This paper explores the sustainability of non-government organisations (NGOs) providing services to older people in the local government authority area of North Sydney. It identifies several key issues that can be used to assess the level of programme sustainability in the community sector. We suggest that government support is essential for the ongoing financial sustainability of community aged care services and that community-based organisations need to address a number of issues that will impact on their long-term sustainability. A good working relationship with local and state government is crucial for organisations to access community grants, donations and subsidised premises. The recruitment, training and retention of volunteers were some of the most important issues identified. Further, these NGOs will need to develop strategic plans that factor in sustainability indicators to address rental, recycling, transport, renewable energy and water costs to ensure that they have the capacity to pay for these utilities in the future.
{"title":"Sustainable community services for older people","authors":"Chris Taylor, J. Donoghue","doi":"10.5130/CJLG.VI22.7020","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5130/CJLG.VI22.7020","url":null,"abstract":"This paper explores the sustainability of non-government organisations (NGOs) providing services to older people in the local government authority area of North Sydney. It identifies several key issues that can be used to assess the level of programme sustainability in the community sector. We suggest that government support is essential for the ongoing financial sustainability of community aged care services and that community-based organisations need to address a number of issues that will impact on their long-term sustainability. A good working relationship with local and state government is crucial for organisations to access community grants, donations and subsidised premises. The recruitment, training and retention of volunteers were some of the most important issues identified. Further, these NGOs will need to develop strategic plans that factor in sustainability indicators to address rental, recycling, transport, renewable energy and water costs to ensure that they have the capacity to pay for these utilities in the future.","PeriodicalId":43511,"journal":{"name":"Commonwealth Journal of Local Governance","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.5,"publicationDate":"2020-02-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.5130/CJLG.VI22.7020","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43344273","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sara Dewachter, Patricia Bamanyaki, Nathalie Holvoet
Under Uganda’s decentralised system, rural water service delivery remains to some extent problematic. Several studies attribute the possible causes of deficiencies in the water sector to governance issues. This article applies social network analysis to map upward and downward water-related information flows between the actors of local government from village to district level. Comparing the actual information-sharing network with what’s on paper reveals a less reciprocal and more centralised network than that theoretically envisaged. Some actors, such as the district water officer, are more central than expected in terms of sending and receiving information, while others seem to underperform. Our findings show, however, that it is not the political–administrative information exchange which is the biggest obstacle, but rather information flows between higher (district and sub-county) and lower (parish and village) levels of the local governance structure. Adding water users to the analysis reveals the village chairperson as the most crucial broker of information upward to duty bearers at district level. The limited role of water user committees also becomes apparent. The authors conclude that information communication technology holds potential to overcome some of the bottlenecks (eg distance) hindering the flow of water-related information between actors at different levels.
{"title":"Not quite what’s on paper? Comparison between theoretical and actual information-sharing networks in the Ugandan rural water service sector","authors":"Sara Dewachter, Patricia Bamanyaki, Nathalie Holvoet","doi":"10.5130/cjlg.vi22.7021","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5130/cjlg.vi22.7021","url":null,"abstract":"Under Uganda’s decentralised system, rural water service delivery remains to some extent problematic. Several studies attribute the possible causes of deficiencies in the water sector to governance issues. This article applies social network analysis to map upward and downward water-related information flows between the actors of local government from village to district level. Comparing the actual information-sharing network with what’s on paper reveals a less reciprocal and more centralised network than that theoretically envisaged. Some actors, such as the district water officer, are more central than expected in terms of sending and receiving information, while others seem to underperform. Our findings show, however, that it is not the political–administrative information exchange which is the biggest obstacle, but rather information flows between higher (district and sub-county) and lower (parish and village) levels of the local governance structure. Adding water users to the analysis reveals the village chairperson as the most crucial broker of information upward to duty bearers at district level. The limited role of water user committees also becomes apparent. The authors conclude that information communication technology holds potential to overcome some of the bottlenecks (eg distance) hindering the flow of water-related information between actors at different levels.","PeriodicalId":43511,"journal":{"name":"Commonwealth Journal of Local Governance","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.5,"publicationDate":"2020-01-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.5130/cjlg.vi22.7021","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43948519","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This paper is about the role of local democracy and governance to achieve the sustainable development goals (SDGs). Increased reliance on locally generated revenue, difficulties in managing networks of actors with diverse goals and objectives, imperfect flow of information, and trust deficit in stakeholders pose major challenges to achieving SDGs locally. By doing a systematic review of the recent literature on decentralisation with examples from different local governments, the paper outlines ways in which these challenges could be addressed. The paper also highlights the need for enhancing local leadership capabilities and demarcation of responsibilities among local politicians and bureaucrats, a point missed in the SDG agenda.
{"title":"Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through decentralisation and the role of local governments: a systematic review","authors":"Joydeep Guha, Bhaskar Chakrabarti","doi":"10.5130/cjlg.v0i22.6855","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5130/cjlg.v0i22.6855","url":null,"abstract":"This paper is about the role of local democracy and governance to achieve the sustainable development goals (SDGs). Increased reliance on locally generated revenue, difficulties in managing networks of actors with diverse goals and objectives, imperfect flow of information, and trust deficit in stakeholders pose major challenges to achieving SDGs locally. By doing a systematic review of the recent literature on decentralisation with examples from different local governments, the paper outlines ways in which these challenges could be addressed. The paper also highlights the need for enhancing local leadership capabilities and demarcation of responsibilities among local politicians and bureaucrats, a point missed in the SDG agenda.","PeriodicalId":43511,"journal":{"name":"Commonwealth Journal of Local Governance","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.5,"publicationDate":"2019-11-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.5130/cjlg.v0i22.6855","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45586086","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Editorial","authors":"Y. Selim, Gareth J. Wall","doi":"10.5130/cjlg.v0i21.6822","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5130/cjlg.v0i21.6822","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":43511,"journal":{"name":"Commonwealth Journal of Local Governance","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.5,"publicationDate":"2019-10-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43046233","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This paper analyses factors influencing effective service delivery at the grassroots level in Nepal, through a qualitative field study which includes in-depth interviews with 110 community-based organisations (CBOs) and five focus group discussions. The findings indicate that a wide range of governance arrangements have been deployed in the effort to achieve effective service delivery. However, many CBOs lack a solid governance system for their development undertakings, leading to poor performance and lack of accountability. A number of factors are identified as causing this weak practical application of community governance, notably institutional mechanisms, socio-economic structures, power politics and interests, capacity limitations and resource constraints.
{"title":"Community governance and service delivery in Nepal: an assessment of influencing factors","authors":"K. Acharya, Habib Zafarullah","doi":"10.5130/cjlg.v0i21.6739","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5130/cjlg.v0i21.6739","url":null,"abstract":"This paper analyses factors influencing effective service delivery at the grassroots level in Nepal, through a qualitative field study which includes in-depth interviews with 110 community-based organisations (CBOs) and five focus group discussions. The findings indicate that a wide range of governance arrangements have been deployed in the effort to achieve effective service delivery. However, many CBOs lack a solid governance system for their development undertakings, leading to poor performance and lack of accountability. A number of factors are identified as causing this weak practical application of community governance, notably institutional mechanisms, socio-economic structures, power politics and interests, capacity limitations and resource constraints.","PeriodicalId":43511,"journal":{"name":"Commonwealth Journal of Local Governance","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.5,"publicationDate":"2019-09-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.5130/cjlg.v0i21.6739","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48133353","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
After briefly defining participatory budgeting and reviewing its evolution worldwide and Commonwealth expansion over the last three decades, this paper explores the potential it holds for contributing to the achievement of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Its looks especially at how participatory budgeting is contributing to the achievement of SDG 16 and provides some specific recommendations for action, based on innovative practice examples from around the world, highlighting how practice across diverse local authorities could be used to monitor target 16.7 ‘to ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels.’
{"title":"The contribution of participatory budgeting to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals: lessons for policy in Commonwealth countries","authors":"Y. Cabannes","doi":"10.5130/cjlg.v0i21.6707","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5130/cjlg.v0i21.6707","url":null,"abstract":"After briefly defining participatory budgeting and reviewing its evolution worldwide and Commonwealth expansion over the last three decades, this paper explores the potential it holds for contributing to the achievement of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Its looks especially at how participatory budgeting is contributing to the achievement of SDG 16 and provides some specific recommendations for action, based on innovative practice examples from around the world, highlighting how practice across diverse local authorities could be used to monitor target 16.7 ‘to ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels.’","PeriodicalId":43511,"journal":{"name":"Commonwealth Journal of Local Governance","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.5,"publicationDate":"2019-09-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.5130/cjlg.v0i21.6707","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48442432","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
After a brief overview of the recent developments in the legal framework for local government in Pakistan, this paper summarises the objectives and activities to date of the Commonwealth Local Government Forum’s project ‘Strengthening the Associations of Local Governments and their Members for Enhanced Governance and Effective Development Outcomes in Pakistan’. The project seeks to strengthen local democracy and good governance through the local council associations in the four provinces of Pakistan: Baluchistan, Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The project seeks to support local government to deal with the unique challenges of inclusive representation and equitable and effective service delivery. Building on the recently promulgated provincial local government acts, the project aims to strengthen the capacity of the local councils’ associations to raise the voice of local government and ensure they are able to play their appointed developmental role at the local level. The project main components are to strengthen how the local council associations actively provide services to their members and advocate for the betterment of local government in Pakistan and pilot the territorial approach to local development (TALD) so as to align the general methodology to the Pakistan context.
{"title":"Commonwealth Local Government Forum’s support of Local Councils Associations in Pakistan","authors":"Noor Akbar","doi":"10.5130/cjlg.v0i21.6727","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5130/cjlg.v0i21.6727","url":null,"abstract":"After a brief overview of the recent developments in the legal framework for local government in Pakistan, this paper summarises the objectives and activities to date of the Commonwealth Local Government Forum’s project ‘Strengthening the Associations of Local Governments and their Members for Enhanced Governance and Effective Development Outcomes in Pakistan’. The project seeks to strengthen local democracy and good governance through the local council associations in the four provinces of Pakistan: Baluchistan, Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The project seeks to support local government to deal with the unique challenges of inclusive representation and equitable and effective service delivery. Building on the recently promulgated provincial local government acts, the project aims to strengthen the capacity of the local councils’ associations to raise the voice of local government and ensure they are able to play their appointed developmental role at the local level. The project main components are to strengthen how the local council associations actively provide services to their members and advocate for the betterment of local government in Pakistan and pilot the territorial approach to local development (TALD) so as to align the general methodology to the Pakistan context.","PeriodicalId":43511,"journal":{"name":"Commonwealth Journal of Local Governance","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.5,"publicationDate":"2019-09-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.5130/cjlg.v0i21.6727","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43680379","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Book review: Bangladesh: Reform Agenda for Local Governanceby Tofail Ahmed(Prothoma Prokashani, Dhaka, Bangladesh, 2016, ISBN 201601000143, TK 260)http://bigd.bracu.ac.bd/index.php/resources/booklets/543-bangladesh-reform-agenda-for-local-governance-by-tofail-ahmed
{"title":"Review: Bangladesh: Reform Agenda for Local Governance by Tofail Ahmed","authors":"Soumyabrato Bagchi","doi":"10.5130/CJLG.V0I21.6519","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5130/CJLG.V0I21.6519","url":null,"abstract":"Book review: \u0000Bangladesh: Reform Agenda for Local Governanceby Tofail Ahmed(Prothoma Prokashani, Dhaka, Bangladesh, 2016, ISBN 201601000143, TK 260)http://bigd.bracu.ac.bd/index.php/resources/booklets/543-bangladesh-reform-agenda-for-local-governance-by-tofail-ahmed","PeriodicalId":43511,"journal":{"name":"Commonwealth Journal of Local Governance","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.5,"publicationDate":"2019-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.5130/CJLG.V0I21.6519","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41521987","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
There is currently a global quest to decentralise government functions, which has resonated well with many developing countries. Ghana has over the last few decades embraced decentralisation in principle, as a way of promoting inclusive, efficient, accountable and bottom-up local-level governance. However, it is unclear how successfully this vision is being achieved. Using a heuristic continuum as an analytical framework, this study conducted a literature- and statute-based politico-administrative review of the local governance system of Ghana to ascertain the extent of decentralisation. The study concludes that the legislative, political and administrative arrangements in place make it easy for the centre to usurp the powers of local authorities. KeywordsGhana, decentralisation, recentralisation, politico-administrative
{"title":"Rhetorically decentralised, practically recentralised: a review of the local governance system of Ghana","authors":"D. Anaafo","doi":"10.5130/CJLG.V0I21.6516","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5130/CJLG.V0I21.6516","url":null,"abstract":"There is currently a global quest to decentralise government functions, which has resonated well with many developing countries. Ghana has over the last few decades embraced decentralisation in principle, as a way of promoting inclusive, efficient, accountable and bottom-up local-level governance. However, it is unclear how successfully this vision is being achieved. Using a heuristic continuum as an analytical framework, this study conducted a literature- and statute-based politico-administrative review of the local governance system of Ghana to ascertain the extent of decentralisation. The study concludes that the legislative, political and administrative arrangements in place make it easy for the centre to usurp the powers of local authorities. \u0000KeywordsGhana, decentralisation, recentralisation, politico-administrative","PeriodicalId":43511,"journal":{"name":"Commonwealth Journal of Local Governance","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.5,"publicationDate":"2019-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.5130/CJLG.V0I21.6516","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46611583","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Housing policy is usually seen as the domain of national governments, and in many countries local authorities have relinquished direct engagement in the promotion of adequate housing. High costs associated with related policies and programmes are often cited as justification for minimal involvement, leading to fewer community-level interventions on affordable formal housing. This article presents financial approaches for local government leaders and decision-makers to consider in furthering affordable access to adequate housing for their citizens. The article argues that when local governments engage on housing with innovation and financial pragmatism, the housing needs of the urban poor and vulnerable can be better served. KeywordsMunicipal finance, local government, affordable housing, fiscal policy, cities, capacity-building
{"title":"Municipal finance for housing: local government approaches to financing housing in cities","authors":"Christopher Feather","doi":"10.5130/CJLG.V0I21.6517","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5130/CJLG.V0I21.6517","url":null,"abstract":"Housing policy is usually seen as the domain of national governments, and in many countries local authorities have relinquished direct engagement in the promotion of adequate housing. High costs associated with related policies and programmes are often cited as justification for minimal involvement, leading to fewer community-level interventions on affordable formal housing. This article presents financial approaches for local government leaders and decision-makers to consider in furthering affordable access to adequate housing for their citizens. The article argues that when local governments engage on housing with innovation and financial pragmatism, the housing needs of the urban poor and vulnerable can be better served. \u0000KeywordsMunicipal finance, local government, affordable housing, fiscal policy, cities, capacity-building","PeriodicalId":43511,"journal":{"name":"Commonwealth Journal of Local Governance","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.5,"publicationDate":"2019-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.5130/CJLG.V0I21.6517","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41553846","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}