A COMPARISON OF THE ECONOMIC-DEVELOPMENT POLICIES OF COUNTY, METROPOLITAN AND NON-METROPOLITAN DISTRICT COUNCILS

Local authorities in England and Wales have become important participa nts in economic development policy. This paper draws upon a comprehens ive new data set covering the activities of the councils in the period 1990-92. The data set is unusual in that it allows the direct compari son of the activities of the three main groups of councils: county cou ncils, metropolitan districts and non-metropolitan districts. The pape r contrasts the degree of commitment to economic development policy an d the range of initiatives of the three categories, and compares the m anner in which the three types of councils package their initiatives i n order to develop coherent strategies. The analysis reveals significa nt differences between the categories of councils and shows that despi te the rapid spread of economic development policy amongst councils in more prosperous areas during the 1980s, the policies operated still d epend on the economic and political characteristics of the councils.