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TOPIC 9
CURRENT ISSUES IN
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
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Learning Outcomes
At the end of this lecture, student should be able to:
1. Understand what is Local governance
2. Highlight the principles of good governance
3. Explain urbanization and its challenges
4. Define sustainable development
5. Highlight any other issues arising from sustainable
development (eg. Local Agenda 21, Healthy and Safe cities)
(c)NursyahidaZulkifli, UiTM(Kelantan)
Contents
• DEFINITION
OF LOCAL GOVERNANCE
• PRINCIPLES OF GOOD GOVERNANCE
• URBANISATION AND ITS CHALLENGES
• DEFINE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
• ISSUES ARISING FROM SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT
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LOCAL GOVERNANCE
What is Governance?
• Governance is simply the process of decision-making and
the process by which decisions are implemented or not
implemented.
• Local governance is the implementation of good
governance at the local level. It involves the local
government institution as the main player as well as the
role played by the local community and private sector.
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The World Bank defines governance as
• “the exercise of political authority and the use
of institutional resources to manage society's
problems and affairs”.
• Governance is a term which is larger than the
term government and it includes the civil
society and other institutions such as the
private sector.
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PRINCIPLES OF GOOD GOVERNANCE
1.
Participation
2.
Consensus oriented
3.
Accountable
4. Transparent
5. Responsive
6. Effective and efficient
7. Equitable
8. Inclusive and follows the rule of law.
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Cont. (PRINCIPLES OF GOOD GOVERNANCE)
• These principles assure among others that
corruption is minimized
• the views of minorities are taken into account
and that the voices of the most vulnerable in
society are heard in decision-making
• It is also responsive to the present and the
future needs.
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1.
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Participation
Definition of Participation
• Langton (1978) defines public participation as citizen
involvement in making service delivery and management
decisions.
• Anderson (1990) defines public participation as the act
of taking part in the formulation, implementation and
evaluation of policies by interest groups through formal
institutions
• Public participation could also be the executive
participation by the public through interest groups in the
implementation of policies by local authorities (Hanekom,
1987:33-34).
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How can participation be successfully
implemented?
Tuler and Webler (1999) derived 7 normative principles
for effective consultation processes:
• Access to the process
• Power to influence the process and outcomes
• Access to information
• Structural characteristics to promote constructive interactions
• Facilitation of constructive personal behaviours eg promoting
openness, honesty
• Adequate analysis- process tries to empirically verify facts
• Enabling social conditions necessary for future processes eg.
resolving conflict, building better relationships, promoting a
sense of place.
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2. Consensus oriented
To reach a broad consensus on what is in the best interest of the
whole community and how this can be achieved.
A broad and long-term perspective on what is needed for
sustainable human development and how to achieve the goals of
such development.
This can only result from an understanding of the historical,
cultural and social contexts of a given society or community.
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3. Accountable
 Accountable to the public and to their institutional
stakeholders.
 In general an organization or an institution is
accountable to those who will be affected by its
decisions or actions.
 Accountability cannot be enforced without
transparency and the rule of law
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4. Transparent
Transparency means that decisions taken and their
enforcement are done in a manner that follows rules
and regulations.
It also means that information is freely available and
directly accessible to those who will be affected by
such decisions and their enforcement.
It also means that enough information is provided and
that it is provided in easily understandable forms and
media
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5. Responsive
Good governance requires that institutions
and processes try to serve all stakeholders
within a reasonable time frame.
 Response to the society or stakeholders in
prompt action
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6. Effective and efficient
Good governance means that processes and institutions
produce results that meet the needs of society while
making the best use of resources at their disposal.
The concept of efficiency in the context of good
governance also covers the sustainable use of natural
resources and the protection of the environment.
 Do the things right
Do the right things
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7. Equitable & Inclusiveness
A society’s well being depends on ensuring that all its
members feel that they have a stake in it and do not
feel excluded from the mainstream.
This requires that all groups, particularly the most
vulnerable, have opportunities to improve or maintain
their well being.
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8. Rule of law
Good governance requires fair legal frameworks that
are enforced impartially.
It also requires full protection of human rights,
particularly those of minorities.
Impartial enforcement of laws requires an
independent judiciary and an impartial and
incorruptible police force.
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URBANISATION AND
ITS CHALLENGES
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URBANISATION
• Urbanization is increasing in both developed and
developing countries
• Effects of urbanisation - unemployment, poverty,
inadequate, poor sanitation, urban slums and
environmental degradation (urban challenges)
• Urbanization led towards modernization, economic
growth and development
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DEFINITION
Urbanisation is defined as
 the shift from a rural to an urban society, and
involves an increase in the number of people in urban
areas during a particular year.
 Urbanization is also defined by the United Nations as
movement of people from rural to urban areas with
population growth equating to urban migration.
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Less Developed Countries
A lot of migration from rural areas to urban areas

Factors Influencing Urbanization
a) Rural Push Factors
- more poverty
- less work opportunities
- limited education opportunities
- fewer medical facilities
b) Urban Pull Factors
- possibilities of jobs
- better education
- better medical
- availability/affordability of housing
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Challenges due to Urbanisation

There is a need for the provision of more services in
urban areas such as housing and sanitary and health
services.

There is also a need for proper urban transport
planning and traffic management.

There is the perennial problem of illegal squatters
due to increase in population in urban areas and lack
of housing.
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Other challenges faced by local
authorities
• There is a need for the provision of more services in
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urban area
Urban poverty
Relevance of function
Pollution of environment
Explosion of information system development
Human resource development
Expectation of tax payers
Changes in working culture
Generating financial sources
Corporate leadership
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SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT
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• Sustainable development is development that meets
the needs of the present without compromising the
ability of the future generations to meet their own
needs.
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ISSUES ARISING
FROM SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT
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1.
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Local Agenda 21 (LA21)
◦ Local Agenda 21 is a programme for the civil society,
private sectors and the local authority to work, plan
and manage their environment together towards
sustainable development.
◦ The 3 main actors or partners collaborating for Local
Agenda 21 and sustainable development are:
 Private Sector - Business & Industry
 Local Authority - Local councillors and local council staff and
other related government agencies
 Civil Society - General Public, Consumers, Non-Government
Organizations (NGO), Community-Base Organizations (CBO),
Residents’ Associations , Professionals, Mass Media and other
civil society representatives
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Benefits- Local Agenda 21
• Co-operation between Local Authority, Community &
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Private Sector is enhanced for mutual benefits
Local Authorities can promote the good governance
concept
Create a convenient living environment through clean,
safe and harmonic surrounding.
Sustainable Development Issues at local stage can be
studied and tackled together
Opportunity for community and private sectors to join
together in development processes
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Local Agenda 21 Programme in Miri- An
example of how a LA21 program works
• The pilot project was started in February 2000 and
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ended in February 2002 based on 5 elements which are:
Formation of Partnership
Community based Issues Analysis
Action Plan
Implementation and monitoring
Evaluation & feed back
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Healthy Cities project
 A healthy city is one that is constantly creating and improving
those physical social environments and expanding community
resources which enable people to mutually support each other
in performing all the functions of life and in developing their
maximum potential”(Hancock & Duhl, 1988)
 Characteristics of Healthy Cities Projects:
 Commitment to health
 Political decision-making
 Intersectoral action
 Community participation
 Innovation
 Healthy public policy
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Safety Cities
• The Ministry of Housing and Local Government has
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taken the initiative on Safe and Sustainable Living
Environment. MHLG have put in place “Safe City
Guidelines” for all Local Authorities.
The Safe City initiative covers four (4) areas, as
follows:
Cities free from destruction to properties and lives,
like crime, theft and robbery
Cities free from destruction and vandalism.
Cities free from social and moral problems.
Cities free from accidents inside and outside of
building
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Study of
existing
system
Audit and review
system
implementation
Monitoring
and
coordination
with
government
and nongovernment
agencies
Gap
identification
Safe City
Implementation
Cycle
Development
of an
effective
strategy
Implementation of
a strategy into a
system
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New Delhi
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Malaysia (MHLG)
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MALAYSIA (pedestrian walk)
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TOP 10 Safest Cities in 2008
1. Luxembourg (Luxembourg)
2. Bern (Switzerland)
3. Geneva (Switzerland)
4. Helsinki (Finland)
5. Zurinch (Switzerland)
6. Vienna (Austria)
7. Oslo (Norway)
8. Stockholm (Sweden)
9. Singapore (Singapore)
10.Auckland (New Zealand)
Source: Mercer Consulting in 2008 by personal safety criteria
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END OF CHAPTER 9
THANK YOU
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