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Folk may recall one of BBS' other interests apart from electoral reform is local government.
It's, ah, interesting to see this proposal for local government in England to cover an average population of over 800,000. https://twitter.com/AntBreach/status/1304382632608890881
It's, ah, interesting to see this proposal for local government in England to cover an average population of over 800,000. https://twitter.com/AntBreach/status/1304382632608890881
Presently, it's roughly 157,000. In Scotland we're about 170,000, Northern Ireland is same as us, Wales is 140,000. Next door in Ireland they've followed suit with about 150,000.
The largest average local government size in Europe outside these islands is Denmark, circa 59,000.
The largest average local government size in Europe outside these islands is Denmark, circa 59,000.
I'm not an academic, I don't research this stuff, I don't have the economic smarts of these people, but I do kind of feel that perhaps the numbers here might indicate what we do in the UK (and Ireland, friends, you're bad too) is not meaningfully "local" government.
If people want to have massive Economic Management Units, by all means, advocate that, but let's not pretend its local government, eh?
The UK: Don't be absurd, we can't get rid of first past the post, people need a 
local MP
Also The UK: Decisions about your home are going to be taken six towns and three changes of bus route away, even though 50,000 folk live in your home area, this is just good governance.
local MPAlso The UK: Decisions about your home are going to be taken six towns and three changes of bus route away, even though 50,000 folk live in your home area, this is just good governance.
