Local democracy
This section contains information relating to all aspects of lcoal democracy and good governance at the local level. The Commonwealth principles on good practice for local democracy and good governance - known as the Aberdeen Agenda - which have been adopted by all CLGF members and are incorporated in the Commonwealth Charter, set the framework for the promotion of local democracy in the Commonwealth. The materials in this section relate to the constitutional and legal provisions for local government and include a range of studies, policy and training materials on local elections, leadership, community participation, representative local government, local government management and partnerships between local government and other key stakeholders such as traditional authorities.
Sub-topics:
- The Aberdeen Agenda
- Community participation
- Constitutional/legislative provisions
- Decentralisation policy and practice
- Local government elections
- Local leadership
- Local government management
- Partnerships in governance
- Decentralisation in post-conflict environments
- Local government associations
- Transparency and anti-corruption
- Traditional leadership and local governance
Featured
Corruption in UK local government: the mounting risks
Transparency International’s report ‘Corruption in Local Government: The Mounting Risks’ warns that an unintended consequence of recent changes, such as those made in the Localism Act and the Local Audit and Accountability Act, may be the creation of an enabling environment for corruption. The report notes that experts hold widely different views about the scale and prevalence of corruption in local government, but there was general consensus that recent changes would increase the risk of corruption happening in future. It identifies sixteen recent legislative changes which increase the risks, as well as other trends such as the decline in scrutiny by local press and the move to more private sector out-sourcing. This report includes twenty-two recommendations, including that the Government should conduct a corruption risk assessment and strengthen whistleblowing procedures.
Author: Transparency International Publisher: Transparency International Publication year: 2016
The Social Underpinnings of Decentralized Governance: Networks, Technology and the Future of Social Accountability
Prepared for the USAID/DRG Centre Volume Decentralized Governance and Accountability: Academic Research and the Future of Donor Programming
Author: Erik Wibbels Publisher: USAID’s DRG Centre Publication year: 2016
Urban agriculture in Botswana
Author: Aloysius Clemence Mosha Publisher: University of Technology Sydney Press Publication year: 2015
Recentralisation of local government chief administrative officers appointments in Uganda: implications for downward accountability
Commonwealth Journal of Local Governance, Issue 13/14 The Uganda constitution of 1995 spelt out the principle of decentralisation by devolution. From 1995 to 2005 district local governments had a legal mandate to hire and fire all categories of civil servants through their respective district commissioners (DSCs). Following the constitutional amendment in September 2005, the right to hire and fire district chief administrative officers (CAOs) reverted to central government. The paper argues that recentralisation of CAO appointments ahs confused reporting, reduced the autonomy of sub-national governments, undermined accountability of CAOs to elected councils, and shifted the loyalty of CAOs from the local governments for which they work. to the central government that appoints and deploys them. The paper advocates for decentralisation of CAO appointments, with participation of central government in their recruitment within the confines of a separate personnel system.
Author: Lazaros Nabaho Publisher: CLGF/University of Technology Sydney Publication year: 2015
The local government system in Botswana
Publisher: CLGF