Democratic urban governance
Democratic urban governance
This chapter explains why strong local government has a vital role to play in rebuilding the power of place in modern societies. The chapter starts out by recapping on the problems presented by place-less power. This paves the way for a discussion of the question: What is local government for? The main dimensions of democracy are then considered: inclusiveness, popular control, considered judgement, transparency and efficiency, and civic leadership. The institutional design of local democracy can help or hinder the exercise of local leadership and the next section presents a range of urban governance models. With the aid of diagrams the discussion explores the strengths and weaknesses of alternative approaches, including the idea of introducing directly elected mayors to strengthen place-based leadership. An Innovation Story, documenting the creation in 2010 of a new super-city, headed by a directly elected mayor, to govern Auckland, New Zealand, illustrates the argument. The chapter then turns to focus on citizen empowerment and the co-creation of solutions. A ladder of citizen empowerment is presented. An Innovation Story on the governance of Malmo, Sweden, illustrates the value of decentralising power to the neighbourhood level.
Keywords: Auckland, citizen empowerment, democracy, directly elected mayors, empowerment, institutional design, leadership, local government, Malmo
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