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Outputs (70)

Levelling up - getting beyond the rhetoric (2021)
Journal Article
Hambleton, R. (2021). Levelling up - getting beyond the rhetoric. Town and Country Planning -London- Town and Country Planning Association-, 90(11/12), 373-378

This article examines the UK government's so-called 'levelling up' policy and outlines two scenarios for the future of this policy. The analysis suggests that levelling up can be characterised as a slogan in search of a policy. Despite announcing t... Read More about Levelling up - getting beyond the rhetoric.

Place, power and leadership: Insights from mayoral governance and leadership innovation in Bristol, UK (2021)
Journal Article
Hambleton, R., Sweeting, D., & Oliver, T. (2022). Place, power and leadership: Insights from mayoral governance and leadership innovation in Bristol, UK. Leadership, 18(1), 81-101. https://doi.org/10.1177/17427150211028122

This article aims to enhance understanding of the role of place in urban leadership by examining the way leadership changed significantly following the introduction of mayoral governance into a UK city. In 2012, 10 cities in England held referendums... Read More about Place, power and leadership: Insights from mayoral governance and leadership innovation in Bristol, UK.

COVID-19 opens a new political window (2020)
Journal Article
Hambleton, R. (2020). COVID-19 opens a new political window. Town and Country Planning -London- Town and Country Planning Association-, 89(11/12), 366-370

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused immense suffering and misery. However, at the same time, it has created new possibilities for rethinking the kind of society that we want to create in the future. This article adopts an international perspective and... Read More about COVID-19 opens a new political window.

The Bristol One City Approach to city governance: New Civic Leadership in action (2020)
Journal Article
Hambleton, R. (2020). The Bristol One City Approach to city governance: New Civic Leadership in action. Urban Research and Practice, 13(2), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1080/17535069.2020.1752055

The One City Approach to city governance in Bristol, UK is designed to unify civic purpose in the city: it is ambitious, inclusive and innovative. In 2016 the new, directly elected Mayor of Bristol, Marvin Rees, decided to work with a wide range of c... Read More about The Bristol One City Approach to city governance: New Civic Leadership in action.

What can local government learn from the coronavirus? (2020)
Journal Article
Hambleton, R. (2020). What can local government learn from the coronavirus?. Local Government Chronicle,

This short Opinion article for Local Government Chronicle praises the response of UK local government to the covid-19 pandemic. It goes on to discuss three questions that are important for future public policy: 1) Was our country ready for this onsl... Read More about What can local government learn from the coronavirus?.

Leading the healthy city: Taking advantage of the power of place (2020)
Journal Article
Hambleton, R. (2020). Leading the healthy city: Taking advantage of the power of place. Cities and Health, 4(2), 221-228. https://doi.org/10.1080/23748834.2019.1693793

Creating healthy cities requires the exercise of bold city and community leadership. However, our understanding of the role of local leadership, from inside and outside the state, in bringing about processes that can co-create healthy, just and susta... Read More about Leading the healthy city: Taking advantage of the power of place.

Debate: Researching directly elected mayors—key questions to address (2019)
Journal Article
Hambleton, R. (2020). Debate: Researching directly elected mayors—key questions to address. Public Money and Management, 40(1), https://doi.org/10.1080/09540962.2019.1658998

The directly elected mayor model of governance is long established in many countries – for example, the USA and Japan. However, in some countries the model is fairly new. For example, in the UK there were no directly elected mayors until 2000 – tha... Read More about Debate: Researching directly elected mayors—key questions to address.

Rallying the power of place (2019)
Journal Article
Hambleton, R. (2019). Rallying the power of place. Local Government Chronicle, 30-31

This article, aimed at local governance policy-makers, outlines a new way of conceptualising local leadership, described as New Civic Leadership (NCL). NCL, which involves strong, place-based leadership acting to co-create new solutions to public pol... Read More about Rallying the power of place.

The New Civic Leadership: Place and the co-creation of public innovation (2019)
Journal Article
Hambleton, R. (2019). The New Civic Leadership: Place and the co-creation of public innovation. Public Money and Management, 39(4), 271-279. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540962.2019.1592908

© 2019, © 2019 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. This paper discusses the role of place-based leadership in stimulating the co-creation of inclusive public services and outcomes. A conceptual framework, designed to illuminate t... Read More about The New Civic Leadership: Place and the co-creation of public innovation.

The dynamics of depoliticisation in urban governance: Introducing a directly elected mayor (2019)
Journal Article
Sweeting, D., & Hambleton, R. (2020). The dynamics of depoliticisation in urban governance: Introducing a directly elected mayor. Urban Studies, 57(5), 1068-1086. https://doi.org/10.1177/0042098019827506

Within the context of debates regarding depoliticisation, this article considers how the introduction of a directly elected mayor system of governance impacts on urban politics. Directly elected mayors are now a fundamental feature of many political... Read More about The dynamics of depoliticisation in urban governance: Introducing a directly elected mayor.

Inclusive place-based leadership: Lesson-drawing from urban governance innovations in Bristol, UK (2018)
Journal Article
Hambleton, R. (2018). Inclusive place-based leadership: Lesson-drawing from urban governance innovations in Bristol, UK

Across the world progressive city leaders are working to limit the damaging impact of decisions made by place-less leaders, meaning powerful interests that are unconcerned about the consequences of their decisions for particular places and communitie... Read More about Inclusive place-based leadership: Lesson-drawing from urban governance innovations in Bristol, UK.

Town-gown engagement can be chaotic but universities should be local civic leaders (2018)
Journal Article
Hambleton, R. (2018). Town-gown engagement can be chaotic but universities should be local civic leaders. Local Government Chronicle, 19-19

This short article for a professional and practice audience examines the impact of universities on the localities where they are located. Evidence from the author's experience in the USA suggests that British universities could be doing much more to... Read More about Town-gown engagement can be chaotic but universities should be local civic leaders.

OK we didn't win the World Cup but Gareth Southgate offers solutions for local leadership (2018)
Journal Article
Hambleton, R. (2018). OK we didn't win the World Cup but Gareth Southgate offers solutions for local leadership. Local Government Chronicle, 20-20

This short article for a professional and practice audience draws lessons for local leaders from Gareth Southgate's enormously successful leadership of the English national football team. Sports management is, of course, rather different from place-... Read More about OK we didn't win the World Cup but Gareth Southgate offers solutions for local leadership.

British universities - the sleeping giants of place-based leadership? (2018)
Journal Article
Hambleton, R. (2018). British universities - the sleeping giants of place-based leadership?. People, Place and Policy, 11(4), https://doi.org/10.3351/ppp.2018.4889247933

This Alternatives paper explores the changing dynamics of town/gown relationships in modern Britain. It argues that there are major opportunities for improving collaboration between universities and ‘off campus’ actors, opportunities that could bene... Read More about British universities - the sleeping giants of place-based leadership?.

How US local government resists Trump (2017)
Journal Article
Hambleton, R. (2017). How US local government resists Trump. Local Government Chronicle,

This short article argues that, at a time when national politics is being disfigured by angry populism, learning from progressive US cities can be inspirational. It explains how two counties in California took President Trump to court over his attem... Read More about How US local government resists Trump.

The super-centralisation of the English state – Why we need to move beyond the devolution deception (2016)
Journal Article
Hambleton, R. (2017). The super-centralisation of the English state – Why we need to move beyond the devolution deception. Local Economy, 32(1), 3-13. https://doi.org/10.1177/0269094216686296

© 2016, © The Author(s) 2016. In a stream of high-profile announcements, the UK central government has said that it wants to devolve power to sub-regions within England – to city regions and across the country. This article presents evidence to show... Read More about The super-centralisation of the English state – Why we need to move beyond the devolution deception.

Place-based leadership (2016)
Journal Article
Hambleton, R. (2016). Place-based leadership

This short article comments on the interim report of the Royal Society of Arts (RSA) 'Inclusive Growth Commission'. It offers two suggestions on how to improve devolution policy in England. First, public policy makers should attempt to 'see like a... Read More about Place-based leadership.

Pulling their weight (2016)
Journal Article
Hambleton, R. (2016). Pulling their weight

This Opinion piece argues that universities can become for more active in the communities where they are located. The article welcomes the efforts of the nine English universities involved in six pilot 'Leading Places' initiatives. It notes that U... Read More about Pulling their weight.

English devolution - time for a radical rethink (2016)
Journal Article
Hambleton, R. (2016). English devolution - time for a radical rethink. Town and Country Planning -London- Town and Country Planning Association-, 85, 350-352

This article provides a robust critique of the UK central government's approach to devolution in England, arguing that the policy is incoherent, divisive, competitive and short-sighted. Public consultation has been minimal and many 'devolution deals... Read More about English devolution - time for a radical rethink.

Developing a leadership advantage? An assessment of the impact of mayoral governance in Bristol (2016)
Journal Article
Hambleton, R., & Sweeting, D. (2016). Developing a leadership advantage? An assessment of the impact of mayoral governance in Bristol. Regions Magazine, 302, 17-18

This article provides a summary of the main findings emerging from a 'before' and 'after' action-research study of the impact on a city of introducing a directly elected mayor form of governance. The discussion shows how the introduction of mayoral... Read More about Developing a leadership advantage? An assessment of the impact of mayoral governance in Bristol.

Place-based collaboration: Leadership for a changing world (2015)
Journal Article
Hambleton, R. (2015). Place-based collaboration: Leadership for a changing world. Administration -Dublin-, 63(3), 5-25

Place-less power, meaning the exercise of power by decision makers who are unconcerned about the impact of their decisions on communities living in particular places, has grown significantly in the last thirty years. A consequence is that societies... Read More about Place-based collaboration: Leadership for a changing world.

Place-based leadership: A new perspective on urban regeneration (2015)
Journal Article
Hambleton, R. (2015). Place-based leadership: A new perspective on urban regeneration. Journal of Urban Regeneration and Renewal, 9(1), 10-24

The role of inspirational leadership in bringing about successful urban regeneration has been neglected. This paper attempts to provide a corrective by exploring the role of place-based leadership in modern urban governance. It outlines arguments tha... Read More about Place-based leadership: A new perspective on urban regeneration.

Spirit of place (2015)
Journal Article
Hambleton, R. (2015). Spirit of place

Place-based leadership allows strong and decisive planners to prove their value, with Melbourne a perfect example of what can be achieved. Here, Robin Hambleton looks at the Melbourne story - and explains how place-based leadership should be structur... Read More about Spirit of place.

Power, place and the New Civic Leadership (2015)
Journal Article
Hambleton, R. (2015). Power, place and the New Civic Leadership. Local Economy, 30(2), 167-172. https://doi.org/10.1177/0269094215570563

© The Author(s) 2015 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav. In the years since Local Economy was launched in 1986, globalisation has diminished the power of place-based leaders. Place-less actors, meaning people who are not... Read More about Power, place and the New Civic Leadership.

Evaluation as the co-construction of knowledge: Case studies of place-based leadership and public service innovation (2015)
Journal Article
Howard, J., Flores, A., & Hambleton, R. (2015). Evaluation as the co-construction of knowledge: Case studies of place-based leadership and public service innovation. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1474-786320140000015008

Copyright © 2015 by Emerald Group Publishing Limited. This chapter introduces the notion of the 'Innovation Story' as a methodological approach to public policy evaluation, which builds in greater opportunity for learning and reflexivity. The Innovat... Read More about Evaluation as the co-construction of knowledge: Case studies of place-based leadership and public service innovation.

Place-based leadership: A new agenda for spatial planning and local governance (2014)
Journal Article
Hambleton, R. (2014). Place-based leadership: A new agenda for spatial planning and local governance

Study an example of bold and imaginative planning and you will encounter leadership – probably inspirational leadership. Planning professionals understand this well enough. In contrast, planning theorists have paid very little attention to the impo... Read More about Place-based leadership: A new agenda for spatial planning and local governance.

Innovation in urban political leadership. Reflections on the introduction of a directly-elected mayor in Bristol, UK (2014)
Journal Article
Hambleton, R., & Sweeting, D. (2014). Innovation in urban political leadership. Reflections on the introduction of a directly-elected mayor in Bristol, UK. Public Money and Management, 34(5), 315-322. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540962.2014.945793

In May 2012, 10 of England's largest cities, outside London, were required to hold referendums giving citizens the option of introducing a directly-elected mayor. Bristol was the only city to vote in favour of the mayoral model. This paper outlines t... Read More about Innovation in urban political leadership. Reflections on the introduction of a directly-elected mayor in Bristol, UK.

Place-Based Leadership and Public Service Innovation (2013)
Journal Article
Hambleton, R., & Howard, J. (2013). Place-Based Leadership and Public Service Innovation. Local Government Studies, 39(1), 47-70. https://doi.org/10.1080/03003930.2012.693076

This article discusses two matters that are becoming increasingly important in debates about local government: place-based leadership and public service innovation. The troubling international economic outlook means that many local authorities are fo... Read More about Place-Based Leadership and Public Service Innovation.

Northern lights (2011)
Journal Article
Hambleton, R. (2011). Northern lights

The kiwi connection: Reflections on local governance policy transfer between the UK and New Zealand (2011)
Journal Article
Cheyne, C., & Hambleton, R. (2011). The kiwi connection: Reflections on local governance policy transfer between the UK and New Zealand. Journal of Comparative Policy Analysis, 13(2), 215-231. https://doi.org/10.1080/13876988.2011.556000

Local governance policy has been transferred between the United Kingdom and New Zealand since the mid-nineteenth century. In recent decades, however, the processes of exchange have become more complex and more bidirectional. This article argues that... Read More about The kiwi connection: Reflections on local governance policy transfer between the UK and New Zealand.

A Jekyll and Hyde localism bill? (2011)
Journal Article
Hambleton, R. (2011). A Jekyll and Hyde localism bill?. Town and Country Planning -London- Town and Country Planning Association-, 80(1), 24-26

Strengthening local democracy? (2009)
Journal Article
Hambleton, R. (2009). Strengthening local democracy?. Town and Country Planning -London- Town and Country Planning Association-, 78(9), 355-356

Purpose and collegiality in planning education: An international perspective (2006)
Journal Article
Hambleton, R. (2006). Purpose and collegiality in planning education: An international perspective. Journal of Planning Education and Research, 26(1), 107-117. https://doi.org/10.1177/0739456X06290936

This article considers the interplay between purpose, collegiality, and performance in planning education. A global transformation of higher education is now underway and this poses new challenges for all academics. This article adopts an internation... Read More about Purpose and collegiality in planning education: An international perspective.

U.S.-style leadership for english local government? (2004)
Journal Article
Hambleton, R., & Sweeting, D. (2004). U.S.-style leadership for english local government?. Public Administration Review, 64(4), 474-488. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6210.2004.00393.x

Significant changes in the political management of local authorities in the United Kingdom are now taking place as a result of legislation passed by the Labour government since 1997. The new political management models aim to modernize local governan... Read More about U.S.-style leadership for english local government?.