Members of the CLGF Executive Committee have called on Commonwealth Heads of Government to maintain their commitment to the Aberdeen Agenda: principles on good practice for local democracy and good governance.

The Executive Committee, meeting for the first time in London on 19-10 October, also called on the Heads of Government to recognise CLGF’s work in promoting local democracy, good governance and local economic development (LED) in the Pacific and other regions of the Commonwealth, and to welcome the outcomes of the recent Commonwealth Local Government Conference in Cardiff, Wales, UK, on local government’s role in promoting and facilitating LED.

The Committee is also asking the Heads of Government to implement the recommendations of the Commonwealth Eminent Persons’ Group on enhancing the work of the Commonwealth, including strengthening cooperation to maximise resources between the Commonwealth Secretariat and associated organisations such as CLGF.

CLGF Chairperson Mayor Zenaida Moya will head a small CLGF delegation accredited to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Perth, Australia from 28-30 October 2011 and associated events to deliver CLGF’s messages.

“Endorsement by Commonwealth Heads of Government is very important for our work,” said Mayor Moya. “CLGF will represent local government and ensure that there is a continuing commitment by governments to supporting local democracy and decentralisation and ensuring a greater recognition of local government’s role in local economic development”, she said.

Members of the Executive Committee are:

• Mayor Zenaida Moya, Mayor of Belize City Council and Chairperson of CLGF
• Hon Adolf Mwesige, Minister of Local Government, Uganda
• Mayor Lawrence Yule, President, Local Government New Zealand
• Cllr Marvin Hunt, National Board of Directors, Federation of Canadian Municipalities
• Basil Morrison, Immediate Past Chairperson, CLGF
• Dr Chris Said, Parliamentary Secretary for Consumers, Fair Competition, Local Councils and Public Dialogue, Office of the Prime Minister, Malta
• Simon Baker, Society of Local Authority Chief Executives, UK and CLGF Honorary Treasurer.

Hon Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Ghana, was endorsed as a member of the Committee to replace Hon Robert Montague, Jamaica. Minister Ofosu-Ampofo has the CLGF portfolio for youth and women and represented concept papers to the Executive Committee for discussion. The Committee welcomed the papers and will be taking forward the proposals. 

Read full statement: CLGF policy statement for Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2011