Intergovernmental Relations in Britain

Intergovernmental relationships in the United Kingdom are more confused and uncertain than they have been for a long time. The recent reorganization of local gov ernment has made more complex relationships between the tiers of local authorities, especially in the cities where a single-tier system had prevailed. The establishment of new functional agencies for water and the health services, distinct from local authorities, has further fragmented local power. To work the new system, elected members and their staffs will require diplomatic skills to relate their own authority with tiers both above and below and with other public agencies involved in providing services in their area. Local authorities are not so dependent financially on the central government as is sometimes alleged, and although the center has many de vices available to it to influence local government, the use made of them varies between the departments, and the re sponse to them varies again between the local authorities. Re gional devolution is advocated by nationalist movements in Wales and Scotland, and by some in England who want to reduce the power of the center and involve the public more in government. Seven models of devolution are currently under discussion. Ulster remains a thorny problem. Complications to intergovernmental relationships are introduced by pressure for popular participation in community councils and by Britain's entry into the European Economic Community.