Coordinating community governance? Local councillors in different governance network arrangements

Abstract

In modern European cities, councillors are but one actor amongst many. They increasingly act within a web of multiple local players who exert influence on the policy process in various forms. Political leadership and steering are not only undertaken by public actors such as the municipal government, the administration or the council. In our globalised world, private actors are becoming increasingly important in the municipal decision-making process - new forms of governance are emerging (see e.g. Bekkers et al. 2007; Denters and Rose 2005; Klok and Denters 2005; Pierre 2000; Vetter and Kersting 2003).