The Greater London Group was a research centre at the London School of Economics that was created in 1958, to prepare analysis and advice to the Royal Commission on Local Government in Greater London , founded the previous year. Chaired by William A. Robson , it expanded on his previous work focusing on issues of London government , with input and debate from the other members of the newly formed group. It has been recognised as having had a significant impact during the 1960s and upon the creation of the Greater London Council in 1965. It continued operating until 1998, when it was reformulated as LSE London, hosted by the Department of Geography and Environment of the London School of Economics.
28-858: In 1957, the Royal Commission on Local Government in Greater London ( a.k.a. the Herbert Commission) was established. Professor William A. Robson , at the London School of Economics and Political Science (commonly the London School of Economics (LSE)) had focused his research on issues of local government in London for some time. In 1958, he founded the Greater London Group to facilitate input to
56-493: A dislike of "bigness", in particular describing the London County Council as "massive", "inhuman" and "monolithic". Three criteria were used by the commission to consider if places on the periphery should be included in the review area. They were extent to which a locality was independent and freestanding the closeness of links with the capital and the outlook of the district towards or away from London. In 1960
84-605: A lot, but included a stint in LSE's Old Building. The group's members also were significantly overlapped with those of the Town and Country Planning Association , which in part added to the group's effectiveness. Indeed, the group has been recognised as having had a significant impact upon efforts to reform London government during the 1960s and upon the creation of the Greater London Council in 1965. Later members in
112-428: A lot, but included a stint in LSE's Old Building. The group's members also were significantly overlapped with those of the Town and Country Planning Association , which in part added to the group's effectiveness. Indeed, the group has been recognised as having had a significant impact upon efforts to reform London government during the 1960s and upon the creation of the Greater London Council in 1965. Later members in
140-536: A population of between at least 250,000, many favouring a range of 500,000 to 1,500,000. It was stressed by council officers and teachers that authorities would need to be of a sufficiently large size to provide promotion prospects and attract good staff. The Commission, however, favoured smaller units because of the second criterion: large authorities, it was felt, would be remote from their citizens. It also hoped that smaller local authorities would encourage greater participation in local elections. The Commission displayed
168-402: A total of fifty-two Greater London Boroughs, to be formed from the following existing areas: By May 1961, the government had announced that a number of areas on the edge of the conurbation would be excluded from Greater London. It published a white paper on 29 November 1961 that accepted most of the recommendations. However, it felt education should be a borough-level function in most parts of
196-494: The Commission drew up two criteria by which to guide its recommendations: By following these criteria a two-tier system was envisaged, with a regional authority for "technical" services and smaller local authorities for "personal" services. Many of the deliberations involved trying to find an optimum size for the sub-units of the proposed system. The general agreement of witnesses was that a basic "many-purpose" unit should have
224-639: The Greater London Group ;– has been director of LSE London since its establishment. Royal Commission on Local Government in Greater London The Royal Commission on Local Government in Greater London , also known as the Herbert Commission , was established in 1957 and published its report in 1960. The report made recommendations for the overhaul of the administration of
252-424: The Greater London area; to recommend whether any, and if so what, changes in local government structure and the distribution of local government functions in the area, or any part of it, would better secure effective and convenient local government." The existing local authorities varied widely in population and size: the six county councils or county boroughs in the metropolitan area had similar responsibilities, but
280-546: The Herbert Commission) was established. Professor William A. Robson , at the London School of Economics and Political Science (commonly the London School of Economics (LSE)) had focused his research on issues of local government in London for some time. In 1958, he founded the Greater London Group to facilitate input to the Herbert Commission, bringing together a group of academics to analyse, debate and prepare input. The group shared interest in what direction
308-446: The Herbert Commission, bringing together a group of academics to analyse, debate and prepare input. The group shared interest in what direction the growing metropolis, and its government, should go in. Early members of the group came from a variety of disciplines, including social administration expert David Donnison , geographer Michael Wise , political scientist Richard Pear , and scholar of public administration Peter Self . In 1959
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#1732765276431336-515: The LSE and also stepped down as chair of the Group in 1995. Later, the director of the group became Tony Travers , under whose leadership the group became more active and visible. Out of the Greater London Group, LSE London was then established in 1998, as a research group hosted by the Department of Geography and Environment of the London School of Economics. However, the Greater London Group
364-400: The LSE and also stepped down as chair of the Group in 1995. Later, the director of the group became Tony Travers , under whose leadership the group became more active and visible. Out of the Greater London Group, LSE London was then established in 1998, as a research group hosted by the Department of Geography and Environment of the London School of Economics. However, the Greater London Group
392-592: The capital, with a single authority for central London. It also proposed larger, fewer boroughs. In December, the government proposed that 34 boroughs, rather than 52, and detailed their boundaries. By the time of the introduction of legislation in 1962, the number of boroughs had been reduced to 32, and the area of Greater London again reduced by the exclusion of Banstead, Caterham and Warlingham, Cheshunt, Chigwell (except Hainault), Epsom and Ewell, Esher, Staines, Sunbury-on-Thames, and Walton and Weybridge. The London Government Act 1963 came into effect on 1 April 1965, with
420-549: The capital. They were modified and implemented by the London Government Act 1963 . The chairman of the Commission was Sir Edwin Herbert The other members were: The membership of the commission was notable for not containing anyone with previous involvement with local government in the London area. The Commission’s terms of reference were to "examine the present system and working of Local Government in
448-652: The commission deleted Potters Bar and all parts of Hertfordshire aside from Cheshunt, Barnet and East Barnet from the review area. The Report of the Royal Commission on Local Government in Greater London, 1957–60, (Cmnd. 1164) was published on 19 October 1960. The recommendations in the unanimous report were: The Commission did not include the entire review area within its proposed Greater London region: they excluded Aldenham, Bushey, Chorleywood, Dartford, Elstree, Northaw, Potters Bar, Rickmansworth, Waltham Holy Cross, Watford and Watford Rural. The report proposed
476-486: The creation of the Greater London Council and the 32 London borough councils. Greater London Group The Greater London Group was a research centre at the London School of Economics that was created in 1958, to prepare analysis and advice to the Royal Commission on Local Government in Greater London , founded the previous year. Chaired by William A. Robson , it expanded on his previous work focusing on issues of London government , with input and debate from
504-415: The group going after the commission report, to study what happened next. By 1960, the group had, as one later account wrote, "earned a reputation as the leading centre for the study of London government". By 1963, it had more than a dozen members, who held a variety of views. The group met every Monday afternoon to review and discuss papers or hear from visiting speakers. Its offices tended to move around
532-468: The group included the likes of Jeffrey Jowell and Peter Hall . The group also had a number of research officers attached to it, who authored reports and some of whom, like Ken Young , went on to prominent academic careers of their own. Robson was the main leader of the group until his death in 1980. Following that, the group was led by Self, and then after that, in a co-chair arrangement, by Derek Diamond and George W. Jones . Diamond retired from
560-463: The group included the likes of Jeffrey Jowell and Peter Hall . The group also had a number of research officers attached to it, who authored reports and some of whom, like Ken Young , went on to prominent academic careers of their own. Robson was the main leader of the group until his death in 1980. Following that, the group was led by Self, and then after that, in a co-chair arrangement, by Derek Diamond and George W. Jones . Diamond retired from
588-546: The group put forth a Memorandum of Evidence in an attempt to define an area that would form a central London borough . Robson kept the group going after the commission report, to study what happened next. By 1960, the group had, as one later account wrote, "earned a reputation as the leading centre for the study of London government". By 1963, it had more than a dozen members, who held a variety of views. The group met every Monday afternoon to review and discuss papers or hear from visiting speakers. Its offices tended to move around
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#1732765276431616-437: The growing metropolis, and its government, should go in. Early members of the group came from a variety of disciplines, including social administration expert David Donnison , geographer Michael Wise , political scientist Richard Pear , and scholar of public administration Peter Self . In 1959 the group put forth a Memorandum of Evidence in an attempt to define an area that would form a central London borough . Robson kept
644-468: The number of inhabitants in their areas under their control varied from over 3,000,000 to 110,000. There were 102 county districts within the review area and these also varied greatly: some had larger populations and rateable value than existing county boroughs, while others had only a few thousand residents. Outside of the County of London, the division of functions between county councils and county districts
672-429: The other members of the newly formed group. It has been recognised as having had a significant impact during the 1960s and upon the creation of the Greater London Council in 1965. It continued operating until 1998, when it was reformulated as LSE London, hosted by the Department of Geography and Environment of the London School of Economics. In 1957, the Royal Commission on Local Government in Greater London ( a.k.a.
700-538: Was also able to draw on the work of the Greater London Group of the London School of Economics , which had carried out an extensive survey on local government in London. The evidence heard by the Commission was contradictory: the Ministry of Local Government and Housing depicted a system that was breaking down, but the local authorities vigorously defended the status quo. In the absence of consensus,
728-471: Was also unclear: some districts enjoyed considerable independence with a range of delegated “county” powers while similar districts did not. There were no set criteria for such delegation, which instead came about because of "fortuitous historical, political and personal factors", which led to "serious administrative friction" in some counties. The Commission held 114 meetings, heard oral evidence on 70 occasions and asked nearly 16,000 questions. The Commission
756-540: Was still recognised under its name in newspaper stories as late as 2009 and 2010 and 2012. Today, LSE London conducts research on the economic and social issues that affect the London region and has gained a strong international reputation particularly in the fields of social and demographic change, housing, finance and governance, becoming the leading academic group at the London School of Economics for analyses of city-wide developments in London. As of April 2024 , Tony Travers – the final director of
784-535: Was still recognised under its name in newspaper stories as late as 2009 and 2010 and 2012. Today, LSE London conducts research on the economic and social issues that affect the London region and has gained a strong international reputation particularly in the fields of social and demographic change, housing, finance and governance, becoming the leading academic group at the London School of Economics for analyses of city-wide developments in London. As of April 2024, Tony Travers – the final director of
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