Leading citizen-driven governance : Collective regional and sub-regional leadership in the UK

Globally there are many innovative, citizen driven initiatives at grass roots level which are aimed at invigorating local politics and improving public service provision (www.oneworldaction.org/indepth/project. jsp?project.209). There has also been recognition that civil society rather than public bureaucracies are capable of providing public services and satisfying social needs. Devolving leader ship and innovation from bureaucrats to grassroots individuals willing to create and lead projects or organisations to solve social problems and fulfil public purposes is becoming a key feature in many states (Van Ryzin, Burgrud and Di Padova, 31st May, 2007). Indeed the Sloan Foundation in the US since 1997, at least , has sponsored numerous citizen driven projects to foster interactions between citizens, municipal managers and elected officials to assess and improve their own communities . There are examples worldwide of strategic plans being developed by citizens driving the systems to achieve desired results, by performance reporting of council municipalities and service contractors and making them more accountable for service provision (Epstein and Fass Associates, New Jersey, 2007).