Location of Public Services

Table of Contents

1. Frontmatter

2. Chapter 1. Introduction

   Jenny de Fine Licht, David Karlsson, Louise Skoog

   Abstract

   This book offers a comprehensive introduction to challenges associated with decisions on location of public services, with a specific focus on how such complex and at times painful decisions can gain public acceptance. This introductory chapter explains what a location problem is and why such problems are particularly difficult to manage in a democratic context. A classification of public services is introduced, taking their relative attractiveness to the local community as a point of departure. The book’s focus on the local level of government is explained and the case of Sweden—which provides many illustrative examples throughout the book—is introduced. The chapter ends with an overview of the rest of the book.

3. Chapter 2. The Centre-Periphery Divide

   Jenny de Fine Licht, David Karlsson, Louise Skoog

   Abstract

   This chapter unpacks the inherent conflict of interests in the centre-periphery divide. It explores how these conflicts are articulated in the context of determining the spatial allocation of services, and the centralisation and decentralisation of service facilities, in relation to values such as accessibility, efficiency, and quality. The chapter also delves into the question of public opinion on locational issues, with arguments illustrated by results from a citizen survey conducted in Sweden in 2022.

4. Chapter 3. The Quest for Legitimacy

   Jenny de Fine Licht, David Karlsson, Louise Skoog

   Abstract

   This chapter explores the challenge of location decisions through the lens of legitimacy. It discusses what legitimacy means; why decision-makers should strive for legitimacy; how legitimacy can be generated and sustained; and which problems are associated with evaluating legitimacy.

5. Chapter 4. Location in a Multilevel Setting

   Jenny de Fine Licht, David Karlsson, Louise Skoog

   Abstract

   This chapter shows how the construction of political systems influences how issues are managed and discusses the challenge of locating public services and facilities from an institutional and structural perspective. The distribution of power and influence among actors and institutions on different tiers of government is captured by the concept of multilevel government, and the way multilevel systems are structured not only has implications for the management of public services but also has consequences for decisions regarding their geographical location.

6. Chapter 5. Party Conflicts and Political Representation

   Jenny de Fine Licht, David Karlsson, Louise Skoog

   Abstract

   This chapter places the location dilemma in the domain of representative democracy. It discusses the role of political parties in channelling political conflicts on location decisions and illustrates how they represent public opinion in location decisions using Swedish survey data. The chapter delves into numerous challenges for parties and representative democracy to overcome in making location decisions that resonate with the will of the people and thereby bestow legitimacy.

7. Chapter 6. Making Decisions on Location

   Jenny de Fine Licht, David Karlsson, Louise Skoog

   Abstract

   This chapter addresses how political actors manage location issues and decisions. It discusses efforts to avoid painful decisions by searching for alternatives, delegating the problem to other actors or delaying the process as long as possible. The difference between two decision-making models is introduced—one based on conflict where the winning side decides and the other based on compromise between stakeholders—and how the two models may affect transparency and accountability in different ways is discussed. The chapter ends with a discussion on the prospects of public involvement as a means to generate legitimacy for location decisions.

8. Chapter 7. Solutions

   Jenny de Fine Licht, David Karlsson, Louise Skoog

   Abstract

   In this concluding chapter, the point of departure is that political leaders must have the courage to make difficult and sometimes painful trade-off decisions when it comes to location of service facilities. The chapter discusses a number of identified challenges and offers some solutions and broad recommendations such as embracing the location challenge as a political issue; managing people’s expectations; ensuring a robust decision-making process through proper use of the administration; taking a long-term perspective into account; compensating for the inconveniences that location decisions may cause; maintaining an open yet critically evaluative attitude towards technical innovations and collaborative solutions; and designing public institutions capable of addressing the location challenge by establishing conditions for local democracy to function effectively. The chapter—and the book—ends by presenting suggestions for how the research field of location dilemmas can develop.

9. Backmatter