Democratic decentralisation through 'conventional' institutions of local government is facing increasing challenges, whether from financial pressures, questions of representativeness, difficult central-local relations and from a perhaps growing belief that local government has failed to realise its potential and there may be better ways of achieving societal goals. It is clear there is need to contemplate quite radical change to ensure local government becomes or remains 'fit for purpose'.
This collection of papers illustrates the way in which the role of local government is evolving in different parts of the Commonwealth and provides practical examples of new local government at work. It showcases emerging practice, and highlights success stories from new ways of working and challenges confronting local government in both developed and developing countries. New Century Local Government makes a very valuable contribution to helping understand the changing role of local government, and will ensure that practitioners are up-to-date with the most innovative initiatives in local government planning and administration.
Foreword
Acknowledgements Abbreviations and acronymsList of contributors1. Introduction and Overview by Peter McKinlay and Graham Sansom
PART I. DECENTRALISATION, LOCALISM AND INTERGOVERNMENT RELATIONS
2. Democratic Decentralisation in the Commonwealth Caribbean: Is There a Case for New Roles and Relationships? by Eris D Schoburgh and Bishnu Ragoonath
3. Pakistan's Devolution of Power Plan 2001: A Brief Dawn for Local Democracy? by Munawwar Alam
4. Decentralisation and Community Budgeting in England by Nigel Keohane
5. Ironic Localism and a Critical History of English 'Reform' by Mike Bennett and Kevin Orr
PART II. LOCAL GOVERNMENT FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
6. Toward a System of Municipal Finance for Twenty-first Century India by Om Prakash Mathur
7. Property Rates as an Instrument for Development: An Analysis of South African Policy, Law and Practice by Jaap de Visser
8. Municipal Partnerships for Prosperity: Empowering the Working Poor in Local Economic Development by Alison Brown
PART III. NEW APPROACHES TO GOVERNANCE
9. New Pathways to Effective Regional Governance: Canadian Reflections by Brian Walisser, Gary Paget and Michelle Dann
10. Long-term Strategic Planning in New Zealand: Will Compliance Crowd Out Performance? by Michael Reid
11. The Role of Local Authority-owned Companies: Lessons from the New Zealand Experience by Peter McKinlay
12. The Evolving Role of Mayors: An Australian Perspective by Graham Sansom
Graham Sansom is Chair of the Commonwealth Local Government Forum's Research Advisory Group and Director of the Australian Centre of Excellence for Local Government.
Peter McKinlay is Director of the Local Government Centre at AUT University, Auckland, New Zealand.