Local authorities and local democracy

2003 ◽  
pp. 339-368
Keyword(s):  
Local Democracy ◽  
Local Authorities

scholarly journals Ethical and political dilemmas of local self-government in Poland in the course of systemic transformations (1990–2018)

2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (7) ◽  
pp. 7-26
Author(s):  
Michał Kasiński
Keyword(s):  
Point Of View ◽  
Local Democracy ◽  
Control Rights ◽  
Local Authorities ◽  
Political Values ◽  
Election Process ◽  
The Republic ◽  
Government Reforms ◽  
And Control

The study presents critical reflections on the course and results of Polish local self-government reforms from March 1990, when after 40 years of the system of territorial soviets (national councils), self-government was reintroduced into communes, until January 2018, when an attempt to improve the systemic institutions of self-government in communes, poviats and voivodships was once again revisited. The author points out significant discrepancies between the basic ethical and political values of local self-government, i.e. democracy, independence and efficiency, and the changing content of self-government systemic laws as well as the practice of local authorities’ operations, and formulates proposals aimed at repairing Polish local self-government by adjusting its organisation and functioning to the principles resulting from the Constitution of the Republic of Poland and the European Charter of Local Self-Government. He considers as the most important the elimination of pathological phenomena of simulated local democracy which include: a drastically low turnout in elections and referenda, the disappearance of democratic responsibility of local self-government bodies, and the autonomy of the directly elected executive body of the commune from the influence of the local representation. From this point of view, he positively assesses the new regulations, strengthening the guarantee of transparency of operations carried out by local self-government bodies and control rights of councillors, as well as expanding the catalogue of initiative, consultative and control powers of citizens. He points out, however, that ensuring real democracy in of the local authorities requires a deeper reconstruction of the principles of self-government, the election process, and strengthening the role of representation in creating and enforcing the responsibility of executive bodies.

scholarly journals Possibilities for Decentralisation in Thailand: A View from Chiang Mai

2021 ◽  
pp. 76-96
Author(s):  
Andrew Harding ◽  
Rawin Leelapatana
Keyword(s):  
Citizen Participation ◽  
Potential Model ◽  
Provincial Government ◽  
Local Democracy ◽  
Military Government ◽  
Chiang Mai ◽  
Local Authorities ◽  
Local Stakeholders ◽  
Fiscal Decentralisation

In this article we examine radical proposals for political, administrative and fiscal decentralisation in Thailand which were developed for Chiang Mai as a potential model for Thailand as a whole. They lay emphasis on local self-government and citizen participation. We argue that these proposals offer a way forward for a Thai decentralisation process that has yet to proceed to the extent envisaged when it was commenced in the 1990s as part of democratisation, embraced most notably in the 1997 Constitution. Moreover, this process, we argue, offers a way out of the extreme confrontation between the yellow and red factions that has troubled Thailand since 2005. As Thailand returns to civilian rule after five years of military government, and local and provincial government comes once more to the fore, we argue that the Chiang Mai Metropolitan Administration Bill of 2013 offer more local democracy as well as imaginative ways of recruiting the enthusiasm of local stakeholders in a system designed to link provincial and local authorities, and the citizenry, in a virtuous circle of democracy and development.

Local Democracy Online

2011 ◽  
pp. 3687-3703 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lawrence Pratchett ◽  
Melvin Wingfield ◽  
Rabia Karakaya Polat
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Web Sites ◽  
Web Site ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Actual Behavior ◽  
Local Democracy ◽  
Local Authorities ◽  
Attitudinal Survey ◽  
Site Use ◽  
Insight Into

This report from the field analyzes the extent to which local authorities in England and Wales have responded to the e-democracy agenda by examining their Web sites and assessing their potential to deliver democracy. The analysis of Web sites provides a powerful insight into how local government is using the Internet to promote democracy. Two aspects of Web site use are particularly significant. First, the analysis reveals the overall commitment to e-democracy in local government, as it is a measure of actual behavior rather than simply an attitudinal survey. Second, it highlights the types of democratic structure being supported and the values being emphasized in the implementation of e-democracy. The research demonstrated that the potential of the Internet for enhancing democracy is not fully exploited by local authorities and there remain considerable variations between different authorities.

Development Plans: Their Legal Significance After the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashley Bowes
Keyword(s):  
Economic Development ◽  
Local Development ◽  
Local Democracy ◽  
Local Authorities ◽  
Spatial Strategies ◽  
Regional Strategies ◽  
Development Plans ◽  
Compulsory Purchase ◽  
Regional Authorities ◽  
New System

The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 introduced a sea change from the development plan system of the past. The new system provided for the replacement of the non-statutory regional guidance, structure plans, local plans, waste plans, mineral plans, and unitary development plans by regional spatial strategies and local development documents. As stated earlier, the Local Democracy Economic Development and Construction Act 2009 renamed the regional spatial strategies as regional strategies but basically retained the same system. The Localism Act 2011 has however swept away the whole system of regional strategies and regional authorities and replaced them simply with a duty on local authorities to co-operate.

scholarly journals Only for Citizens? Local Political Engagement in Sweden and Inclusiveness of Terms

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (14) ◽  
pp. 7839
Author(s):  
Bozena Guziana
Keyword(s):  
Civic Engagement ◽  
Social Construction ◽  
Citizen Participation ◽  
Social Sustainability ◽  
Political Engagement ◽  
The Political ◽  
Local Democracy ◽  
Local Authorities ◽  
Local Participation ◽  
Ethical Concerns

In both policy and research, civic engagement and citizen participation are concepts commonly used as important dimensions of social sustainability. However, as migration is a global phenomenon of huge magnitude and complexity, citizen participation is incomplete without considering the political and ethical concerns about immigrants being citizens or non-citizens, or ‘the others’. Although research on citizen participation has been a frequent topic in local government studies in Sweden, the inclusiveness and exclusiveness of terms used in the context of local political engagement, which are addressed in this article, has not received attention. This article examines the Swedish case by analyzing information provided by the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and by websites of all 290 municipalities as well terms used in selected research publications on local participation. Additionally, this article studies the effectiveness of municipal websites in providing information to their residents about how they can participate in local democracy. The results show that the term citizen is commonly and incorrectly used both by local authorities and the Association. The article concludes that the term citizen is a social construction of exclusiveness and the use of the term citizen should be avoided in political and civic engagement except for the limited topics that require formal citizenship.

Local Democracy Online

2008 ◽  
pp. 120-139
Author(s):  
Lawrence Pratchett ◽  
Melvin Wingfield ◽  
Rabia Karakaya
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Web Sites ◽  
Web Site ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Actual Behavior ◽  
Local Democracy ◽  
Local Authorities ◽  
Attitudinal Survey ◽  
Site Use ◽  
Insight Into

This report from the field analyzes the extent to which local authorities in England and Wales have responded to the e-democracy agenda by examining their Web sites and assessing their potential to deliver democracy. The analysis of Web sites provides a powerful insight into how local government is using the Internet to promote democracy. Two aspects of Web site use are particularly significant. First, the analysis reveals the overall commitment to e-democracy in local government, as it is a measure of actual behavior rather than simply an attitudinal survey. Second, it highlights the types of democratic structure being supported and the values being emphasized in the implementation of e-democracy. The research demonstrated that the potential of the Internet for enhancing democracy is not fully exploited by local authorities and there remain considerable variations between different authorities.

Comparative Analysis of Local Government in Zambia Between 1991-2010 And 2011-2020

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (09) ◽  
pp. 6135-6161
Author(s):  
ROYSON M. MUKWENA
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Local Government ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Local Democracy ◽  
Resource Base ◽  
Local Authorities ◽  
Economic Resource ◽  
All Solutions ◽  
Preparatory Work ◽  
Meaningful Role

In this article the author undertakes a comparative analysis of local government in Zambia between the periods 1991-2010 and 2011-2020. The author examines the motivations and objectives of the decentralisation reform measures undertaken during the two periods. After examining the motivations and objectives of the reforms the author proceeds to undertake a comparative analysis of the performance of decentralisation policies and reforms during the two periods using the parameters he develops in the conceptual and theoretical section of the paper. For most of the period under discussion (since 2002), devolution has been the preferred focus of the decentralisation reforms.Apart from the launch of the DecentralizationImplementation Plan (DIP)in December 2009, there was no progress with regard to the devolution of functions to the local level during the period 1991-2010. By and large, the districts in Zambia during the period 1991-2010 remainedunaccountable and unresponsive to the needs of the local populations.Local government during this period continued facing the same problems that limited its capacity in the pre-1991 period to deliver local services and play any meaningful role in fostering local democracy and local development.The period 2011-2020 has witnessed more progress than the previous period with regard to preparatory work for devolution. For instance, several devolution plans have been prepared. However there has been little progress with regard to implementation except for one devolution plan that has been implemented. With regard to performance, Local government during the period 2011-2020 has continued to face the same problems that limited its capacity in the previous periods.Theauthor cautions against neglecting the issue of Homogeneity and Heterogeneity when designing decentralisation reforms. He argues that previous decentralisation reforms in Zambia have failed because the reforms have treated local authorities as a homogeneous group and prescribed one-size fits all solutions. He emphasises that Local Authorities are not homogeneous but heterogeneous. They differ in, inter alia, economic/resource base, population, geographical base, local responsibilities and institutional capacity. Thus Local Authorities should be graded according to their capacity and devolution be undertaken in a phased approach and follow readiness of Local Authorities using the capacity criteria.In conclusion the author points out thatthere is need to address the issue of capacity assessment of Local Authorities as an essential component of the process of devolution. He also points out that there is need to address the shortcomings that have been identified in the approved Devolution Plans. The author observes that the shortcomings,challenges and factors that have accounted for Zambia’s unsuccessful attempts at decentralisation since independence and dismal performance of local government with regard to fostering development are well known and have been well documented. He advises that these shortcomings, challenges and factors will have to be addressed and resolved in an honest and objective manner in order for decentralisation reforms to have any realistic chance of succeeding to achieve the intended objectives

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