Stephen J. Bailey

The Flypaper Effect: Identifying Areas for Further Research

The flypaper effect literature dates back three decades. It is overwhelmingly neoclassical in approach, attempting to improve the median voter demand model and/or temper it with public choice supply-side perspectives. Whilst this approach provided valuable early substantial analytical insights, more recent papers seem to have contributed only marginally to an understanding of the flypaper effect, if indeed it exists at all. Hence, as well as providing a long-overdue comprehensive review of the literature on the flypaper effect, this paper identifies more productive avenues for further research.

Charging for Admission to Museums and Galleries: A Framework for Analysing the Impact on Access

The Labour Government recently stated that access is a cornerstone of all its cultural policies, including those for museums and galleries. This paper therefore outlines a robust paradigm by means of which the impact of admission charges on access can be analysed. In applying that paradigm to museums, it demonstrates a number of analytical and theoretical “red herrings” which serve only to confuse a study of charges, including the “zero marginal cost” argument for free admission. Unless it uses this framework, the Government cannot be sure that it has secured access for the many instead of the few.

Strategic public finance

Philosophical and Analytical Frameworks for Public Finance Property Rights and Public Finance The Relative Scale of Public Finance Spending Public Finance Raising Public Finance Beneficial and Adverse Effects of Public Finance Structural Gaps in Public Finance Strategic Issues for Local Public Finance Vouchers as an Alternative Public Service Funding System Conclusions - A Strategy for Public Finance

Public Choice Theory and the Reform of Local Government in Britain: From Government to Governance

This paper describes and analyses current and ongoing reforms of British local government in a public choice framework. These involve a shift from a vertically-integrated corporate institutional form of direct service provision by British local government to one of an enabling function within a horizontally- coordinated network of multi-agency service provision. It considers a fundamental reappraisal of the form of democracy and the way in which it can be secured, a questioning of the behavioural characteristics of local government in relation to the public interest, a reinstatement of the public interest, a reinstatement of the rights and responsibilities of the individual and of the family, a reduction of local governments role in providing the welfare state and a preference for multiple solutions provided by agencies in place of monolithic provision by local government monopolies. Such functional decentralisation is in marked contrast to the political decentralisation in other European countries.

Implementing the European Commission's water pricing communication: cross-country perspectives

Abstract The European Commission recently made recommendations for water pricing policies in EU member states and accession countries. Those recommendations emphasise the contribution of economic instruments in environmental policies to provide incentives for the sustainable use of water resources. The Commission argues that water and sewerage providers should base their pricing policies on an explicit assessment of costs and benefits of water use, the former relating not just to financial costs but also to environmental and resource costs. This paper provides a preliminary assessment of the factors constraining implementation of the Commission’s proposals and considers how their implementation could be further facilitated.

Vouchers As an Alternative Public Sector Funding System

This paper analyses the voucher concept. It considers different types of vouchers in the public and private sectors, distinguishes between explicit and implicit vouchers, and develops both a general model and a local government model of vouchers. It also reviews arguments for and against vouchers, considers the characteristics and dimensions of vouchers and identifies the rights and responsibilities attached to their use. Based on this comprehensive analysis, it develops a new definition of public service vouchers incorporating exit and voice. The analysis also provides a schema that can be used to design, modify and evaluate individual voucher systems.

The Purchaser—Provider Split: Theory and UK Evidence

In this paper the authors focus on the purchaser—provider split within UK local government, They assess whether that split has had the effects predicted by the theory, especially in terms of diverting the purchasers attention away from service production per se and more towards assessing and meeting the needs of service users. This implies a shift of attention from inputs and processes to outputs and outcomes. In making that assessment, the authors review other research and present the results of their own survey of all British local governments. They conclude that, if anything, the purchaser—provider split has increased the amount of attention paid to inputs and processes and has done little to focus attention on outputs and even less in respect of outcomes. Although this evidence is by no means conclusive, it does serve to qualify earlier research results that found improvements in outcomes for some services as a result of contracting.

Managing Municipal Austerity: Mitigation of Social Risks

Abstract The overarching objective of this article is to stimulate debate about how local authorities could and should manage their austerity measures because the speed, scale and aggregation of the UK public spending cuts risk adversely affecting already disadvantaged and vulnerable groups, exacerbating social exclusion and leading to higher costs for councils in the future. It presents the results of research conducted during 2011–2012 focusing on if and how five Scottish case study councils attempted to mitigate social risks. It found that they were using equalities impact assessment (EIA) procedures in their decision-making. However, EIAs are not fit for purpose as a risk mitigation tool and fail to take account of all groups which may also be adversely affected by service cuts. Hence, this article recommends a more innovative approach in local decision-making processes based on a social risk impact assessment (SRIA) model within a preventative approach to social policy.

Stakeholder Engagement and Compliance Culture

Abstract This research examines the experience of stakeholders of the Private Finance Initiative (PFI). The local authorities’ accounts of engaging stakeholders are compared against the stakeholders’ experience of being engaged. The findings suggest that the increasing procedures and tools used by local authorities to engage stakeholders do not necessarily lead to more positive experiences of the latter. Some stakeholders perceive engagement as merely an exercise by the local authorities to comply with central government policy guidelines and the stakeholders’ views have not had substantial impact on the overall decision-making process. The findings highlight the inadequacy of a compliance culture in public services.

Making widespread use of municipal bonds in Scotland

This article considers the possibilities for widespread use of municipal bonds to finance public sector infrastructure, with particular reference to Scotland. Provided the various control measures recommended in this article are in place, there can be few objections either in principle or practice and they would be a highly desirable secure form of debt, so helping ease the current credit crunch.