One of the reasons why the concept of "governance" or "urban governance" was entering the lexicon was that the context within which local government operated had become much broader and more complex. This was happening both in the north and the south. In an important article on France (where a Law of Decentralization was first passed in 1981), Patrick le Gals argues for a shift in nomenclature from "the government of cities to urban governance". To le Gals, while the term "local government" was associated with a formal description of powers and responsibilities of urban authorities, local politics and the way in which French cities were administered were changing rapidly. "The term 'governance'" he argued, "suggests …functions and actions of government, but without the idea of uniformity, rationality, or standardization. The term 'urban governance' implies a greater diversity in the organization of services, a greater flexibility, a variety of actors, even a transformation of the forms that local democracy might assume, and taking into account citizens and consumers, and the complexity of new forms of citizenship" (Le Gals 1995, 60).The decentralisation of governmental functions has been a major theme of the past decade or so
in many parts of the world. At the same time, there has been a broadening of the understanding of governance away from simply what governments do to include civil society and the private sector. There has also been a shift away from the direct provision of services by government to more indirect approaches in partnership with the private sector, NGOs and community organisations. An urban planner is a professional who works in the field of urban planning for the purpose of maximizing the effectiveness and efficiency of a community's land use and infrastructure. They formulate plans for the development and management of urban and suburban areas, typically analyzing land use compatibility as well as economic, environmental and social trends. In developing their plan for a community (whether commercial, residential, agricultural, natural or recreational), urban planners must also consider a wide array of issues such as sustainability, air pollution, traffic congestion, crime, land values, legislation and zoning codes.
Urban planners are usually hired by developers, private property owners, private planning firms and local/regional governments to assist in the large-scale planning of communal and commercial developments, as well as public facilities and transportation systems. Urban planners in the public role often assist the public and serve as valued technical advisors in the myriad web of the community's political environment. Related disciplines include regional, city, environmental, transportation, housing and community planning.Urban planners promote the best use of a community’s land and resources for residential, commercial, institutional, and recreational purposes. They address environmental, economic, and social health issues of a community as it grows and changes. They may formulate plans relating to the construction of new school buildings, public housing, or other kinds of infrastructure. Planners also may help to make decisions about developing resources and protecting ecologically sensitive regions. Some planners are involved in environmental issues including pollution control, wetland preservation, forest conservation, and the location of new landfills. Planners also may help to draft legislation on environmental, social, and economic issues, such as planning a new park, sheltering the homeless, or making the region more attractive to businesses.
Urban planners examine proposed community facilities, such as schools, to be sure that these facilities will meet the needs of a growing or changing population. They keep abreast of economic and legal issues involved in zoning codes, building codes, and environmental regulations and ensure that builders and developers follow these codes and regulations. Planners also deal with land-use issues created by population movements. For example, as suburban growth and economic development create more jobs outside cities, the need for public transportation that gets workers to those jobs increases. In response, planners develop and model possible transportation systems and explain them to planning boards and the general public.
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