Policy Frameworks and Municipal Effectiveness

BRISBANE, Australia - Sept. 3, 2019 - PRLog -- Municipalities tend to be smaller scale, face less complex challenges, and have less diversity amongst stakeholders when compared to national governments. This eases the path to identifying their core mission and prioritising service developments within resource constraints and national mandates.

A common problem with capitalising on this strength is that municipal strategic policy agendas are often asserted without sufficient regard to their consistent articulation, internal coherence or supporting administrative sub-structure. It is the author's contention that without these attributes municipal leadership will always lack clarity of direction; delivery competence; and full hearted community support.  In addition, the media will have grounds for scepticism and its criticisms will probably intensify over time.

In a blog published today, PFMConnect Limited director, David Fellows, outlines the key elements of an effective municipal policy framework and the need for its periodic review and realignment.  He suggests that the fundamental characteristics of the policy framework should include: disciplined policy-setting; careful construction of the budget-policy relationship; budgetary control, benefits realisation, transparency and taking responsibility at the top.

The author suggests that periodic reviews of the policy framework offer an opportunity to improve coherence and effectiveness. They can also lead to a better understanding of municipal capacity and critical areas of weakness that must be addressed if ambitions are to be fully realised.

In the author's view development partners can be too keen to rush developing countries into adopting practices that are unsustainable before the necessary organisational capacity has been achieved.

The article can be found in full on PFMConnect's blog at: http://blog-pfmconnect.com/policy-frameworks-and-municipal-effectiveness/.

Note: David Fellows began his career in UK local government where he became President of the Society of Municipal Treasurers and a pioneer of digital government; he followed this with stints in the UK Cabinet Office and the National Treasury of South Africa. He is a director of PFMConnect