CONSUMERISM, DECENTRALIZATION AND LOCAL DEMOCRACY

Three broad options for public service reform are attracting considerable interest within British local government and the National Health Service – consumerism, decentralization and the extension of local democracy. This article examines each of these options in some detail. While each avenue offers a number of exciting possibilities for change each also conceals a confusion of different hopes and aspirations. It is essential to develop a much sharper analysis of what is on offer and of the underlying driving forces for change. Some proposals are essentially managerial, some are clearly political, others combine managerial and political change. There is a major risk that many authorities will attempt to implement some or all of these new ideas without thinking through the implications.