Local Government Relations Research Articles

The Implications of Centre-local Relations on Service Delivery in Local Authorities in Zimbabwe: The Case of Chitungwiza

The area of centre-local relations in local government is a contemporary and topical debate in Zimbabwe. It was on this background that the research on centre-local relations was undertaken with a view to assessing the implications of service delivery in Chitungwiza Municipality (CM). The views of different authorities on centre-local relations were reviewed to further analyse the implications of centre-local relations on service delivery in municipalities. The study triangulated different data collection methods such as key informant interviews, documentary search, in-depth interviews, observation and survey to obtain detailed data on the state of centre-local relations and its implications on service delivery in CM. The findings of the study revealed that centre-local relations between the Ministry of Local Government and the CM are highly centralised. The parent ministry retains overall powers and control over the municipality. The Minister who is supposed to play a strategic role in policy formulation and implementation is involved in the day to day running of the municipality leaving little room for elected councillors and residents in general to determine their own destiny. It has been established that centre-local relations that are supposed to foster independence and autonomy of the municipality has turned into a master-subordinate relationship that has negatively affected service delivery. The study concluded that hyper-centralised governance relations are hindering effective service delivery in the municipality. This has been evidenced by erratic water supply, potholed roads, poor refuse collection and bursting of sewer pipes. The study recommends that the central government through the Ministry of Local Government must grant the municipality more autonomy as a measure of improving service delivery.

Water pollution control history in Japan, effluent standards, and central–local government relations

Water pollution is a significant environmental problem. Success or failure of water pollution control policy depends primarily on effluent standards, monitoring systems, and central–local government relations. This paper focuses on the relationship between the central government and the Kanagawa Prefecture government in Japan concerning the history of water pollution control policy from the 1950s to the early 1970s. Kanagawa Prefecture is next to Tokyo, and the Kanagawa Prefecture government has been a leader regarding environmental policy at the local level in Japan. This paper examines two aspects of water pollution control history in Japan. The first is the reason behind the implementation of a unique water pollution control policy by the Kanagawa Prefecture government against the central government, although two of its governors were conservatives. In other words, this paper examines what other historical factors exist to promote or formulate water pollution control policy, other than ideology. The second aspect involves examining what central–local government relations mean, how they change, when and how national policy change affects local policy change, and vice versa.

Exploring grassroots groups and local government relationships: benefits and challenges for current times

Exploring grassroots groups and local government relationships: benefits and challenges for current times

Marriage of the Unwilling? The Paradox of Local Government and NGO Relations in Ghana

The extant literature on the relations between government and NGOs is limited in two respects—dominant focus on relations between central government and NGOs and a limited discussion of typologies of relations in countries in Africa. This study seeks to make a modest contribution to addressing these limitations by studying the relations between local government and NGOs in Ghana. This paper proposes a four-dimensional framework for analysing the relations between local government and NGOs in Ghana. It reports that the relations are varied, complex and multi-dimensional and characterised by superficial and suspicious cordiality; tokenistic and cosmetic collaboration; friendly-foe relation; and convenient and cautious partnerships.

Does mining company-sponsored community development influence social licence to operate? Evidence from private and state-owned companies in Chile

This research compares corporate-sponsored community development (CD) and social legitimacy at two co-located mining operations in Chile (one private and one state owned) to explore the contribution of CD to social licence to operate. The research identifies that varied approaches to corporate-sponsored CD and its outcomes have the potential to either enhance or undermine social licence to operate, but that the relationship between the mine and community, the presence of negative environmental and social impacts, and social development associated with the core activities of the mining project are more significant factors affecting legitimacy. The research used a methodology that consisted of a review of corporate sustainability reports and corporate policies, and qualitative interviews with community leaders, local government and corporate community relations professionals (n = 38). The research found that the approaches to CD undertaken by the private and the state-owned company differed. Pre-selection of community investment parameters and the absence of participatory spaces were found to limit local community co-ownership of projects and positive attitudes towards the corporation. Our findings indicate that community representatives expect the negative social and environmental impacts of development to be addressed before investing in other areas of development. The presence of social development outcomes from mining projects was found to be a necessary, but insufficient factor in achieving community legitimacy and social licence to operate.

The Effects of Perceived Quality of Jeonju's Major Local Festivals on the Local Government and Public Relations

The Effects of Perceived Quality of Jeonju's Major Local Festivals on the Local Government and Public Relations

From the social fund to local welfare assistance: Central–local government relations and ‘special expenses’

In Britain since the 1930s social assistance recipients have in certain circumstances been able to claim ‘exceptional expenses’ in addition to their weekly benefit income. From the 1940s these were administered by its central government. However, in April 2013 the then incarnation of such payments (the discretionary Social Fund) was partly replaced by locally administered Local Welfare Assistance. Drawing upon material held in files at Britain's National Archives and central government documents framing the development of Local Welfare Assistance, this paper examines how concerns raised in the 1980s meant it was not possible to then transfer responsibility for ‘exceptional expenses’ from central to local government. The paper explores those concerns and how in contemporary Britain they are no longer deemed to be problematic because of the Coalition government's emphasis upon localism and because of changing local government views on the possibility of delivering a mainstream social assistance function.

If Different, then Why? Explaining the Divergent Political Development of Canadian and American Local Governance

Twenty-five years ago, Goldberg and Mercer argued that differences between Canadian and American cities stemmed from distinct political cultures. Taking an alternative approach, this article surveys the historical development, through a series of critical junctures, of distinct institutional foundations of local government and intergovernmental relations in Canada. These institutional forms—greater reliance on general-purpose local government and more consolidated government in metropolitan areas—were the product of the incremental development of provincial capacities to manage municipal affairs absent in American states and have resulted in the more equitable provision of services and a greater capacity to manage urban economic and environmental change.

Roads, rates and development: Urban roads and growth in Xai-Xai, Mozambique

Many local authorities in cities in the developing world are grappling with increasingly complex challenges regarding urban road provision. This paper examines the constraints on effective provision of municipal roads in Xai-Xai, Mozambique, and the consequences for urban development. Although the provision of such urban roads in Xai-Xai is potentially constrained by a number of factors the financial constraints are the most pressing. This is exacerbated by central–local government relationships. The case study illustrates how limited own-source revenues place municipal authorities in a difficult financial predicament, leading to an inability to locally fund municipal roads, and consequently to high dependency on intergovernmental transfers. When urban roads are considered within a sustainability framework any local inadequacies are seen to have economic, social and environmental consequences. The research points, however, to some ways these local and sustainability difficulties may be addressed.

Autonomy versus Oversight in Local Government Reform: The Implications of ‘Home Rule’ for Australian Local Government

This paper examines Australian local government in terms of local council autonomy as set against the oversight exercised by state governments. In particular, we investigate ‘home rule' in the United States and its potential relevance to the Australian milieu. We argue that prima facie the operation of home rule is problematic due to its litigious nature, and that while the implementation of home rule might be possible in an Australian local government jurisdiction, it is improbable. However, consideration of home rule as a principle by which state–local government relationships might be organised sheds light on the limits to the autonomy and independence of Australian local governments.

Re-thinking corruption in post- 1950 urban Britain: the Poulson affair, 1972–1976

ABSTRACT:The Poulson affair is central for the agenda of post-1950 British urban history. Particularly, it suggests that corruption is a key facet within the politics of planning and the rebuilding of Britain's urban environment. Poulson provides a useful route into an examination of the place of corruption because of the scale of his activity both in terms of volumes and types of constructions he planned. His networks and the geographical concentrations of his work also provide a regional dimension. Perceptions of Poulson have been fashioned by investigative and satirical journalism and television. A re-evaluation in light of official government sources and Poulson's autobiography raise important issues concerning the ethics of public officials and private businessmen; and the consequences of the interaction of public and private markets. Poulson's business was driven by the twin engines of government funding and the activity cycles of the construction industry. The fluctuation in his planned commissions provides a useful barometer of the planning environment. Poulson's demise exposed the complex relations between business, civil servants, ministers and local councillors contributing to growing public distrust of the workings of government. Finally, it is suggested that the affair was a critical factor in re-shaping central–local government relationships.

Framing energy efficiency and renewable energy policies: An international comparison between Mexico and China

This essay compares national strategies on mitigation of GHG emissions for Mexico and China. This state-centered analysis stresses the importance of the interaction between international commitments, the disposition of internal interest of economy-wide actors, and the legacies of policy making and institutions, particularly in relation to economic development and central–local government relations. This research does not attempt to classify institutions according to their effectives to foster climate change policies, but rather explores specific circumstances for climate change policy making on developing countries. Contrary to international proposal to find a generic optimal policy choice, the research explored the relevance of certain political and economic institutions that can be present in other national cases. It shows that the legacies on liberalization and state retreat undermine the state ability to effectively engage with the economic actors on decisions and management. Likewise regular engagement with them undermines the state affinity towards pursuing economic efficient solutions. The relevance of adequate system of incentives for local government to engage in an agenda that is, by nature, adopted by the central government.

Policy transfer and convergence within the UK: the case of local government performance improvement regimes

Analysis of the development and implementation of local government performance improvement regimes in England, Scotland and Wales over the last decade reveals congruence in policy goals but divergence in policy implementation and outcomes. The governments in all three countries had a common aim of improving local government performance. However, differences in ideology, the nature of central–local government relations, the numbers of councils and a political imperative for newly devolved administrations to be seen to pursue ‘home-grown’ solutions limited policy learning between different parts of the United Kingdom (UK) and in the case of Wales fuelled determined policy avoidance by policy makers.

Local government: the past, the present and the future

Local government has faced critical issues since the 1970s. The case is made for local government as the government of local communities. Local government is presented as the government of difference, both responding to and creating differences between areas. The government of difference enhances the learning capacity of the system of government, a function not fully appreciated by central government. The role of local government has been weakened by the policies of successive governments. There has been a failure to recognise the need to strengthen local representative democracy. An almost continuous process of reorganisation has fragmented community government. These issues have arisen from a fundamentally defective relationship between local and central government. The government’s approach fails to recognize that the main barriers to the development of localism lie in central government. Centralism remains dominant in the Localism Act and in Whitehall departments, even the Department for Communities and Local Government. The government has failed to provide a financing system for local government that sustains localism: local authorities continue to be dependent on government grants. The way ahead is to change the culture of central government through a code on central–local government relations coordinated across all departments by a unit in the Cabinet Office and monitored by a joint committee of parliament; a genuine Localism Act; and a financial system in which local authorities draw most of their revenue from their own voters with taxes whose rates they determine.

Institutions and Micro-enterprises Demography: A Study of Selected EU Countries, 1997–2006

Micro-enterprises display diverse patterns with regards to birth rate, death rate, evolution and distribution or density across countries. A large part of the variation of the demography of business enterprises is explained in terms of institutional factors like regulation, corruption, trust, local governance, networks, kinship or family lineage-based business relations. Very high birth and death rates are found in the UK, followed by Portugal, Spain and Italy. High death rates are usually found in the sectors with very high birth rates, as well as in declining sectors, particularly manufacturing, trade and repairing services. A very high churn rate in microenterprises as well as a more balanced size distribution of enterprises in the UK is due to highly competitive market-oriented institutions enabling easier entry, bankruptcy or exit. High density with very low birth and death rates of micro-enterprises are found in Italy due to the particular characteristics of informal institutions of the industrial districts where there is a dense network of relations governing the functioning, entry or exit of enterprises. Survival rate is very high in the UK as compared to the other three countries in the short term but in the long term, over five years, it falls below 50 percent, while Spain and Italy have much higher long-term survival rates.Despite higher short-term survival rates the surviving enterprises of the UK have lower growth of employment as compared to that of the other countries. The greater density of the micro-enterprises in Spain or Portugal makes their business environment more competitive where the inefficient new entrants are quickly weeded out, whereas the remaining ones become more resilient.

Expectations, Assumptions and Realities: Scottish Local Government Post-Devolution

This article reviews developments in Scottish local government post-devolution. In doing so it outlines some expectations, assumptions and realities about local government in Scotland. Three assumptions are examined and rejected: 1999 was ‘Year Zero’ for Scottish local government; central–local relations are characterised by a cohesive centre versus a cohesive locality; central–local relations in Scotland are nothing more than a fuzzy microcosm of central–local relations in England. The article argues that Scotland increasingly offers a different ‘story’ of central–local government relations with pre-existing differences accentuating in the context of minority government, different processes of governance and attitudes to the welfare state.

Interlocal Service Cooperation in U.S. Cities: A Social Network Explanation

Local governments increasingly confront policy problems that span the boundaries of individual political jurisdictions. Institutional theories of local governance and intergovernmental relations emphasize the importance of networks for fostering service cooperation among local governments. Yet empirical research fails to examine systematically the effects of social networks on interlocal service cooperation. Do the individual networks of local government actors increase their jurisdiction's level of interlocal service delivery? Drawing data from the National Administrative Studies Project IV (NASP‐IV), multivariate analysis is applied to examine this question among 919 municipal managers and department heads across the United States. The findings indicate that interlocal service cooperation increases when jurisdictional actors network frequently through a regional association or council of government and when they are united by a common set of professional norms and disciplinary values. Manager participation in professional associations, however, does not increase interjurisdictional cooperation. The key conclusion for local government practitioners searching for ways to increase collaboration: networks that afford opportunities for more face‐to‐face interaction yield better results for effective service partnerships.

Urban Renaissance as Intensification: Building Regulation and the Rescaling of Place Governance in Tokyo’s High-rise Manshon Boom

During the past decade, Tokyo has seen a massive building boom, despite a prolonged economic slump since 1990. Since the 1980s, central government has enacted a steady stream of building code changes that allow much larger buildings. This paper argues that the recent wave of private investment in high-rise intensification has been instigated by these changes to building regulations, so that the form of urban restructuring and the distribution of winners and losers in the process are shaped by the central state, a reverse of the previous trend of decentralisation of planning powers. This restructuring of central/ local government relations can be understood as a creative rescaling of governance power that disrupted established democratic institutional frameworks of decision-making and conflict resolution. This study highlights both the centrality of land assets in Japan’s developmental capitalism and the continuing importance of the distinctive institutional legacies of the developmental state in structuring Japanese urban governance.

Strengthening the Intergovernmental Grant System: Long‐Term Lessons for the Federal–Local Relationship

This study investigates the longitudinal political and administrative problems associated with federal–local government relations. The findings demonstrate four primary challenges of the system of federal grants‐in‐aid that hinder the relationship of policy design at the federal level and policy implementation in local communities: the politics of decentralization, subnational capacity, program accountability and program adaptability. A case study of the Community Development Block Grant, as assessed by the Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations and the General Accounting Office between 1974 and the present, is included to demonstrate the application of these problems within the system. Although the “evolution of devolution” can greatly benefit the recipients of public services at the local level, it often operates within an unorganized and ineffective system that public managers at all levels of government must continue to develop.

Relations Between Central and Local Government in Sweden During the 1990s: Mixed Patterns of Centralization and Decentralization

In this article, mixed patterns of centralization and decentralization in Sweden from the 1990s and onwards are investigated. Centralization measures are examined through the case of central government's steering of local government's provision of welfare, while decentralization measures are examined through the case of the experiment with setting up regions. In addition, the current discussion on future developments of central–local government relations in Sweden is explored. It is argued, in this article, that centralization measures in Sweden during the period investigated can be explained mainly by the importance played by the principle of equality in welfare provision and that decentralization can be explained by the discussions on the ‘Europe of the Regions’. This explanation is in accordance with the literature in the field that stresses the importance of both Europeanization and specific values within a country's political culture to understand current developments in central–local government relations in Western Europe.