Democratic Deficit, Decentralisation and the Quest for Sustainable Communities: A Case Study of Peckham Community Council

Abstract

This study explores the impact of decentralisation and the concept of democratic deficit. The focus of the research is Peckham Community Council which is an area committee set up under the provisions of the 2000 Local Government Act (2000). The central question of this study is: can decentralisation address the democratic deficit and the quest for sustainable communities? As will be discussed, a democratic deficit is often assumed where the local community has little direct influence on local policy decisions and where regeneration is unresponsive to the community's needs, thus fostering a sense of alienation from the political system. More specifically, this research aims to examine (1) whether Peckham Community Council signifies a high level of community power and political participation (and thus a low level of alienation) and (2) plays a significant role in militating against democratic deficit by steering a regeneration agenda which responds to community needs.