Heisei Grand Amalgamation and Local Council Members

An Analysis of Empirical Researches

Abstract

The so-called Heisei Grand Amalgamation of local governments reduced the number of local councils and the number of local council menbers. The responsibility of local council menbers has considerably expanded. How did amalgamation change local councils? What kind of effects did amalgamation give to local council menbers? In order to answer these questions I have made researches on the influences and effects of amalgamation to local council menbers by sending quetionnaires. At first I sent questionnaires to Sasayama city council menbers in the spring of 2000. Sasayama city which established by amalgamating four small towns on April in 1999 was called a harbinger of Heisei Grand Amalgamation. Then, I sent questionnaires to 856 council menbers of 31 local councils of Kinki area which was amalgamated until November in 2005. The analysis of these questionnaires I collected shows several interesting findings. While most of council menbers agreed with amalgamation, they expressed lower evaluation on the effects of amalgamation. Also, they made severe evaluation on the activities of their councils. They admitted that the relationship between residents and mayor became more distant after the amalgamation, and that the relationship between residents and local council became distant, too.