changing rapidly, yet some urban structures are
idea that it might be interesting and enriching for
stable and evolve very slowly throughout time.
our cities to re-invent PPP processes because it
Governing is complex and having strong
does not always create the context for the right
institutions can help. However, the capacity to
innovation. He also stressed the fact that it’s
govern is about implementing the decisions made
becoming a main challenge for cities to keep their
by institutions through the decision-making process.
own identity. His last point brought to light the role
Who is implementing, for whom, and under which
of technology that can empower people and give
conditions are three crucial questions analysts
the capacities to disrupt old ways of making cities.
need to take into account for understanding how
Stephen Goldsmith pointed out the
the city is re-inventing itself. Le Galès brought
necessity to introduce incremental and more brutal
attention to the dangers of replicable best
changes in order to overcome traditional ways of
practices and the need of developing collective
governing and to avoid corruption and
action at the local level for better policy
indiscretion.
implementation and more transparency.
To do so, the ability to listen and
communicate with the civil society is essential to
Generalizing practices might be very debatable
anticipate issues and to find innovative solutions.
because territories have their own specificities.
Moreover, he emphasized the need to incorporate
Tony Williams highlighted the role of
a wide variety of stakeholders in the understanding
elected officials in developing and regulating
of governance.
interactions in the public realm, in creating trust, long-term perspectives and real-time solutions. ‘As a mayor, you have to come up with real solutions in deconstructing the reality and trying to disrupt classical ways of governing.’ Moreover, Williams insisted on the idea that creating a virtuous circle necessitates better management information, allowing the variety of stakeholders to have a better understanding of how a city is governed. The nature of governance is changing. Anil Menon believes that urban stakeholders are currently revitalizing the city without always changing the layers. Political conflicts linked to a wide variety of actors and approaches bring to the fore the role of mayors and elected officials as referees in the public realm. He concluded on the 9