Gerry Stoker

Professor Gerry Stoker has been chair of the New Local Government Network since its founding in 1986. He is Professor of Political Science in the Department of Government, University of Manchester. He has also held academic positions at Strathclyde, Essex, Wayne State (Detroit) and Birmingham universities and Leicester Polytechnic. 

Between 1992 and 1997 he was Director of the ESRC Local Governance Research Programme. In April 2002 Gerry Stoker was appointed director of the Government-funded five-year evaluation on the new constitutions and ethical arrangements that the 2000 Act established in English local government. Professor Stoker is a member of the 'sounding board' advising the Minister for Local Government, Nick Raynsford. He is a member of the ODPM (Office of the Deputy Prime Minister)/LGA (Local Government Association) Balance of Funding Review.