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United Kingdom: Challenges of Horizontal Coordination Within the Context of Asymmetric Devolution
Horizontal Intergovernmental Coordination at Local and Regional Levels, Pages: 349 - 373
Swansea University Author:
Bettina Petersohn
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© 2025 The Author(s). This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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DOI (Published version): 10.1007/978-3-031-83567-4_18
Abstract
Mechanisms of intergovernmental coordination in the UK are shaped by the asymmetry of the distribution of power between the four nations forming the UK. The chapter discusses the implications of the devolution settlements for vertical and horizontal coordination between devolved and local government...
| Published in: | Horizontal Intergovernmental Coordination at Local and Regional Levels |
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| ISBN: | 9783031835667 9783031835674 |
| Published: |
Cham
Springer Nature Switzerland
2025
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| URI: | https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa71669 |
| Abstract: |
Mechanisms of intergovernmental coordination in the UK are shaped by the asymmetry of the distribution of power between the four nations forming the UK. The chapter discusses the implications of the devolution settlements for vertical and horizontal coordination between devolved and local governments, arguing that the asymmetry and the dependence on funding form barriers to establish sustainable, effective horizontal coordination mechanisms. While demands for devolution were met with an increase in self-rule and autonomous decision-making power of devolved governments, the machinery of vertical intergovernmental relations remained underdeveloped. The continued high level of centralisation in England in the area of fiscal autonomy and funding allocation for all parts of the UK, furthermore, impact the aims and direction of local government coordination. The creation of joined-up governance boards at the local level, and private sector-led management boards for stimulating economic growth are major bottom-up initiated coordination mechanisms. The more recent focus of the UK Government on cities and metropolitan areas to counter the over-centralisation of England has resulted in a wave of city deals and city region deals, providing funding and transferring powers over, for example, local public transport, skills, or adult education to joined committees and directly elected metro-mayors. Since the same mode of bilaterally negotiating deals has been used for those decentralisation processes, the result is a further increase in asymmetries within England. The dependency on central government funding has been left largely unaddressed and is further increased after the UK has left the EU and replaced EU funding streams with grants controlled by the central government. |
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| Keywords: |
Asymmetric devolution; Local government coordination; City deals; Brexit |
| College: |
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Funders: |
European Cooperation in Science and Technology - COST |
| Start Page: |
349 |
| End Page: |
373 |