Community councils were created at the same time as the major reorganisation of local government in the mid-70s which abolished the old town and county councils and created regions such as Strathclyde and Tayside.

BBC: 'Sense of community' is crucial

In our national ranking of 200 metropolitan regions for employer attractiveness, the four-county Syracuse region ranks in the bottom quintile. (See "map") Some of the factors indirectly affecting this ranking are beyond any city's control--such as climate and transportation grids--but one very big one is very much the province of politicians: taxes.

FORBES: Magazine Article

New York officials will test the new board structure with three pilot regions in Staten Island, the northwest and South Bronx, and Rockland County.

WSJ: Archdiocese Alters Course on Schools

Bernard Jenkin, shadow regions secretary, says he wants to go further and reinvent civic Conservatism by decentralising power to city and county councils.

ECONOMIST: Devolution