One thing Iโm enjoying about my LPIP Fellow research project is the chance to get stuck into some research disciplines and specialisms that Iโve not really spent much time in before. Over the past two weeks Iโve been deep into the โPolicy Failureโ field of research.
Whatโs been great to get to grips with is the various causal factors, processes and dynamics which cause policy failure.
Somewhat depressingly, a lot of the literature and research is based on the UK! The classic book โThe Blunders of our Governmentsโ by Anthony King and Ivor Crewe is a classic, looking at case studies of 12 policy blunders. The lack of real scrutiny or process for debate and improvement of government legislation and policies seems to be a major weakness in the UK. Parliamentary debate is too lightweight. The Parliamentary and House of Lords committee system is very useful, but that more often weighs in after policies have been launched.
Thereโs also a lot of policies launched with a weak grasp of delivery, and a poor articulation of how delivery will happen, who will do it, and whether resources are sufficient for the policy aims.
As Iโve mentioned before the aim of the research project is to learn from past policy, and to shed more light and constructive solutions on our policy practice which often claims that the latest policy on levelling up or spatial economic inequality will solve 100+ years of problems with a couple of ยฃbillion in three-year capital grants (no bigger than ยฃ25m each, mind). Having said that – new policies such as the Integrated Settlement Fund, being piloted in GM and WM seem a much better solution and evolution of spatial policy and funding.
What do YOU think are the main causes of policy failure in the UK for addressing local and regional economic inequalities and performance??? is it any of these factors, or are there any others you think are valid?
- political cycle / politicisation of issue
- lack of evidence to support policy proposition
- lack of considering of spatial/local differences in problems, opportunities, delivery challenges
- unrealistic assumptions
- clarity and quality of problem definition
- failure to account for implementation / delivery (or consult with delivery agents)
- insufficient admin / delivery resources, capacity, capability
- poor inter-agency coordination
- consequences or difficulties which were or could have been foreseen
My approach is to turn this around into some constructive proposals for future policy development!
Thoughts welcome!
