This is a two part article which should be read as one (see RAE FAQ: www.rae.ac.uk/faq/default.asp?selcat=4&q=119). The first part is: 'Trends in Public Participation: Part 1 – Local Government Perspectives' PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION 79/1 pp205-222 (DOI 10.1111/1467-9299.00253). The research that it reports provided the baseline against which the Government has evaluated the success of its subsequent local government participation policy. These articles were the two most electronically accessed items in Public Administration in 2001.