Placeless Power

Professor of City Leadership at the University of the West of England, Robin Hambleton described major changes at local government level, which affected the urban environment. He pointed to new relationships that were evolving between councilors and officers and local communities. He highlighted the need for local government to have greater autonomy from Whitehall, particularly in the current economic climate of public spending cuts. He said that the Government’s Total Place initiative offered new opportunities for urban planners.

Currently being piloted in 13 areas, it is developing a ‘whole area’ approach to public services, seeking to identify and avoid overlap and duplication between service providers and was intended to lead to more effective neighborhood management. Urban designers and planners have not yet engaged with this process, he said.