scholarly journals Holding governments accountable for service delivery: the local government councils scorecard initiative in Uganda

2019 ◽  
pp. 187-205
Author(s):  
Lillian Muyomba-Tamale ◽  
Kiran Cunningham
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Central Government ◽  
Good Governance ◽  
Supply And Demand ◽  
Policy Research ◽  
Social Accountability ◽  
Think Tank ◽  
Demand Chain

Uganda’s Local Government Councils Scorecard Initiative is a strategic social accountability initiative designed to enable citizens to demand excellence of their local governments and enable local governments to respond to citizen demands for effective and efficient service delivery. Begun in 2009, it is one of the signature programmes of Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment (ACODE), a public policy research and advocacy think tank in Uganda. The initiative is implemented in partnership with the Uganda Local Governments Association. The centrepiece of the initiative is the local government council scorecard, a capacity-building tool for assessing the performance of district-level elected officials in accordance with roles and responsibilities set out in the Uganda’s Local Government Act 1997 (as amended). Incorporating multiple links in the supply and demand chain of good governance and accountability – citizens, civil society organisations, local government and central government – the administration of the scorecard and dissemination of performance results is grounded in an action research methodology. Follow the positive reception of the initiative after eight years of implementation in Uganda, it is hoped that other countries will look to adapt this methodology to engage in similar types of social accountability initiatives.

scholarly journals The Impact of Social Accountability Mechanisms on Fiscal Management Challenges Facing Goromonzi Rural District Council, Zimbabwe

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 141
Author(s):  
Trust Madhovi
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Central Government ◽  
Monitoring And Evaluation ◽  
Social Accountability ◽  
Rural District ◽  
Government Officials ◽  
Fiscal Management ◽  
District Council ◽  
The Impact

This paper examines the impact of social accountability mechanisms on the fiscal management challenges facing local government bodies in Zimbabwe. The paper hypothesises that there is a positive relationship between the use of social accountability mechanisms or tools by local authorities and the effectiveness of their fiscal management policies to mobilize more revenue for service delivery. In this study, both quantitative and qualitative methods are adopted in gathering and analysing data from central government officials, Goromonzi Rural District Council employees and members of the public. The results of the study reveal that the local government body faces a number of fiscal management challenges that include a shrinking tax base, non-payment of taxes, resistance to successive budgets; lack of implementation; lack of monitoring and evaluation. Council has implemented participatory budgeting to deal with some of these challenges. While results show a significant improvement in tax collection, some of the challenges have persisted. The paper proposes some recommendations useful to central government, policy makers, civil society organisations, local government officials and the general public. The paper manages to demonstrate that the implementation of social accountability tools can have positive impacts on the fiscal management challenges facing local governments. 

scholarly journals Fiscal Decentralization and Alternative Financial Sources for the Local Self-Government in Republic of North Macedonia - Overview

SEEU Review ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 14-29
Author(s):  
Jeton Mazllami
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Central Government ◽  
Good Governance ◽  
Fiscal Decentralization ◽  
Local Governance ◽  
Candidate Country ◽  
Potential Candidate ◽  
The European Union ◽  
The Republic

Abstract Local governance in developing countries demonstrates many problems related to financial sources and good governance of their finances. Local Self-Government (LSG) units in the Republic of North Macedonia are very small which results in a lack of capabilities to raise enough funds to offer delegated services. The local government in the Republic of North Macedonia centralizes almost all public finance. Local budgets depend heavily on state transfers and donations from the central budget. The lack of funds remained a crucial problem even though there were some attempts for the decentralization process. Practically, governments in many of the local governments in North Macedonia could not secure their resources. In this way, they could come with specific charges, but all taxes are decided by the central government. The practice showed that local governments before borrowing needs to be approved by the Ministry of Finance. The Republic of North Macedonia as a potential candidate to join the European Union should make several changes regarding the legislation during the process of accession to benefit from being a small candidate country. The main aim of this paper is to investigate alternative financial sources such are Municipal Bonds, Partnership Sukuk securities, and PPP. Unfortunately, many financial alternatives have not been able to be implemented due to failures in reforms and good financial governance. But they remain an open opportunity for developing a local government in the future.

scholarly journals Assignment of functions to local authorities in Lesotho

2017 ◽  
pp. 58-74
Author(s):  
Hoolo Nyane
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Central Government ◽  
Intergovernmental Relations ◽  
Local Development ◽  
Local Authorities ◽  
Community Councils

In Lesotho the adoption of the new constitution in 1993 made provision for local development. These constitutional provisions were only operationalised in 1997 through an Act of parliament (Local Government Act 1997). The question of how functions are assigned between the central and local governments has always been an area of dispute. The Act attempted to demarcate the assignments through the Schedules to the Act which embody the functions of local authorities at various levels – community councils, urban councils and district councils. However, local development and service delivery continue by and large to be undertaken by central government despite the demarcation. The purpose of this paper, therefore, is to critically analyse the challenges of assignment of functions to local authorities in Lesotho. The paper contends that as the assignment of functions is integral to decentralisation in Lesotho, intergovernmental relations and assignment of functions should be incorporated into the country’s constitution.

scholarly journals Decentralization: Catalyst for Welfare Service Delivery by Local Government Administration

2012 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 43
Author(s):  
Salihu Abdulwaheed ◽  
Khalil Samihah
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
Primary Education ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Healthcare Service ◽  
Central Government ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Fiscal Year ◽  
Welfare Service ◽  
State And Local

The paper aims to look at the transferring of authorities, resources and responsibilities from one tier of government (central government) to other tiers of government (state and local governments) in order to deliver efficient and effective welfare service. This transfer serves two basic purposes, namely accountability for resource management and effective welfare service delivery. This can only be possible if the system of co-responsibility between institutions of governance at the central, states and local governments is decentralized effectively. Similarly, the paper intends to critically examine local governments’ budget and budgeting system in order to deliver primary education and healthcare service to the public. Therefore, the paper studies the main source of revenue of local governments, and determines how the resources are utilized in providing primary education and healthcare services. The study designs information data sheet to elicit information from at least four local governments in Nigeria. Statutory allocation disbursed to four local governments under consideration for the fiscal year 2008 is considered. Approved annual budget of the local governments is analyzed to determine the differential (%) in terms of what is budgeted and what is the budget outcomes. The findings reveal average differential of 65.78% between approved and actual estimates for primary education, and 37.57% for primary healthcare service in the local government under consideration. This shows that local governments under consideration are not delivering primary education and healthcare services optimally.

scholarly journals PELAKSANAAN PENGELOLAAN ALOKASI DANA DESA (ADD) UNTUK MEWUJUDKAN AKUNTANSIBILITAS DAN GOOD GOVERNANCE DESA

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 185
Author(s):  
Kiki Debi Sintia ◽  
Joko Hadi Susilo
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Local Government ◽  
Financial Management ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Central Government ◽  
Good Governance ◽  
Comparative Method ◽  
The Public ◽  
Village Government ◽  
The Village

<p><strong>Abstract</strong></p><p>The phenomenon that occurs in the public sector agencies today is the revitalization of governance (good governance). One cause is the revitalization of the public demands for accountability. Through the improvement of accountability, the disclosure of information to the public will be more extensive in which as the principal, the society is entitled to know the information related to the performance of public sector agencies for the evaluation and control on the management of resources that have been mandated. Today, accountability development is not only done by the central government and local governments alone. The village government also contributes to the realization of government responsible (accountable), especially on the financial management of the village in order to avoid misappropriation offunds. The purpose of this study is to investigate the implementation of law number 6 of 2014 in realizing the accountability of village financial management within the planning side, implementation, administration, reporting, accountability, guidance and supervision of village finances. This research uses descriptive qualitative comparative method which is to describe the financial management of the village Banggle and village Toyomarto and then compare to the law number 6 of 2014 and its supporting rules, so a conclusion can be drawn. The results showed that based on law number 6 of 2014 outlines, the financial management of the Village Toyomarto had been accountable, but technically there were still many obstacles. For example, the village planning is not timely, delay in release of funds from the local government to the village, delay in reporting to the regents, the accountability report had not been published to the public, and the supervision and oversight of local government less maxi¬mum. Thus, it is a need for intensive assistance to improve financial management in the village Banggle and village Toyomarto.</p><p><strong>Abstrak</strong></p><p>Fenomena yang terjadi pada instansi sektor publik dewasa ini adalah revitalisasi tata kelola pemerintahan (good governance). Salah satu penyebab revitalisasi adalah adanya tuntutan pertanggungjawaban terhadap publik (accountability). Melalui peningkatan pertanggungjawaban maka keterbukaan informasi kepada masyarakat semakin luas. Sebagai principal, masyarakat berhak mengetahui informasi terkait kinerja instansi sektor publik untuk bahan evaluasi dan kontrol terhadap pengelolaan sumber daya yang telah diamanahkan. Kini peningkatan akuntabilitas tidak hanya dilakukan oleh pemerintah pusat dan pemerintah daerah saja. Pemerintah desa juga turut serta dalam mewujudkan pemerintahan yang bertanggungjawab (accountable), terutama atas pengelolaan keuangan desa agar tidak terjadi penyelewengan dana. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui pelaksanaan Undang-Undang Nomor 6 Tahun 2014 dalam mewujudkan akuntabilitas pengelolaan keuangan desa dari sisi perencanaan, pelaksanaan, penatausahaan, pelaporan, pertanggungjawaban, pembinaan dan pengawasan keuangan desa. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode kualitatif deskriptif komparatif yaitu mendiskripsikan pengelolaan keuangan desa di Desa Banggle dan Desa Toyomarto kemudian membandingkan dengan Undang-Undang Nomor 6 Tahun 2014 dan aturan penunjangnya, sehingga dapat ditarik sebuah kesimpulan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa berdasarkan Undang-Undang Nomor 6 Tahun 2014 secara garis besar pengelolaan keuangan Desa Banggle dan Toyomarto telah accountable, namun secara teknis masih banyak kendala. Kendala tersebut seperti perencanaan desa yang tidak tepat waktu, keterlambatan pencairan dana dari pemerintah daerah ke desa, keterlambatan pelaporan kepada bupati, laporan pertanggungjawaban belum terpublikasi kepada masyarakat, dan pembinaan serta pengawasan dari pemerintah daerah yang kurang maksimal. Sehingga perlu adanya pendampingan yang intensif untuk memperbaiki pengelolaan keuangan desa di Desa Banggle dan Desa Toyomarto.</p>

scholarly journals Performance of Decentralized Local Service Delivery in Developed Countries: Case Study of Japan

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (35) ◽  
Author(s):  
Priyantha W. Mudalige
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
Political Institutions ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Central Government ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Local Service ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative

Many countries decentralize the administrative, fiscal, and political functions of the central government to lower-level governments. In many developing and developed countries, governments and their policymakers have used decentralization as a means of improving the delivery of local service. Accordingly, this study is based on the delivery of local services to the people by the local governments of Japan as a developed country. The overall objective of this article is to review the performance of decentralized local service delivery in developed countries and based on a case study of Japan. The study also aims to examine the correlation between the revenue and expenditure of local governments of Japan and its trends. Basically, this article has been written based on secondary data materials. This data consists of qualitative and quantitative characteristics. Hence, a qualitative and quantitative descriptive method has been applied to analyse the performance of local government decentralization in Japan, and descriptive statistical methods are used to analyse the data and the correlation between revenue and expenditure. The problem in this research is how the functional political institutions created for local service delivery at the sub-national governments in Japan affects the success of decentralization. This research revealed several findings. The local governments of Japan have a sound institutional system and several powers recognized by the constitution. Japanese local governments monitor over 70% of national works, but a majority of the standard public services are the responsibility of local governments. Karl Pearson’s correlation value of revenue and expenditure is 0.979, and there is a strong positive relationship between revenues and expenditure. In Japan, the highest value of local government spending is on public welfare. It is followed by education, civil engineering works, and general administration, second, third, and fourth, respectively. Also, its central and local administrative institutions are maintained in a mutually dependent and mutually complementary relationship. Most of the local governments are collaborating with the private sector in Japan. As a result, the efficiency of service delivery has improved at the local level. In this way, waste management, which is a major local problem in Japan, is being dealt with closely by the central government and the local governments.

A Case for Decentralization in Zimbabwe’s local government system: Challenges and Opportunities

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-21
Author(s):  
Takudzwa Madzimure
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
Citizen Participation ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Central Government ◽  
Colonial Era ◽  
Local Structures ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Effective Service

The issue of decentralization in Zimbabwe’s local government system has been topical since the colonial era. In the post-independence epoch the expectation was that the new majority government would address the centralization of governance which was motivated by racial imbalances. However, decentralization was not achieved as local government was not recognized in the Lancaster House Constitution adopted at independence in 1980. For years this allowed the central government to control all the local government structures in the country. The relationship between local governments and the central government became bitter and tense after the formation of a formidable opposition, MDC, which has been controlling most urban local authorities since its formation. The 2013 Constitution has not improved things either as the central government has not been willing to implement the new law to its latter and spirit. In all this it is the citizens who have been bearing the brunt as there has been poor service delivery owing to the bad relationship between the center and local structures. The study found out that if decentralization is fully implemented in Zimbabwe it has the potential of bringing efficient and effective service delivery, citizen participation, democracy and accountability in the local government system. The paper also makes recommendations on what needs to be done to achieve decentralization in the country’s local government system.

scholarly journals A Comparative Good Governance Experiences on Local Governments Cope with COVID-19: A Case Studies Between Indonesia and Thailand

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 2211-2217
Author(s):  
Non Naprathansuk, Et. al.
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Central Government ◽  
Good Governance ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Qualitative Approach ◽  
The People ◽  
Local Government Management ◽  
The Government ◽  
Village Health

: This article aimed to analyzed and compared good governance experiences on local government cope with Covid-19 between Indonesia and Thailand. The methodology of this article was a qualitative approach based on the secondary data from case of local government of Indonesia in Tegal City and Thailand in Chang Puak Sub-district. The finding of this article was in Indonesia case could argued that the effectiveness, openness, and transparency of the government in coping with Covid-19 are the keys to improve the people economy in Tegal City. Also, the administrators Government of Tegal should be responsive to evaluate ineffective methods in preventing the spread of Covid-19 and switch to more effective and efficient ways. In the meantime, in Thailand case, sorely local government could not cope with Covid-19 pandemic, but the cooperated between Thailand Village Health Volunteer and local government were the best operation to stop the Covid-19 outbreak. Moreover, the most foremost hinder in both Thailand and Indonesia were the central government that centralize authority. In Indonesia, the central policy was the obstacle to allow local government acted, while in Thailand the emergency decree was the main hinder for local government management. Finally, both local government in Thailand and Indonesia were struggled and tried to cope with Covid-19 in a right way of good governance track even though they had a limited authority and willing to support their community.

scholarly journals Asymmetric Policy Concept for Border Areas Development: Issues and Challenges

2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 51
Author(s):  
Hanief Adrian ◽  
Rohmad Supriyadi ◽  
Diah Lenggogeni
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Central Government ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Infrastructure Management ◽  
Main Method ◽  
Border Areas ◽  
Delivery Mechanism ◽  
National Governments

Since the enactment of Law No. 23 Year 2014 about Local Government, there is a mechanism shift in service delivery from the local government to central government, especially related to infrastructure management in border areas. This shift has reversed the policy of decentralized service delivery mechanism to centralized one. This policy has confused the local governments in adjusting their policies to the central government policies. Thus, an asymmetric policy needs to be implemented in order to accelerate border areas development. This paper intends to propose the alternative options in dealing with the new policy and to design a better way how the central government may intervene asymmetrically the sub-national governments in accelerating development and service delivery mechanism in border areas. The descriptive analysis is used as the main method for this paper.

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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