Place-based public service delivery: A method to mitigate social risk?
This study examines the approach taken by one Scottish council in the use of a place-based approach, aiming to investigate whether systemic mitigation of social risk can be achieved with place-based social innovation. Many local authorities have utilised the ‘Total Place’ ideology in the UK as a means of redesigning the public service system. This paper presents a longitudinal review of The City of Edinburgh Council's approach to Total Place, based on qualitative documentary and interview data collected over five years from 2012–2017. The paper presents the experiences from approaches implemented in the city and learning points put forward to the council. It finds that social risk can be mitigated locally, but continued commitment and conscious effort to use the learning from their Total Places is required from the local authority in whatever future approach they take to localities working.