Local Public Service Delivery Arrangements in the Czech Republic and Slovakia

This chapter discusses the issue of efficiency of the different modes of the provision of local public services in two selected new EU member states – the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The Czech Republic and Slovakia have a long common history and it is feasible to include both of them in the analysis. The first main part of the chapter analyses the history, transformation and the current local public delivery arrangements in the Czech Republic and Slovakia with the focus on the efficiency of the different modes of production. The final part tries to explain the main purposes behind the fact that externalisation does not deliver visible improvements.

Democratic Decentralisation and Functioning of Local Governments in Tribal Areas of India

The chapter reflects the evolution, institutionalisation and functioning of the local self-governing institutions in the tribal areas of India in the context of the emergence of Globalised Model of development. The decentralised self-governing institutions, otherwise known as Panchayats have been functioning since a long period of time in the country. However, the functioning of these institutions since the last three decades has passed through the era of reforms in which the so called economic reforms under the canopy of globalisation influenced their functioning. Such scenario created implicit and explicit impacts on the functioning of these institutions. Further, the tribal self-governance system, cultural practices, livelihood pattern and above all socio-economic development programmes also pass through the phase of transition, which creates hope as well as challenges for the tribals.

A Comparative Study of Local Governments in the Constitutions of Selected EU Countries and Turkey

In the effort to examine local governments within a country, the first place to look at would be the constitution of that state. Constitutions usually provide us with important information about local governments; on their types, competencies, revenues and various other characteristics. This study aims to compare the clauses devoted to local governments in the constitutions of 23 European Union (EU) member states and Turkey. While there are certain studies concerned with how local governments are worded within constitutions, these are generally singular cases focusing on one country alone. This chapter aims to provide comparative and informative information on local governments in the constitutions of the related states by categorizing the most commonly stipulated clauses.

Experience with Managerial and Political Reform Measures at the Local Level in Slovakia

This chapter is focused on the Slovak experience with decentralization and relating political and managerial innovations. A main goal is to analyze both managerial and political innovations which have been implemented since 1990, when a democratic local government system with directly elected local government bodies was renewed. An additional aim is to show not only intended outcomes but also the outcomes which can be described as unintended. Main attention is especially paid to inter-municipal cooperation, performance budgeting, participatory budgeting, direct elections of mayors, local referenda, etc. However, attention is paid also to those innovations which have never been implemented in Slovakia, e.g. gender quotas or territorial consolidation (amalgamation).

“Small Is Beautiful”

This chapter discusses the problem of territorial fragmentation and summarizes the arguments for and against a solution in the form of territorial consolidation regarding the example of the Czech Republic. The main reason for the consolidation of municipalities are the benefits derived from the theory of the economies of scale. Linked to this is also the question of how to determine the optimal size of a municipality in order to make the best use of the principles of scale economies. The second part of this chapter shows an analysis of Czech municipal expenditures on selected public services that municipalities provide, and based on the results, determine the optimal size of the municipality for the analyzed services. Data from the Czech Republic do not clearly support the economic arguments for territorial consolidation

Local Structure and Municipal Associations in Spain

The main feature of the Spanish local structure is its fragmentation. Although self-government principle is widely recognized in legal and constitutional terms, this fact makes local governments in practice to be subordinate to both central and regional governments and therefore lack adequate power, personnel and material resources to deal with both the compulsory responsibilities assigned to them and those voluntary services they decide to provide in their communities' interest. Since fragmentation is an obstacle to provide services efficiently, most local governments co-operate between them to create inter-municipal associations as an alternative to amalgamations that work in practice in an anarchical way whilst neither regions nor provinces are interested in strengthening municipalities fearing the emergence of a powerful institutional and political counterweight.

The Satisfaction of the Citizens with the Place and the Impact of This Evaluation on Local Government Management

Sometimes, the satisfaction of the citizens with the city in which they live is high, but local and municipal governments do not get much credit for it. It is important for local and municipal authorities to understand what they can control and what they cannot. Then, they can focus on the most important factors that can affect citizens. A causal model based on partial least squares structural equation will be proposed. The Citizen Satisfaction Index (CSI) model developed by Zenker, Petersen, and Aholt (2013) is taken as reference. This model discusses that overall satisfaction with a place is mainly described by four different basic factors: Urbanity and Diversity, Nature and Recreation, Job Opportunities and Cost-efficiency. The aim of this work was the presentation of our model of Citizen Satisfaction with local Government Management and the comparison between our results and the Duffy et al. (2010) model.

Challenge of Democracy and Local Governance in Pakistan

The chapter is a study of the democratic challenges faced and the local governance structures in Pakistan; how these two are intertwined and influenced by one another. The importance of local government elections and the issue of reinstatement of local government system in the current political scenario has also been the focus of the research. The role of political parties both in the government and in the opposition, in holding the local government elections that is also affecting the mainstream politics up to a significant level. Thus, the resultant situation is definitely affecting the democratic process in the country. The chapter will therefore study this cause and effect phenomenon occurring in the political landscape of Pakistan.

Local Government in India

India introduced a constitutionally ‘encouraged' local governance system at grassroots level in 1950 called Panchayati Raj (PRI). PRIs are now over two decades old forming the third tier of government and carrying huge responsibility as the bridge connecting citizens to governance and delivery mechanisms. With over 65% of India living in its villages, the performance of PRIs is crucial for poverty alleviation, enhancing livelihoods and more importantly attaining distributive justice. This chapter examines local governance in India primarily from three platforms – history, representation and delivery, to see whether its performance matches its promise. Obstacles to the development of PRIs and role of political will to sustain it are deliberated and some suggestions made. In essence, it suggests that democratic decentralization in the model of PRIs can only succeed when institutions function unaffected by party considerations and political citizenship is facilitated through voice and awareness programs.

Mapping Local Democracy in Romania

In East European settings, during transition, local democracy experienced great difficulties in turning from a theoretical model into a functional mechanism. As basis for citizens' political involvement, local democracy can be mapped in various ways. The authors intend to draw a map of local democracy in Romania by focusing on the function and scope of local government (second tier government), the relationship between local and central government, and the outcomes of the recent reform process. The authors intend to evaluate the quality of local democracy by the interactions between elected councilors and citizens. How elected councilors imagine their functions and responsibilities and how citizens support candidates, especially independent candidates and minor parties' lists is at the core of our investigation. From this perspective, local and regional parties are to be seen as valuable assets for local democracy, as they help promoting local interests and local elites and fuel national wide parties with political ideas and personnel.