Abstract
In this chapter we offer a contribution to the debate about ‘interactive governance’ by discussing developments in UK local government. Interactive governance and interactive decision making are two relatively new terms that are often used interchangeably as shorthand to describe the involvement of citizens and other stakeholders in the formulation of policy, especially at the local level. In Chapter 1 it is suggested that interactive governance refers to modes of public decision making in which governments allow for direct participation of interested citizens and other stakeholders. As well as describing new forms of decision making, the term can also imply a strong normative viewpoint about the desirability of widespread involvement in policy making Enthusiasts argue that interactive decision making features openness and the involvement of parties before decisions are made. For example, Klijn and Koppenjan state:
‘Interactive decision making is a way of working in which citizens, users, interest groups and public and private organisations that have a stake in a decision are involved in its preparation. It is aimed at creating support for policy proposals, improving the quality of decisions by mobilising external knowledge and expertise, and enhancing the democratic legitimacy of decisions’ (2000, p. 368).
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Hambleton, R., Sweeting, D. (2003). Interactive Governance: A View from the UK. In: Denters, B., van Heffen, O., Huisman, J., Klok, PJ. (eds) The Rise of Interactive Governance and Quasi-Markets. Library of Public Policy and Public Administration, vol 8. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-3457-8_12
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