Local government: internal structures. Ieva Lazareviciute Municipal Training Center Lithuania

Transcription

1 Local government: internal structures Ieva Lazareviciute Municipal Training Center Lithuania

2 Main features Politicoadministrative interface Rational functional division Council Administration

3 Politics and administration The role of the Council The role of the Mayor The role of the Chief Administrative Officer

4 The main models Council-Mayor Strong Mayor Weak Mayor Council-Manager Commission

5 Council-Mayor Mayor Budget, management personnel (hiring/ firing) Mayor Representation, chairing the meetings Council Administrator Administration Council Budget, management, personnel (hiring/firing) Strong mayor Weak Mayor

6 Advantages The system is most suitable for large industrialised cities It increases political representation and influence at a national level More flexible and sensitive to public mood

7 Disadvantages May limit administrative capacities May result in decreased effectiveness and economy May limit strategic development capacity if an executive officer post is not established

8 Council - Manager Chair/ Mayor Representation, chairing the meetings Administrator Advising, budgeting, management of implementation Council Policy-making

9 Advantages Clear policy-making and policy implementation separation Improves managerial effectiveness and service quality Improves administrative accountability

10 Disadvantages Increases the likelihood of conflicts between administrator and council Administrator becomes semi-political figure and management may be destabilised

11 Commission Commission Commissioner Commissioner Commissioner Commissioner Administra tive department Administra tive department Administra tive department Administra tive department Administra tive department Chief Administrative Officer

12 Advantages High degree of representation High degree of sensitivity and political accountability

13 Disadvantages Overlapping policy-making and implementation, administration and politics Complicated and relatively unstable management Possible only in small towns and rural municipalities Appointing an executive officer may improve the situation

14 Examples USA: Mayor-Council and Council-Manager Europe: similar situation, but there are differences: No extremes, the Mayor in most cases shares power with the Board (magistrate) and the Council Some mayors may be appointed by the council from among the active citizens Some mayors are appointed by the external institutions, such as the monarch (Belgium, the Netherlands) Some administrators are suggested to the councils by the central civil service agencies (Ireland, Germany)

15 Distribution of various models Council-Mayor Council-Manager Commission The Netherlands Belgium Austria Italy Spain Czech Republic Slovak republic Poland Latvia USA (39.1%) Germany (some länder) USA (60.9%) Ireland Finland Germany (some Länder) USA (small towns 1.4%) United Kingdom Germany (some Länder)

16 Tendencies ( ) Council manager form becoming more popular Council mayor decreasing in popularity Overall merger of various forms (increasingly local governments hire administrative officers charging them with daily management and overall co-ordination of local government activities)

17 Functional division Clear definition of multiple objectives Clear assessment of current situation Elimination of redundant functions Elimination of overlaps Elimination of functional gaps Adjustment of the organisational structures

18 Things to remember Need to assure adequate vertical AND horizontal coordination Need to adjust the organisational structure not only to the current requirements but also to the strategic objectives Functional audit - UNDP RSC publication Rebuilding State Structures: Methods and Approaches ( Перестройка Государственных Структур: Методы и Подходы )

19 In sum Many options with various consequences, therefore the choice should be based on careful assessment of the situation Stability and continuity is a precondition of successful reform implementation