One Vote, One Value: Electoral Re-Districting in English Local Government(Routledge Revivals)

This title was first published in 2002: Based on unique research, this compelling volume draws on myriad sources in order to examine comprehensively the issues raised by, and the political impact of, re-districting. The sources include: - Interviews with local government officers and councillors, party officials and members and staff of the Local Government Commission - Attendance and observations of private and public meetings held by the Commission and by local authorities - A database and survey of all currently affected local authorities - Thirteen intricate case studies of the review process - Local press cuttings from reviewed areas and on data held in the British Local Elections Database. Such detailed analyses make this text the definitive resource for all those concerned with this important issue in British local government.

Table of Contents:
Contents: Introduction; Re-districting by commission; Periodic electoral reviews; The periodic electoral review process - the perspective of the commission; The periodic electoral review process - the perspective of local authorities; Case-studies of the periodic electoral review process; The outcomes of periodic electoral reviews; Party politics and the periodic electoral review process; The evaluation of process and outcomes; Conclusions; Bibliography; Index.

About the Author :
Colin Rallings, University of Plymouth, UK, Michael Thrasher, University of Plymouth, UK James Downe, University of Warwick, UK Rallings and Thrasher, authors of Local Elections in Britain (Routledge, 1997), New Elections: New Britain (Vacher Dod, 1999); British Electoral Facts 1832-1999 (Ashgate, 2000). Rallings, Thrasher and Downe, authors of Enhancing Local Electoral Turnout (York Publishing Services, 1996); Turnout at Local Government Elections (DETR, 2000).

Review :
’Excellent...a fascinating story...set to be a standard work on the topic.’ Professor Ron Johnston, Department of Geography, University of Bristol ’Really interesting...a tremendously thorough in-depth account. It really does open up a previously mysterious area of the British political system.’ Professor David Denver, Department of Politics, University of Lancaster ’This well-researched study...provides a valuable account of the review process that will for many years be seen as the standard work on this subject and be regarded as an authoritative study that will inform many later more general views of the electoral process in Britain and of the politics of local government. It is a study that should find a place in any library concerned with British politics.’ Poltical Studies Review ’The apparently dry and arcane world of ward and constituency boundaries is successfully brought to life here...it should be in all self-respecting academic libraries, not least because it goes to the heart of the formal processes on which our elected democracy is based.’ Parliamentary Affairs 'The three authors have done an excellent job...a fascinating glimpse into a small part of the government machine for those intrigued by the minutiae of public administration and will stand as a paradigm exemplar of that genre. They are to be congratulated, as are the publishers, for putting out their clean manuscript...' Public Administration