Local government service delivery
Equitable and efficient service delivery is at the heart of local government’s mandate. The resources in this section focus on the management and delivery of key strategic, corporate and technical services, ranging from those for which local government has direct responsibility, to shared service provision, and services for which local government is a partner.
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This paper discusses network governance and its contribution to the capacity of local governments (LGs) to deliver local economic development (LED) in Uganda. Although a formal LED policy was only established in Uganda in February 2014, there have been LED-inspired practices in the past decade. Various scholars and practitioners have observed that the autonomy and capacity of LGs to deliver LED is limited, but have been hopeful that new governance strategies like network governance would increase the capacities of LGs. However, neither network governance arrangements among LGs, nor their potential to improve governance capacity, have been documented. In a case study of Kyenjojo District, this paper finds that existing network governance arrangements have been fundamental in improving financial autonomy at this LG, delivering some income to invest in LED activities, although no evidence was found of reduced transaction costs in transforming local economies. The study further reveals that network governance arrangements have not led to the development of specialised skills in regulation or law enforcement, and capacity gaps are evident amongst staff and members in understanding the private sector and how it works. On a positive note, there is clear evidence of attempts by the LG to be innovative. Based on these findings, this study recommends that LGs need to consider a multi-pronged or multi-network governance approach to LED, which in turn will require a refocusing of governance mechanisms to become more dynamic and responsive, and offer incentives to the various actors in the development sector.
Author: Rose B Namara, Gerald Kagambirwe Karyeija, Betty C Mubangizi Publisher: University of Technology Sydney Press Publication year: 2015
Commonwealth Journal of Local Governance - Issue 15, June 2014
The paper encapsulates the outputs of a Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation (SDC) funded project that aimed to improve HIV governance at the district level in Malawi and Zambia by encouraging public participation for more effective use of local resources. The methodology for this project, developed by the Institute for Democracy in Africa (Idasa) and SDC, included a barometer which assessed perceptions of district HIV governance among key stakeholders. Perceptions were gathered on governance principles of effectiveness, efficiency, rule of law, accountability, participation and equity. The stakeholders ranged from administrators, political representatives, community-based organisations and the private sector on the supply side and citizens on the demand or beneficiary side. The findings of the research indicate specific sector governance issues that may be generalised to governance. Communication and transparency appear to be major issues underpinning the bottlenecks and shortcomings in the district HIV governance. Information gaps have given rise to accountability deficits and coordination deficiencies. Addressing these matters would make more effective use of resources and lessen dependence on external funding sources.
Author: Justin Steyn Publisher: CLGF/University of Technology, Sydney Publication year: 2015
This study commissioned joinly by CLGF, the UNCDF and the UNDP, provides a detailed analysis of the state of local government in Southern Africa focusing on four key thematic areas namely: decentralization; local government finance; inclusive service delivery; and related local government capacity. It is aimed at supporting the region’s efforts towards decentralized governance and local development.
Author: CLGF Publisher: CLGF Publication year: 2012
This study commissioned joinly by CLGF, the UNCDF and the UNDP provides a detailed analysis of the state of LG in Southern Africa focusing on four key thematic areas namely: Decentralization; LG Finance; Inclusive Service Delivery; and related LG Capacity. It is aimed at supporting the region’s efforts towards decentralized governance and local development.
Author: CLGF Publisher: CLGF Publication year: 2012
Social exclusion in the North Sydney local government area has increasingly become a matter for
concern in the last decade. In 2005/2006 local government community service referrals indicate that
there were growing numbers of people living on their own with little contact or engagement with
community services and social activities. It was also suggested that older people at risk of social
exclusion were living in poor housing conditions and experienced serious health issues. The ABS
2006 census data highlights that the North Sydney Council area has a significantly larger number of
people living on their own (33%) compared to the rest of New South Wales (22%).
This paper will present a number of different perspectives of social exclusion and consider why
people in North Sydney become isolated. It will provide a brief analysis of existing programs
designed to reduce social isolation and where they fit in the service system by using case studies of
people who have been identified as at risk of becoming socially isolated in the North Sydney area.
We will evaluate the case studies and provide several policy recommendations.
Author: Chris Taylor, Jed Donoghue Publisher: University of Technology Sydney Press Publication year: 2012