Understanding the 1996 Reorganisation of Local Government in Wales: Oral Histories

Start Date: April 2011

End Date: December 2011

Research Team:

Richard Wyn Jones (Wales Governance Centre)
Ian Stafford (WISERD Hub)

Overview

This project is focused on exploring the decision-making process and debates which underpinned the reorganisation of local government in Wales in 1996. Given the debates around the structure of local government in Wales and the challenges of service delivery – the project aims to identify key lessons from the last reorganisation, which can be used to inform contemporary policy.

The study draws on oral histories from key actors in the 1996 reorganisation process and documentary evidence.

Research Questions

• What were the key policy dynamics which influenced the reorganisation process in the 1990’s?
• How did the 22 unitary authority authorities emerge?
• Are there any key lessons for contemporary debates around service delivery and potential further local government reorganisation?

Output(s)

A number of outputs are planned including:

• Seminar(s)
• Journal article(s)
• Conference presentation(s)