Local Government Sustainability Research Articles

A Factor Analytic Assessment of Financial Sustainability: The Case of New South Wales Local Government

Financial sustainability in local government remains a pressing problem which has seen a host of public policy interventions, including compulsory consolidation and performance monitoring through financial sustainability ratios. In September 2014, the New South Wales (NSW) Government announced a reform program centred on increasing scale in local government to make councils ‘fit for the future’. We apply factor analysis to the financial ratios informing the NSW Government's reform initiative to identify the underlying factors for observed financial performance data. We find evidence indicating that three independent underlying factors account for the adopted measures of financial sustainability. The public policy implication arising from this study suggests that the reforms imposed by the NSW Government on NSW municipalities may only meet with limited successa.

Implementing Environmental Sustainability in Local Government: The Impacts of Framing, Agency Culture, and Structure in US Cities and Counties

ABSTRACTThis article focuses on the organizational factors of environmental sustainability implementation in local government. We investigate the interactions, as well as direct and indirect impacts, of the framing of environmental sustainability and organizational culture and structure on implementation outcomes. We use a survey of 217 city/county planners and managers in 146 randomly selected American mid-sized cities and counties. The survey was specifically designed to tease out organizational features and their impacts. We model these impacts using structural equation modeling. We find that horizontally and vertically integrated organizational structure supports two essential dimensions of organizational culture: innovation adoption and consensus building. These cultural traits positively impact the framing of environmental sustainability at the core of organizations’ logic, which in turn significantly supports implementation outcomes. These findings provide important insights into city/county managers seeking to promote sustainability, and provide a base for future studies of the organizational factors of implementation.

GIS-BASED VALUATION OF ECOSYSTEM SERVICES IN MOUNTAIN REGIONS: A CASE STUDY OF THE CHEPELARE MUNICIPALITY IN BULGARIA

This study imports the Ecosystem Services concept in the economic valuation of the resources of a typical mountain municipality in Bulgaria. It applies a GIS-based approach and employs a system of methods, which include benefit transfer, market price, and contingent valuation, as well as local survey and statistical data for the following key ecosystem services: timber production, forest/agricultural products, and tourism and recreation. The investigation interprets the CORINE Land Cover (2012) classes as spatial units of identification, analysis, and valuation of selected Ecosystem Services, on which the welfare of local mountain population depends. Its results, among which is a map of the total economic value of a set of ecosystem services in the Municipality of Chepelare, is intended to support sustainable local governance in mountain regions. Key words: ecosystem services valuation, sustainable governance, GIS, mountain regions, Bulgaria.

Inter-Organisational Coordination for Sustainable Local Governance: Public Safety Management in Poland

The goal of this article is to examine the basic characteristics and factors that impact inter-organisational coordination in sustainable local governance to address: 1. What are the factors that effective inter-organisational coordination between independent units creating public safety system on local level in sustainable local governance depends on? 2. What are the principal features of inter-organisational coordination in the public safety management system studied in the context of sustainable local governance? The article’s goal was reached using desk research analysis and empirical research. The desk research covers an analysis of international scientific publications. In turn, the empirical research was based on the example of public safety management. It covered interviews with practitioners dealing with public safety and a hermeneutic process within a focus group of scholars. As a result of the conducted research, interdependencies between coordination and other factors of inter-organisational collaboration were identified and the process of inter-organisational coordination during the emergency situations was characterised.

Institutionalization and Sustainability of Local Government System through Civic Education and Citizens’ Engagement

Historically, Local Government system was introduced and established under the Local Government Act 2001 in EX-Chief of Army Staff and ex-president of Pakistan General Pervaiz Musharaf. After, 2008 elections in the government of ruling party PPP the LG system was demolished. Simultaneously, Local Government Act 2013 was formulated latter on after amendments LG Act 2015 is now adopted. Currently, Local Government elections are completed in Punjab and KP provinces. The sole purpose of Local Government Ordinance 2015 which gives indications regarding implementation of Local Government System. The sole purpose of Local Government system is to institutionalize citizens’ participation through institutionalized local governance system apart of this, to devolve administrative, political and financial responsibility and authority to the local governments. Now, there is question again either Local Government system will be able to institutionalized and sustainable or may be demolish by the next ruling government. Certain questions emerged regarding the sustainability and institutionalization of local government, devolution of financial and legislation decision making powers and authorities to local governments, actual participation of citizens from the gross rout level, accountability and transparency in functioning of devolved legislative and financial powers.

Fiscal Decentralization and Local Budget Deficits in Viet Nam: An Empirical Analysis

Since 1975, Viet Nam has gradually decentralized more fiscal responsibilities to local authorities. This study has two objectives: (i) to take stock of the current institutional framework for intergovernmental fiscal relations in Viet Nam, and (ii) to empirically assess the debt sustainability of local governments in Viet Nam. The empirical analysis uses two estimation methods: (i) fully modified ordinary least squares (OLS) to estimate the long-term correlations between co-integration equations, including vectors of co-integration variables, and stochastic regressor innovations; and (ii) fiscal reaction equations at the provincial level, based upon the Bohn (2008) model. The empirical results suggest that deficit levels are generally sustainable at the local level.

Towards a water agenda for sustainable local governance

En el marco de la relacion entre ciudadania y Estado, el poder politico que se cierne sobre la regulacion de los recursos y servicios hidricos contrasta con la influencia social que emerge de la crisis ambiental y afecta el abastecimiento a la ciudadania. En este escenario, el Desarrollo Local Sustentable se asume como un ambito de gestion y participacion en el que convergen tanto un sistema de tarifas como un sistema de subsidios derivados de los conflictos entre autoridades y usuarios del servicio de agua potable. En este sentido, el proposito del presente trabajo es contrastar ambos factores que inhiben o facilitan el desarrollo endogeno. Para tal efecto, se expone la gobernanza de los recursos hidricos y sus implicaciones sobre el desarrollo comunitario considerando las politicas municipales de abastecimiento y la evaluacion de estos programas mediante los estudios de opinion publica. Tal ejercicio permitira anticipar escenarios de gestion a partir de las diferencias entre los agentes economicos, actores politicos y sujetos sociales.

Institutionalizing the urban governance of climate change adaptation: Results of an international survey

Three hundred and fifty municipalities across five continents participated in the Urban Climate Change Governance Survey (UCGS). Conducted at MIT in partnership with ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, the UCGS provides a first of its kind look at the governance networks that municipalities are creating to address climate change.Drawing from these results, this paper analyses the institutional governance structures that surround local government work on climate change adaptation. Results show an integration of adaptation and mitigation planning, and a mainstreaming of adaptation planning into other long-range and sectoral plans. Seventy-three percent of respondents stated that their local government’s are engaging with both adaptation and mitigation, and 75% are integrating adaptation into long-range or sectoral plans. However, many critical municipal agencies – including those responsible for water, waste water, health, and building codes – remain on the margins of urban adaptation efforts.Internal institutional networks of governance are inextricably linked to efforts to address a problem like adaptation, which does not fit neatly into individual institutional silos. The results of the UCGS show where these networks have so far been made, how they have been created, and which local government actors have yet to be effectively engaged.

Risk Factors and Drivers of Financial Sustainability in Local Government: An Empirical Study

The current international crisis in public finances has made financial sustainability a key issue for governments. Although the European Union (EU) and other international organisations have recommended governments to monitor demographic and economic variables, few studies have considered the influence of these variables on financial sustainability. This paper seeks to identify and analyse the drivers and risk factors that influence the financial sustainability of local government. The findings identify both risk factors (unemployment and population aged under 16 years) and drivers (budgetary outcome) of financial sustainability, which may constitute a useful basis for decision-taking by managers and policy-makers.

Evolución y configuración de los servicios deportivos locales. Un acotamiento a propósito de la Ley 27/2013, de 27 de diciembre, de Racionalización y Sostenibilidad de la Administración Local

La aparición de la actividad deportiva en la moderna concepción del Estado de Bienestar, vinculada a los niveles de calidad de vida de los ciudadanos, ha supuesto la intervención administrativa en los diferentes ámbitos competenciales de todas las Administraciones públicas; y, en particular, en el ámbito local, principalmente en el conjunto de actividades que prestan los municipios, lo que nos conduce al análisis y estudio de las diferentes normas por las que se rige la actividad local, así como por las leyes sectoriales de carácter autonómico y, muy en especial, la reciente ley de racionalización y sostenibilidad de la Administración Local que ha efectuado una importante reforma del régimen local básico, afectando, entre otros contenidos, a las competencias y servicios a desarrollar por los municipios.

SERVICIOS SOCIALES, CRISIS Y REFORMA LOCAL: RESPUESTAS DISCURSIVAS DESDE EL TRABAJO SOCIAL

La actual situación de crisis económica y las políticas desarrolladas al amparo del reformado artículo 135 de la Constitución que consagra la estabilidad presupuestaria como guía fundamental de la acción de las Administraciones Públicas, están teniendo una incidencia directa en el sistema de Servicios Sociales. La aprobación de la Ley 27/2013, de 27 de diciembre, de racionalización y sostenibilidad de la Administración Local supone un importante retroceso y un elemento de inseguridad jurídica para un sistema de protección social aún incompleto. La presente investigación pretende, mediante un enfoque cualitativo definir los patrones de regularidad discursiva de los participantes centrándonos en aquellos aspectos relacionados con la coyuntura económica y los cambios normativos que inciden en el régimen competencial de las entidades locales. Las líneas argumentales del discurso se centran en las dificultades para el trabajo diario, la fuerte instrumentalización del sistema y la incertidumbre de que éste desaparezca o modifique su configuración de forma sustancial. Se pone de manifiesto como los y las profesionales del Trabajo Social perciben un contexto de trabajo alejado de los ideales profesionales y que adolece de una dotación de recursos de calidad, en el que se ha descuidado una intervención social personalizada y orientada al desarrollo personal y social integral, donde las modificaciones en materia de régimen local suponen una seria amenaza. The current economic crisis and the policies developed under the amended article 135 of the Spanish Constitution which enshrines the budgetary stability as a fundamental guide the action of the government, are having a direct impact on the Social Services system. The approval of Spanish Law of rationalization and sustainability of local government is a major setback and an element of legal uncertainty for a system of social protection still incomplete. This research, using a qualitative approach to define patterns of discursive regularity of participants focusing on aspects related to economic conditions and regulatory changes that affect the competence regime of local governments. The plot lines of the speech focused on the difficulties of daily work, strong manipulation of the system and the uncertainty of it disappear or change its configuration substantially. It is revealed as social work professionals perceive the context of remote working professional ideals and suffers from a resourcing quality, which has been neglected a custom social intervention oriented comprehensive personal and social development, where changes in local arrangements pose a serious threat.

Mobilising sustainable local government revenue in Ghana: modelling property rates and business taxes

Property rates and business operating license fees constitute the major revenue sources for local government authorities. Accurate assessment of these revenues enhances the revenue base and effectiveness of their generation. Assessment of property rates and business operating license fees have been identified as one of the limiting factors that inhibit the revenue potential of local government authorities. Assessment must obey the principles of taxation such as efficiency, equity and fairness, adequacy, administrative feasibility and political acceptability. Over the years, the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA) acknowledges that, it has had problems in ensuring equity and fairness in the assessment of property rates and business operating license fees. The paper reports on a computer modelling study carried out to introduce measure to ensure equity and fairness in assessing tax objects. A computer application has been developed with quantitative measures to evaluate and assess equity in tax assessment. A test run of the system has been successful and a pilot test is currently being implemented by STMA.

Assessing the Local Environmental Performance in Western Moldavia (Romania)

Abstract The environmental performance is a result of measurable characteristics emerging from the functionality of integrated environmental management systems based on various sustainable development policies at different administrative levels. This paper aims to quantify some dimensions of environmental performance in terms of outcomes and administrative efficiency for Western Moldavia region, using the latest available data. The obtained results demonstrate the territorial heterogeneity of environmental state, pressure and spatial resilience by highlighting the importance of ecosystems viability (forest cover, land degradation), sustainable local governance (environmental expenditure), energy, water quality, sanitation and environmental health (sanitation services, access to water and sewage, use of renewable energy). If completed in future by integrating other local environmental performance indicators the outcome of this research could become a viable tool for local and regional system of government in establishing policies in order to effectively preserve the environment.

Reforma local, servicios sociales y perspectiva de género

The new legal framework for local government, the Law 27/2013 of 27 December, on Rationalization and Sustainability of Local Government (LRSAL) substantially modifies its powers and, specifically, in social services and gender perspective. Following the entry into force of this regulation, this paper provides some interpretive keys to determine, first, how it has been in previous stages the institutionalization of local social services policies, the incorporation of a gender perspective and reforms which have taken place. Secondly, it addresses briefly, the main theoretical frameworks of structuring social services and gender policies: social cohesion, inequality, mainstreaming and intersectionality. Subsequently, a critical review of the new legislation and its impact on social services is performed. It concludes with an assessment of the possibilities and uncertainties of the future of social services and gender perspective after this local reform. We are aware that the recent approval of this new legislation does not yet allow a detailed analysis of its application and its consequences, however, can be glimpsed different options to the future which constitute elements for the debate as: what kind of decisions will have to be taken in order to mitigate the negative impact on social services and gender perspective of this law, criticized by professionals and academics who do not hesitate to describe it as some vague, contradictory and incomplete.

La aplicación autonómica de la Ley de Racionalización y Sostenibilidad de la Administración Local

La aplicación de la Ley de Racionalización y Sostenibilidad de la Administración local debe superar muchos e importantes obstáculos: la generación por la ley de dudas interpretativas, la falta de previsión en ella de un adecuado régimen transitorio, su aplicación territorial asimétrica o diferenciada y el rechazo generalizado que su aprobación ha causado. El presente estudio, tras examinar estos motivos, entra a analizar en profundidad la aplicación que de esa ley están realizando las comunidades autónomas.

Aspectos financieros de la reforma local

En este trabajo se analizan los aspectos jurídico-financieros más relevantes que incluye la Ley 27/2013, de 27 de diciembre, de racionalización y sostenibilidad de la Administración Local. Las nuevas medidas incluidas en la citada Ley afectan tanto a los ingresos de los entes locales como a sus gastos. Al respecto, se abordan cuestiones relativas a los efectos económicos de la fusión de municipios, la supresión general de licencias, el contenido de los planes económico-financieros, el cálculo del coste efectivo de los servicios, el redimensionamiento del sector público local, la novedosa atribución a la Junta de Gobierno Local de la competencia para aprobar ciertos actos financieros, la disolución de entidades de ámbito territorial inferior al Municipio que no presenten sus cuentas antes de 31 de diciembre de 2014 o la posibilidad de reducir la deuda comercial o financiera a través de la venta de patrimonio público del suelo.

La nueva reforma de la Administración Local: principales cuestiones planteadas en el marco de su racionalización y sostenibilidad

El presente trabajo tiene por objeto analizar el alcance de la reforma de la Administración local operada por la nueva Ley 27/2013, de 27 de diciembre, de racionalización y sostenibilidad de la Administración Local, a través de la cual se persigue la consecución de los siguientes objetivos: clarificar las competencias municipales para evitar duplicidades con las competencias de otras Administraciones de forma que se haga efectivo el principio "una Administración una competencia"; racionalizar la estructura organizativa de la Administración local de acuerdo con los principios de eficiencia, estabilidad y sostenibilidad financiera; garantizar un control financiero y presupuestario más riguroso y favorecer la iniciativa económica privada evitando intervenciones administrativas desproporcionadas.

Nuevo régimen jurídico de los servicios públicos locales, tras la Ley núm. 27/2013, de 27 de diciembre, de Racionalización y Sostenibilidad de la Administración Local

La versión original de la Ley Reguladora de las Bases de Régimen Local de 1985 y del Texto Refundido de las Disposiciones vigentes en materia de Régimen Local de 1986, no establecían una clara distinción entre competencias locales, servicios públicos locales y servicios esenciales reservados. La reforma llevada a cabo en 2003 proporcionó un poco de claridad, pero no excesiva. Este artículo analiza las reformas llevadas a cabo en materia de servicios públicos locales por la Ley núm. 27/2013, de 27 de diciembre, de racionalización y sostenibilidad de la Administración Local: se modifica la lista de servicios mínimos municipales; se refuerza el papel de las Diputaciones en la gestión de esos servicios mínimos; se introducen modificaciones en las formas de gestión de los servicios públicos; se modifica el precepto relativo a la iniciativa económica local y a las reservas locales; si una corporación local no cumple sus obligaciones financieras debe proceder a la gestión integrada o coordinada de los servicios obligatorios que presta la entidad local para reducir sus costes; y se establece la obligación de proceder a la determinación del coste efectivo de los servicios, antes del 1 de noviembre de cada año.

El ejercicio por los funcionarios interinos de funciones reservadas tras la Ley 27/2013, de Reforma Local

La nueva redacción dada al artículo 92.3 de la Ley 7/1985, reguladora de las Bases del Régimen Local, por la Ley 27/2013, de racionalización y sostenibilidad de la Administración Local, ha supuesto -al menos en teoría- que sólo los funcionarios de carrera puedan ejercer funciones que impliquen la participación directa o indirecta en el ejercicio de las potestades públicas o en la salvaguardia de los intereses generales. Esta cuestión va más allá de las funciones a ejercer por los funcionarios pues la reserva de funciones es también la nota diferenciadora respecto al personal laboral.
 Este artículo analiza los motivos y las cuestiones que plantea esta novedosa restricción, así como las implicaciones que pudiera tener en el ámbito de las Entidades Locales y en particular en el ejercicio de las funciones que ejercen los funcionarios interinos.

Bridging the gap: A Collaborative Approach to Rural Sustainability

In August 2013, the Eastern Ontario Warden’s Caucus (EOWC) produced a series of whitepapers that address municipal affordability in Eastern Ontario and the financial sustainability of local governments. With costs drastically outpacing population growth, rural municipalities have few means to bridge the gap. The white papers report that municipal operating budgets have increased by 65% over a ten year period, while population growth rose 13%. The factors driving costs are the same for each municipality, which supports the need to increase efficiencies through a regional approach on cost sharing. This same approach needs to be considered in economic development as communities continue to compete for investment from the same market place. This paper proposes that regional collaboration will result in economic sustainability. Economic and municipal strategies need to reinforce collaborative strategies through the development of a regional approach that shares costs and secures partnerships to deliver services and contain these costs. Short term actions should include developing an economic development strategy for Eastern Ontario, securing funding for infrastructure maintenance, and forming a task force that will investigate ways to contain infrastructure costs. Keywords: Collaboration, economy, regional, sustainability, growth