The local government review: An inter-organizational perspective

This article uses Benson's 'political economy' model of inter-organizational relations to interpret inter-authority relationships during the course of the local government review process in England (1992-95) and in particular to explain the preparedness of large numbers of district councils to support proposals which implied their own destruction. Six more specific influences are identified which led to this outcome: (i) The changing pattern of expectations and perceived possibilities as the Review progressed. (ii) The conflictual context of relations within the network linking individual counties and districts, and their respective associations. (iii) The influence of the districts' national representative body - the ADC - which was arguing strongly for a 'super-district' solution. (iv) The plausibility of the view of some mergers as de facto takeovers of one authority by another. (V) The special nature of local authorities as (party) political institutions as well as public sector bureaucracies. (vi) The rationing of information through central-local networks, in the context of 'unclear rules'. It is concluded that with certain modifications Benson's framework provides a helpful explanatory mechanism.