Quality of Life and Public Management explores the possibility for a dramatic and significant improvement in quality of life for all population groups and sub-groups in the UK. Strongly evidence-based, the book draws on case study data and comparisons into local and central government structure, funding, policy, cultures and outcomes from a number of EU countries, such as Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland. It shows that quality of life on a number of important criteria is superior in these other countries than it is in the UK. The book makes a strong argument that it is possible to replicate this success in the UK and that failure to do so has been the result of failed political institutions, in particular local government.John Whitelegg examines the impact of better central and local governance on the welfare of children and older people. He also looks at the built environment, air quality, resilience and renewable energy in the UK and gives suggestions for practical and implementable policies based on evidence and best practice from other EU cities. The book is rooted in the belief that every locality can and should have the best possible standards of health, quality of life, environment, climate change protection and transport choices that can be found anywhere in the world. This book will be of great value to students and researchers in the fields of public management, politics, social work, planning and public services in general. It also has direct relevance for professionals in central and local government, councillors, community groups and NGOs.

John Whitelegg is Professor of Sustainable Development at the Stockholm Environment Institute, University of York. He worked at Lancaster University for 20 years as a teacher, researcher and activist on transport and the environment. He was a city councillor for 8 years and from 2008 to 2010 was deputy chair of the Local Government Association Regeneration and Transport Board. He has written 9 books and over 80 papers and chapters in books on transport and environment topics.

Part 1: What is Best Practice and how do we define Excellence 1. A Tale of 3 Cities and Two Rural Areas (Freiburg, Roskilde, Basel, Rural North Rhine Westphalia and Rural Switzerland) 2. Defining Excellence Part 2: The Devil is in the Detail 3. Children 4. Older People 5. Built Environment 6. Air Quality 7. Renewable Energy 8. Peak Oil, Climate Change and Resilience 9. City-City Comparisons Part 3: Good ideas are great but how do we make things happen? 10. What do they do that we don't do: Budgets, Councillors and the Power to Act 11. How can we capture the Excellence Virus and release it in the UK? 12. Conclusions