HEARING BUT NOT LISTENING - THE LOCAL-GOVERNMENT REVIEW PROCESS IN WEST SUSSEX

This article presents a study of the local government review process i n West Sussex. As in any local government reorganization the career an d status concerns of individuals and broader positions of coalitions d ominant in different organizations provide the dynamic to a 'play of p ower' which is in turn conditioned by external events and contextual f actors. Underlying the analysis is a concern to assess whether in part icular the presence of an independent commission facilitated the appli cation of an element of policy analysis and learning into the process. It is concluded that little in the way of a reflective and deliberati ve process occurred. Equally it is noted that to achieve such qualitie s in public decision-making is a challenging and daunting task when ma jor organizational interests are at stake.