Local Government and Sustainable Development in the UK

Drawing on and advancing theoretical frameworks that emphasis risk and reflexive modernity, this book presents data, discussions and recommendations from the UK to explore sustainable development and its associated risks at the local, community and individual levels. It argues that local government provides an underused link between communities and international governance that can directly address some of the most pressing problems that face society today.

The focus of the research and analysis presented in this book is the local government tier of parish councils. There are over 10,000 town and parish councils in England and Wales that sit at the heart of many local communities. They are the closest level of government to their communities and play a pivotal role in shaping these communities. As such, this book puts forward the need for a reconceptualization of parish councils that sit within not only local governance structures, but which are also impacted by and impact upon global governance discourses. Through the example of parish councils, the author explores how local governments globally can contribute to the impact of the sustainable development goals on communities around the world.

This book will be of great interest to students and scholars of sustainable development, governance and political communication.