Focuses on local democratic politics in Britain over the last decade and a half from the election of the New Labour Government right up to the current Conservative/Liberal Democrat Coalition government.

Hugh Atkinson is Senior Lecturer in Politics and Public Policy at London South Bank University

Introduction
1 The theoretical context
2 Civic engagement and political participation: debates and evidence
3 The challenge of local democracy, civic engagement and community: an agenda for change
4 Local democracy at the formal level
5 Opening up local democracy beyond the formal realm
6 Local services, community and civic engagement
7 Regeneration and sustainability
Conclusion
Bibliography
Index