Local Government Relations Research Articles

Public Relations and Service Delivery in Local Government in Uganda: Assessing the Impact of Public Relations and Challenges in Service Delivery in the Case of Gulu District Local Government in Northern Uganda

Public Relations and Service Delivery in Local Government in Uganda: Assessing the Impact of Public Relations and Challenges in Service Delivery in the Case of Gulu District Local Government in Northern Uganda

Empowering the Relationship Between the Government Functional Departments and Local Government Integration: An Integrated Study Based on Urban Digital Governance Platforms

Within the context of modernising government governance, the "platform" in the construction of digital government has become key in driving the efficiency of government services and management. This paper, based on the Technology-Organisation-Environment (TOE) framework and combined with theories of holistic governance and collaborative governance, delves into the crucial role of information technology and emerging governance models in eliminating barriers between government departments, optimising departmental structures, and fostering mechanisms for inter-departmental collaboration and sharing. Throughout the research, emphasis is placed on the importance of emerging technologies such as cloud computing, big data, and artificial intelligence in promoting efficient collaboration and resource sharing between government departments. By integrating and optimising governmental internal and inter-departmental data resources and service processes, it is possible to effectively advance the enhancement and integration of the relationship between the government functional departments and local government relations, adapt to the rapid changes in societal demands, and provide more precise and convenient public services. The core objective of this study is to establish a unified government big data platform, promoting the optimisation and integration of departmental structures, constructing an efficient mechanism for departmental collaboration and sharing, achieving data sharing and flow, and establishing a tight governance network. This aims to comprehensively enhance government governance capabilities and service quality, provide assurance for achieving more efficient and equitable governance objectives.

Empowering the Relationship Between the Government Functional Departments and Local Government Integration: An Integrated Study Based on Urban Digital Governance Platforms

Within the context of modernising government governance, the "platform" in the construction of digital government has become key in driving the efficiency of government services and management. This paper, based on the Technology-Organisation-Environment (TOE) framework and combined with theories of holistic governance and collaborative governance, delves into the crucial role of information technology and emerging governance models in eliminating barriers between government departments, optimising departmental structures, and fostering mechanisms for inter-departmental collaboration and sharing. Throughout the research, emphasis is placed on the importance of emerging technologies such as cloud computing, big data, and artificial intelligence in promoting efficient collaboration and resource sharing between government departments. By integrating and optimising governmental internal and inter-departmental data resources and service processes, it is possible to effectively advance the enhancement and integration of the relationship between the government functional departments and local government relations, adapt to the rapid changes in societal demands, and provide more precise and convenient public services. The core objective of this study is to establish a unified government big data platform, promoting the optimisation and integration of departmental structures, constructing an efficient mechanism for departmental collaboration and sharing, achieving data sharing and flow, and establishing a tight governance network. This aims to comprehensively enhance government governance capabilities and service quality, provide assurance for achieving more efficient and equitable governance objectives.

Ustawa równoważąca. Doświadczenia albańskie w dziedzinie relacji samorządu terytorialnego z rządem

The European Union’s promotion of the multilevel governance approach redefines the relationships between supranational, national and local governments. As countries like Albania undergo adaptations in the accession process, finding a balance between local and national government relations becomes crucial. The review aims to explore the complex interplay of governance levels in Albania, drawing insightful comparisons with successful cases in Europe, and offering valuable lessons for the policymaking process. To foster greater cooperation between national and subnational levels, it is imperative to define roles and responsibilities clearly, ensure proper financing while national government takes a more strategic role. In Albania, facilitating meaningful interaction can be achieved through the Consultative Council for local and central government, alongside associations of local authorities, though it necessitates legal changes and commitment from local governments. The Albanian Law on Local Self-Government, established in 2015, coincided with a new administrative-territorial reform in the same year, presenting various challenges, particularly for local governments. Through this article, we aim to present scientific research and concrete results concerning the Albanian experience of local government relations with the central government, while providing a comparative analysis with other European countries. Additionally, specific recommendations are proposed to strengthen government interrelations, given the high priority of the EU accession process in the country’s development agenda.

Improving Local Government Relations with Other Tiers of Government in Nigeria: The Imo State Experience

This study highlights the current relationship between the local government and other tiers of government in Nigeria. It argues that the essence of the relationship among various tiers which is the maintenance and well-being of the polity has been unrealizable due to the lopsided nature of the relationship. The study applies the data from available literature, information from the interviewees and personal experience as a former member of the local government council. The analysis reveals that the local government is handicapped due to the overbearing influence of the higher tiers. It further reveals that every aspect of the local government’s life has been controlled by the higher tiers. The study concludes that the present model of relationship between the local government and other tiers is a failure and needs to be changed. It therefore suggests an alternative model of relationship that will improve the system.

Governmental and local government relations in Poland during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic caused a sudden change not only in societal behaviour but also in terms of forms and scale how public administration was running. The aim of this paper is to present intergovernmental relation (IGR) during the first and second wave of COVID-19. In order to do this Central and Self-Government Common Commission (CSGCC) and national local government associations were taken into consideration. In conclusion it is said that during the first wave centralize approach towards the IGR was apparent, however, in the second wave it evolved toward more multilevel relations.

The Distortion of Public–Private Partnerships in China: An Institutional Perspective of Central–Local Government Relations

How to explain the distortion of public–private partnerships (PPPs) is underexplored. Drawing on principal–agent theory, this article proposes an institutional incentive-driven framework. Based on a case study of PPPs in China, this article finds that central–local government relationships play a crucial role in shaping PPP performance. Goal incongruence and information asymmetry lead to two types of distortion. First, PPPs become a political task for local governments to respond to higher-level governments’ needs. Second, PPPs serve as financing tools to create political achievements. These opportunistic behaviors violate the goals of the central government’s PPP policy and increase government debt risks.

Urban Governance in Bangladesh: A Study on Inter-Organisational Coordination Problems and Its Impact on Service Delivery

In the urban areas of Bangladesh, besides formal urban local governments, special government bodies, some special purpose authorities and special development authorities exist to meet the growing demand for certain urban services and planning. This study aims to provide a better understanding of the inter-organisational coordination problems among these urban bodies and how they impact the service delivery to urban people in Bangladesh. Based on a study performed on the Cumilla City Corporation and Lakshmipur Paurashava area, the available data show that there are huge coordination problems among the urban local government bodies and other governments agencies. This study illustrates that overlapping functions and different accountability patterns of urban bodies, limited autonomy of urban local government, lack of formal framework for coordination, political influences and controlled central–local government relations are affecting inter-organisational coordination. This study is on the basis of embedded case-oriented qualitative research. Both primary and secondary data were considered to carry out this study. The article argues that the lack of coordination among the urban local bodies, government agencies and departments hamper the policy execution, which ultimately affects the service delivery negatively.

John Stewart: A personal appreciation

John Stewart: A personal appreciation

Intermunicipal cooperation in the structure of cross-border cooperation

It is determined that the practice of local self-government in Ukraine during the years of independence of our state shows that the processes that accompany the implementation of communities and their members of their constitutional rights and freedoms in addressing local issues are systemic and catalysts for changes in local government regulation. in general and the powers of its subjects in particular, which are designed to create the best possible conditions for local government reform.
 It is indicated that the right to establish inter-municipal associations is one of the important manifestations of the constitutional independence of local self-government, a form of realization of the constitutional right to local self-government and at the same time a significant factor in strengthening and guaranteeing municipal freedom in local government relations.
 Examining cross-border cooperation as a constitutional institution, its basic level is considered – the local level, ie the level of cooperation of municipalities, which is a specific cooperation between the subjects of border areas, ie based on the law – territorial communities, their representative bodies and their associations, local executive bodies of Ukraine, interacting with territorial communities and relevant authorities of neighboring states within their competence, established by the current Ukraine legislation and agreements on cross-border cooperation.
 The author’s definition of the concept of “inter-municipal cooperation” as such is the organization of the process of interaction between territorial communities, as a result of which links are established for the medium and long term in order to find ways to solve common and identical problems and achieve socially beneficial effects. these communities.

What has been done and what has not – the government of Canada’s economic policy response to the coronavirus pandemic

PurposeThis paper aims to examine Canadian government measures to support country’s economic recovery and sustainable development. The goal is to examine whether all orders of government are working well to deliver the required help to Canadians.Design/methodology/approachThe theoretical foundations for this article are drawn from liberal and institutionalist approaches to comparative politics. Specifically, the proposed study draws on political tensions that occur because of actions of self-centered regional (provincial) governments who legitimize individual policies based on their self-centered economic and political objectives.FindingsNowadays, we can observe the primary role of the state in supporting and regulating the health governance systems, the economy and social life. Many informal groups have unstructured approach, which does not require them to follow existing strategies. The challenges caused by COVID-19 have led to the resurgence of collective, state-based approaches to the recovery. The key findings illuminate the importance of crisis communication activities which should be implemented properly. This implies that all disclosures must be timely and truthful.Practical implicationsThe study helps to better understand the events that disrupt parts of the Canadian economy during pandemic. It reviews the essential functions that are critical for reliable operation of infrastructure services to ensure safety and well-being of the population. During the COVID-19, federal–provincial–territorial collaboration runs into resistance because of competing interests, resource constraints, legacies from past conflicts and lack of coordination. In contrast to managers, who often focus on tangible short-term results, today’s leadership more often seeks intangible long-term results. This means that the central–local government relations tend to be more informal.Originality/valueIn the face of external shock, such as COVID-19, it did not take much time for Canadian provincial governments to realize that they cannot cope with a wide range of challenges alone. In these circumstances, the narratives of how governments work together during the challenging time to impact their desired outcomes are of crucial importance.

Far-Right Local Governments and Civil Society: Findings from France and Italy

The rise of far-right parties across Europe and their entrance into government at the local, if not regional or national, levels pose challenges for established civil society actors. This article draws on early findings from an ongoing research project in order to present two case studies of far-right local governments in small industrial towns in France and Italy: Hayange and Sant’Agata Bolognese. Keying in on these local administrations’ approaches to civil society and drawing on semi-structured interviews with local politicians and trade union actors, the article identifies preliminary patterns in far-right local government relations with civil society organizations (including trade unions), including a bypassing or outright attacking of established associations deemed hostile (especially left-wing ones) in favor of those deemed politically more palatable. This exclusionary and partisan approach to civil society notably coexists alongside other aspects of far-right local governance centered on a performatively enacted claim to serve the entire community, most notably with the highly visible provision of non-excludable public goods such as public fountains and rotaries. These considerations provide a basis for ongoing and future work on far-right interventions in different areas of civil society, in different countries, and in light of a broader spectrum of actor perspectives.

8 - Actors and Institutions in Urban Politics in Nigeria: Agege (Lagos) Since the 1950s

Unlike Lagos Island and Mushin, for example, Agege, a multi-ethnic and densely populated ward of metropolitan Lagos (originally an autonomous settlement, has suffered relative neglect in the extensive literature on Lagos. This article analyses the dynamics of power relations among the various interest groups, personalities and institutions in this ‘ward’ of Lagos since the 1950s. Combining chronological and thematic approaches, it outlines the evolution of the commu- nity and its local government system since the nineteenth century, examines the interactions of traditional and modern institutions (chieftaincy and modern po- litical offices at the local government level), the dynamics of inter-tier (state– local government) relations, the composition and activities of interest groups (specifically, religious, occupational, ethnic, youth and residential associations), and the management of common facilities (markets) and problems (communal conflict and insecurity). The study co pares Agege with a similar ward, Ajegunle, which this author has also studied.

Developing “place leadership” when hierarchical accountability is omnipresent: the case of English sub-national government

PurposeThe relationship between central and sub-national (local) government is contentious around distribution of power and control. There is a specific concern when a (local) place has power devolved, but centralised hierarchical accountability pervades.Design/methodology/approachThis paper addresses that concern by considering recent innovative developments around place-based accountability arrangements in England, through analysis of official reports and news media.FindingsThe article illustrates aspirations towards accountability to the local electorate clash with hierarchical accountability that remains an omnipresent mechanism of central control. It is suggested, accountability forums be developed to blend hierarchy and the place leadership role of directly elected mayors. This could enable local accountability to the electorate, whilst taking account of the context of specific regional level complexities.Originality/valueThis is one of the first papers to consider issues of place leadership and place based accountability within the framework of hierarchical accountability for central and local government relations.

Vertical Conflict, Public Policies, and Pandemic Covid-19: Case Study of Central and Regional Government of DKI Jakarta

The Covid-19 pandemic that hit the world, including Indonesia, led all heads of state to respond with various policies aimed at controlling the spread of Covid-19. This research wants to see and analyze the dynamics of central and local government relationships in response to policies taken in handling the Covid-19 pandemic in pre-crisis and crisis through political communication conducted. Using the literature study method, this research concludes that there is no good synergy between the central and local governments in handling Covid-19. A number of policies formulated between the central government and the provincial government of DKI Jakarta, appear to be running on their own without good coordination. Policymaking is seen to highlight sectoral egoism and political communication between actors at the central and local government levels, potentially affecting the political environment in Indonesia which boils down to the influence of electability in the 2024 presidential election. This study recommends the government improve the model of deliberative, mediative, multicultural, consensus, and excellent organizational communication and build a synergistic coordination system, in order to escape sectoral egos and short-term interests that are group and personal. Those political communication models are important especially in disaster management including the Covid-19.

How State Interventions affect Municipalities Taking the Lead in Sustainability

The state and local governments throughout the United States interact within a complex system of multilevel governance to advance sustainability. However, we know little about what this hierarchical system of exchanges means for municipalities as they work to achieve energy efficient government operations. Drawing on a perspective of “contested federalism”, we examine how the transaction costs of state–local government relations affect the efforts of U.S. cities to lead by example and promote sustainability within their internal processes. We apply a Bayesian item response theory approach to assess the effects of state-level fiscal and policy interventions on municipal commitments to energy efficiency programs within their internal operations. Our findings suggest that increased fiscal support for state energy programs enhances municipal commitments to government focused energy efficiency. We also find a positive connection between state energy efficiency standards and municipal efforts to enhance energy efficiency within their internal operations. The alignment of state resources and policy efforts with municipal actions can reduce commitment and agency costs that obstruct policy outcomes. The findings speak to the importance of multilevel governance exchanges in municipal efforts to become leaders in sustainability.

INTEGRASI KOMPETENSI DALAM PELATIHAN KEPEMIMPINAN

The integration of competence in leadership training in Indonesia is a problem that needs to be appreciated by all parties because during this time there is still opposition in the Ministerial regulation of state control and bureaucratic reform number 38 of 2017 about the competency standards Department of civil apparatus of the state, which is caused by the ego of each executor in the existing ministry. Nevertheless, state administrative institutions have taken the initiative to make changes from the curriculum of education and leadership training of the new pattern of the old regulation of the Head of State Administration Regulation number 18, 19 and 20 of 2015 to new patterns established with the administrative regulations of to the state number 15 and 16 of 2019 which integrate the leadership competence and government competence. There are 7 types of competencies integrated into this new curriculum, which is policy of decentralization, central government relations with local governments, general government, regional financial management, government affairs that become regional authority, local government relations with regional representatives and government ethics. For the success of this competency integration needed improvement in training planner which is design build learning training and training plan by integrating 7 government competencies in Agenda 1 Pancasila leadership and defending the country, agenda 2 leadership serve, agenda 3 control implementation activities and agenda 4 leadership actualization. Through perfecting training leadership subjects as competency units, subject matter as elements of competency and sub-material as performance creteria. From the results of the study to elements of Etics and integrity studies in public service should be trainedt and experienced to supervisors level training as many as 8 work performance creteria.

Enclaved or enmeshed? Local governance of oil finds in Turkana, Kenya

The development of high-value extractive resources in the rural peripheries of sub-Saharan Africa is often viewed as a securitised project separated from society and politics in neighbouring areas. It follows that extractive operations can happen in an enclave, partitioned from political society, contestation and struggle in nearby areas. Yet, this way of understanding extractive operations – ‘seeing like an oil company’ – draws analytical attention away from other ways of ‘seeing’ at the geographic and political margins, and associated reconfigurations in local governance and political relations that follow the establishment of sites and wayleaves for resource extraction. Taking the example of oil exploration and appraisal operations in the Turkana region of Kenya’s far northwest, this article examines how investments in oil operations at the periphery are governed. Territorialisation processes driven by oil capital have been unable to advance through the establishment of walled-off enclaves. Rather, oil operations in Turkana are enmeshed with local influence networks and political society, whose significance is even greater in a context of devolution. These findings contribute to debates on strategies used by large outside capital to define and hence territorialize resources for extraction in places where the presence of central state authority is weakly felt and negotiating power is both localised and diffuse.

Political institutions, state capacity, and crisis management: A comparison of China and South Korea

How do political institutions influence crisis management? By comparing responses to COVID-19 in China and South Korea, this article argues that different political institutions affect countries’ responses to crises by shaping state capacity. First, the article proposes a state capacity-driven crisis management framework including four types of capacity: information capacity, decision-making and implementation capacity, coercive capacity, and mobilization and cooperation capacity. Second, the article contributes to the literature by making linkages between different forms of state capacity and regime type. Combinations of state capacity are different in democracies and authoritarian regimes because state capacities are shaped by two different institutional arrangements: central–local government relations and state–society relations. Additionally, the article finds that the impacts of political institutions on crisis management through different state capacities are contingent on scenarios such as the different stages of a crisis.

Ls Policy Integration Real in Policy Practice? Critical Review on How Government of Indonesia Respond to Covid-19 Pandemic

This study aims to understand the practice of government policy in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic with a focus on cross-sectoral and cross-level policy synergies. At the central government level, ministries tend to respond sectorally and fragmentedly to the pandemic issue. Whereas from a hierarchical perspective, policy practices at the central and regional levels tend to clash with each other. Policy communication through the media also shows the atmosphere of competition between sectors and between levels of government, compared to the portrait of integrated government policy. This research is a literature study based on secondary data from the policy literature as well as policy implementation in the pandemic period April - August 2020. Policy integration analysis is built on the framework of central and local government relations in response to the pandemic. The results of the study show that the objectives of policy integration cannot yet be achieved and done in the policy practice of handling the Covid-19 pandemic organized by the government, both in terms of current problems, policies, and politics. The implementation of policies at both levels of government is not convergent and tends to be reactive, especially in dealing with these emerging pandemic issues. Likewise, in the perspective of the dynamics of the central and regional politics, where the central government tends to compete with the regional government in public in response to this pandemic.