secondly, informal governance processes outside formalgovernment structures open up for a substantial influence from nonelectedpolitical actors. The paper asserts that there is a connectionbetween the trends, and argues that the centralisation tendencies inwelfare issues might affect and encourage governance processes inother local policy arenas. These policy fields are mainly within the socalled‘developmental policies’ that often facilitate more networkingand partnership activities in ‘grey areas’ between the public, private andcivil sectors in collective problem solving. Accordingly, more attentionshould be given to policy fields where governance networks operate,and the implications for revitalising democratic political participationshould be studied. The paper concludes that the well-establishedrationales for local self-government and local democracy need to bereconsidered by taking into account these new decision-makingstructures.
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