The overall aim of the research was to assess and explain the democratic anchorage of governance networks through comparative analysis, and to identify normative principles and approaches that can strengthen their institutional design and resultant democratic practices. We pursued this aim through comparative research into governance networks concerned with integration of migrants and neighborhood regeneration in Birmingham, Copenhagen and Rotterdam. Our empirical analysis is critical of those who argue that new forms of governance are leading to the end of representative government. The position is more complex and varies across countries and policy sectors.The desire to join-up government, and to increase the involvement of business, citizens and non-profit organisations, is creating new institutions in cities and communities. Informal associations, partnerships, public interest companies and other types of organisation play a key role in shaping, deciding and delivery public policy. This study investigates the extent to which these new arenas are connected to democratic structures and processes at sub-national level and establishes design principles to enable citizens and stakeholders to engage with these new forms of policy making and implementation. The case study focus is infrastructure and community safety policy in Denmark, England and the Netherlands. Findings will be transferable to other European and policy contexts. The project involves collaborators at Erasmus (Netherlands) and Roskilde (Denmark) universities. It will draw on institutional, ideational, network and democratic theory to investigate four problems: (1) the marginality of elected politicians in governance networks; (2) tensions in governance network design between different democratic traditions; (3) the resolution of collective action problems in polycentric governance networks; (4) how processes of policy deliberation are affected by governance network design.

The data was collected using face-to-face interviews and a web-survey. Interview subjects were Local Coincillors and Senior Public Administrators/City Officials from Birmingham City Council, The city of Rotterdam and City of Copenhagen administrations in 2007-2008.