Local Government Reforms in Federal Brazil, India and South Africa: A Comparative Overview

2013 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 453-470
Author(s):  
Helder Do Vale
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Local Government ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Transition To Democracy ◽  
Institutional Processes ◽  
The Past ◽  
Decision Making Processes ◽  
Government Reforms

This article examines the changes at the local level of government that have been taking place in Brazil, India and South Africa for the past thirty years as a result of complex federal decision-making processes. I summarize the most important federal traits of these countries and identify the role of key institutions behind the fiscal, political and administrative changes in local governments. The article draws on the institutional processes to dissect the anatomy of local government reforms in these countries and concludes that although the changes in local government structures and powers have been taken against the background of transition to democracy and/or democratic deepening, the scope of change in local government varied.

scholarly journals Industrial strategy and local economic development: The case of the foundry industry in Ekurhuleni Metro

2014 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 448-464 ◽  
Author(s):  
T Phele ◽  
S Roberts ◽  
I Steuart
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Economic Development ◽  
Local Economic Development ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Action Plans ◽  
Foundry Industry ◽  
The Past ◽  
Concrete Action

This  article explores the challenges for the development of manufacturing through a case study of the foundry industry in Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality. Ekurhuleni Metro covers the largest concentration in South Africa, but the industry’s performance has been poor over the past decade.  The findings reported here highlight the need to understand firm decisions around investment, technology and skills, and the role of local economic linkages in this regard.  The differing performance of foundries strongly supports the need to develop concrete action plans and effective institutions at local level to support the development of local agglomerations.

scholarly journals Administrative Capacity of Local Government in Responding to Natural Disasters in Developing Countries

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 114-124
Author(s):  
Nguyen Van Quang ◽  
Doan Trieu Long ◽  
Nguyen Dung Anh ◽  
Thanh Nguyen Hai
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Natural Disasters ◽  
Adaptive Capacity ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Local Authorities ◽  
Role Of Government ◽  
Administrative Capacity ◽  
Central Highlands

The important role of local government in the socio-economic development of localities has been confirmed in many domestic and foreign studies. But the role of government in drought adaptation has often received little attention and analysis in domestic studies. Approaching from the local tectonic government model, the article argues that local government is an important link to promote adaptive capacity at the local level of Vietnam and the Central Highlands provinces provide a case study that is typical for research and development of the capacity to adapt to drought and natural disasters for local authorities in Vietnam. Analysis of adaptive capacity through case studies in local government in the Central Highlands provinces shows that capacity is a major challenge for local governments here. The paper recommends that it is necessary to further expand the initiative and role of local authorities in guiding and promoting adaptation for communities and local people. Doi: 10.28991/HEF-2021-02-02-03 Full Text: PDF

scholarly journals Motivations and Intended Outcomes in Local Governments' Declarations of Climate Emergency

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 17-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xira Ruiz-Campillo ◽  
Vanesa Castán Broto ◽  
Linda Westman
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Civil Society ◽  
Local Government ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Environmental Action ◽  
Future Planning ◽  
Long Run ◽  
Global And Local

Near 1,500 governments worldwide, including over 1,000 local governments, have declared a climate emergency. Such declarations constitute a response to the growing visibility of social movements in international politics as well as the growing role of cities in climate governance. Framing climate change as an emergency, however, can bring difficulties in both the identification of the most appropriate measures to adopt and the effectiveness of those measures in the long run. We use textual analysis to examine the motivations and intended outcomes of 300 declarations endorsed by local governments. The analysis demonstrates that political positioning, previous experience of environmental action within local government, and pressure from civil society are the most common motivations for declaring a climate emergency at the local level. The declarations constitute symbolic gestures highlighting the urgency of the climate challenge, but they do not translate into radically different responses to the climate change challenge. The most commonly intended impacts are increasing citizens’ awareness of climate change and establishing mechanisms to influence future planning and infrastructure decisions. However, the declarations are adopted to emphasize the increasing role cities are taking on, situating local governments as crucial agents bridging global and local action agendas.

PROBLEMS OF LOCAL BUDGETS’ ORGANIZATION IN UKRAINE IN THE CONTEXT OF FINANCIAL DECENTRALIZATION

2017 ◽  
pp. 29-41
Author(s):  
Yurij RADELYTSKYJ
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Fiscal Decentralization ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Intergovernmental Transfers ◽  
Financial Autonomy ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Local Budget ◽  
Expert Community

Introduction. Fiscal decentralization as the main vector of development of Ukraine in general and local government in particular has set scientific and expert community task of defining feasibility and effectiveness of the reforms and their compliance with requirements and needs of society. Purpose. Analysis of the tool of organization of local budgets in Ukraine due to decentralization process to define the main results of these innovations and make recommendations for improving the system. Results. Specific features of organization of local budgets in Ukraine in terms of local government reform are observed. It is made comparative analysis of formation and execution of local budgets before and after the reform. Peculiarities of formation of the revenue of local governments are examined. Tax revenue is defined as the main source of local budgets. It is analyzed the main characteristics of collection of major budget-taxes. The features of expenditure policies at the local level are investigated. The main problems of this process are defined. It is investigated the place and role of intergovernmental transfers as a part of local budgets. The features of forming of intergovernmental transfers and horizontal fiscal equalization of local budgets in consequence of financial decentralization are determined. General conclusions resulting from the study are made. Conclusion. Reform of the system of local budgets requires a comprehensive update of local government and simultaneous implementation of sectoral reforms. In the system of local budget revenues development and selection of algorithm of formation of a well-defined orientation to ensure financial autonomy and financial viability and its implementation on an ongoing basis is a priority. The task of reforming expenditure part of local budgets is orientation of financial resources to secure capital expenditures and implementing their own powers of local government.

scholarly journals Strengthening Local Government and Community Governance in New Zealand

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Michael Reid
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Local Government ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Community Governance ◽  
Strategic Objectives ◽  
Regional Service ◽  
Government Reforms

<p>The role of local government and specifically the concept of community governance have been the focus of much attention in recent years. For much of its history, local government was typically viewed by governments and citizens as a conservative sector, valued for its dependability rather than for innovation and its services rather than for its role in promoting community well-being. Public sector reform, globalisation and increasing demands by citizens have increased awareness of, and appreciation for, the potential for local governments to work with other organisations to address complex policy and management issues. These pressures have compelled the sector to innovate, and venture into areas that were previously considered to be outside its remit. Local governments the world over have therefore undergone extensive programmes of reform, often aiming to reorient councils from service delivery roles to broader roles concerned with community well-being, strengthening community leadership, and steering local and regional service providers towards local goals and strategic objectives. This trend has been characterised as a shift from local government to ‘community governance’ (Rhodes 1997, Stoker 2000). Local government in New Zealand is no exception. The Local Government Act 2002 (LGA 2002) broadened local government’s powers and purposes, introducing a collaborative, citizen-centred style of working within a framework oriented to securing community well-being and sustainable development. This research examines the concept and practice of local and community governance, internationally and in New Zealand. Its focus is the local government reforms introduced in New Zealand over the last two decades, and specifically the role of community governance. It uses several research methods to assess options for strengthening community governance in practice. The primary method is the development of a model which examines 10 dimensions of the New Zealand system to assess the degree to which they are able to achieve community governance. In addition, the approach to community planning undertaken by a sample of local authorities is examined to assess the degree to which councils are using this mechanism as an instrument for strengthening community governance. Further, a number of local government participants were invited to answer a range of questions about three alternative governance scenarios designed to test whether or not there is an ‘ideal’ local government structure for achieving community governance.</p>

scholarly journals Tendencje centralizacyjne w Polsce po 1990 roku – ciągłość i zmiana

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 25-37
Author(s):  
Jacek Wojnicki ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Public Administration ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Main Research ◽  
Strong State ◽  
State Administration ◽  
The Government ◽  
Government Reforms

The article discusses the issue of centralization tendencies in Poland. It constitutes an attempt to present this process in the context of the functioning of public administration in our country. The main research question is whether centralization was constantly present during the 30 years of creating a new model of public administration in Poland, or whether it was strengthened after 2015. The financial independence of local government units is also a crucial aspect of the analysis. The article correspondingly focuses on the resistance of the government administration during the implementation of local government reforms. Importantly, what is factored in as well is the change in the perception of the position and the role of local governments in the political system after the 2015 parliamentary elections by the new government camp. Analysis of the past provided the precedent premises for strong centralization tendencies, in particular, the traditions of the strong state administration of the Second Polish Republic after the May coup in 1926 and during the People's Republic of Poland.

scholarly journals Mind the gap: Australian local government reform and councillors’ understandings of their roles

2017 ◽  
pp. 19-39
Author(s):  
Su Fei Tan ◽  
Alan Morris ◽  
Bligh Grant
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Public Management ◽  
New Public Management ◽  
Local Level ◽  
New Public ◽  
Strategic Role ◽  
Government Reforms ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Broad Approach

Over the last two decades a feature of local government reforms globally has been the introduction of New Public Management (NPM).  Under this broad approach to public administration there is an expectation that councillors play a greater strategic role and move away from involvement in day-to-day management.  This research, carried out in the state of Victoria, Australia, examines councillors’ understandings of their roles.  Based on 17 in-depth interviews and two focus groups, we found that despite the evolving legislative requirements framing councillors as policymakers not managers, most councillors continued to seek involvement in the day-to-day management of councils.  We argue that this gap may be linked to the diversity of views concerning the role of the councillor and the idea of representation and how both play out at the local level.  It may also signal a lack of awareness as to how the legislatively inscribed role for councillors has changed over time.

scholarly journals Strengthening Local Government and Community Governance in New Zealand

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Michael Reid
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Local Government ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Community Governance ◽  
Strategic Objectives ◽  
Regional Service ◽  
Government Reforms

<p>The role of local government and specifically the concept of community governance have been the focus of much attention in recent years. For much of its history, local government was typically viewed by governments and citizens as a conservative sector, valued for its dependability rather than for innovation and its services rather than for its role in promoting community well-being. Public sector reform, globalisation and increasing demands by citizens have increased awareness of, and appreciation for, the potential for local governments to work with other organisations to address complex policy and management issues. These pressures have compelled the sector to innovate, and venture into areas that were previously considered to be outside its remit. Local governments the world over have therefore undergone extensive programmes of reform, often aiming to reorient councils from service delivery roles to broader roles concerned with community well-being, strengthening community leadership, and steering local and regional service providers towards local goals and strategic objectives. This trend has been characterised as a shift from local government to ‘community governance’ (Rhodes 1997, Stoker 2000). Local government in New Zealand is no exception. The Local Government Act 2002 (LGA 2002) broadened local government’s powers and purposes, introducing a collaborative, citizen-centred style of working within a framework oriented to securing community well-being and sustainable development. This research examines the concept and practice of local and community governance, internationally and in New Zealand. Its focus is the local government reforms introduced in New Zealand over the last two decades, and specifically the role of community governance. It uses several research methods to assess options for strengthening community governance in practice. The primary method is the development of a model which examines 10 dimensions of the New Zealand system to assess the degree to which they are able to achieve community governance. In addition, the approach to community planning undertaken by a sample of local authorities is examined to assess the degree to which councils are using this mechanism as an instrument for strengthening community governance. Further, a number of local government participants were invited to answer a range of questions about three alternative governance scenarios designed to test whether or not there is an ‘ideal’ local government structure for achieving community governance.</p>

scholarly journals On the Reform of Local Government Organizations in China

2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 91
Author(s):  
Qingyun Chen
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Central Government ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Government Employees ◽  
Small Cities ◽  
Private Companies ◽  
Government Organization ◽  
Government Organizations

Reforming local government organizations is of decisive significance. Reform at the local level is not only affected by the exemplary role of the central government organization reform, but also has its own special background and contents. Reforming local government is a greater challenge than reforming the central government as there usually are few posts offered by local governments at lower levels or few private companies in the small cities and towns of China with the capacity to absorb the downsized government employees. Beijing, Zhejiang, Liaoning, Sichuan, Guangdong, and others have made valuable explorations into the formidable task of reform, and each city has accumulated a wealth of experiences.

OPTIMALISASI PERAN PEMDA DALAM MENGATASI KENDALA PELAKSANAAN KONSERVASI KEANEKARAGAMAN HAYATI DI DAERAH (STUDI KASUS PROVINSI BENGKULU)

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Antung Deddy Radiansyah
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Biodiversity Conservation ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Central Government ◽  
Wild Plants ◽  
Regional Government ◽  
Conservation Areas ◽  
Conservation Area ◽  
Conservation Policies

Gaps in biodiversity conservation management within the Conservation Area that are the responsibility of the central government and outside the Conservation Areas or as the Essential Ecosystems Area (EEA) which are the authority of the Regional Government, have caused various spatial conflicts between wildlife /wild plants and land management activities. Several obstacles faced by the Local Government to conduct its authority to manage (EEA), caused the number and area of EEA determined by the Local Government to be still low. At present only 703,000 ha are determined from the 67 million ha indicated by EEA. This study aims to overview biodiversity conservation policies by local governments and company perceptions in implementing conservation policies and formulate strategies for optimizing the role of Local Governments. From the results of this study, there has not been found any legal umbrella for the implementation of Law number 23/ 2014 related to the conservation of important ecosystems in the regions. This regulatory vacuum leaves the local government in a dilemma for continuing various conservation programs. By using a SWOT to the internal strategic environment and external stratetegic environment of the Environment and Forestry Service, Bengkulu Province , as well as using an analysis of company perceptions of the conservation policies regulatary , this study has been formulated a “survival strategy” through collaboration between the Central Government, Local Governments and the Private Sector to optimize the role of Local Government’s to establish EEA in the regions.Keywords: Management gaps, Essential Ecosystems Area (EEA), Conservation Areas, SWOT analysis and perception analysis

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