scholarly journals Participatory governance in Ireland: Institutional innovation and the quest for joined-up thinking

2020 ◽  
Vol 68 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-20
Author(s):  
Catherine Forde
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Local Government ◽  
Citizen Participation ◽  
Institutional Innovation ◽  
Participatory Governance ◽  
Social Partnership ◽  
Community Voice ◽  
Participatory Processes ◽  
Institutional Foundations ◽  
Recent Establishment

AbstractAt a time when governments are grappling with increasingly complex problems, state-led participatory processes that facilitate citizen and community voice in decision-making and policymaking have become more common at national, regional and local government levels. In Ireland, citizen participation in government has achieved prominence in the last thirty years with the introduction of social partnership and more recent establishment of multiple and diverse forms of participatory governance, nationally, regionally and locally. This paper offers a critique of the evolution and operation of local participatory governance in Ireland. The paper argues that to be effective, participatory governance requires strong and inclusive participatory processes at all levels of government, a clear ideological and policy basis, a coherent ‘joined-up’ programme and receptive institutional foundations.

Exploring the Uncharted Territory of Devolution in Zimbabwe

2019 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jephias Mapuva ◽  
George P Miti
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
Citizen Participation ◽  
Local Governance ◽  
Public Affairs ◽  
Participatory Governance ◽  
Enabling Environment ◽  
Efficiency And Effectiveness ◽  
Local Levels

Devolution, which was incorporated into the Constitution of Zimbabwe through section 264, is a new phenomenon in Zimbabwe. This incorporation came about because of the need for participatory governance and the devolution of power away from the centre. Over the years, local governance has been informed by a plethora of pieces of legislation that do not provide an enabling environment for citizen participation, giving Zimbabwe’s local government a chequered history that excludes citizens from participating in public affairs that affect their lives. An analysis of section 264 of the Constitution revealed that devolution has the propensity to enhance transparency, efficiency and effectiveness as well as the fulfilment of central government’s responsibilities at provincial and local levels. This article argues that the belated implementation of the devolution of power has delayed improved service delivery, effectiveness, efficiency and accountability within local governance. This article further seeks to explain how the implementation of section 264 of the Constitution can bring about good local governance.

Current Features and Developments of Local Governance in Finland

2016 ◽  
pp. 304-327
Author(s):  
Hanna Vakkala ◽  
Jaana Leinonen
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Local Government ◽  
Deliberative Democracy ◽  
Citizen Participation ◽  
Local Governance ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Process Efficiency ◽  
Structural Reforms ◽  
Local Democracy

This chapter discusses local governance renewals and the recent development of local democracy in Finland. Due to profound structural reforms, the role of municipalities is changing, which is challenging current local government processes, from management to citizen participation. Nordic local self-government is considered strong, despite of tightening state steering. Ruling reform politics and the increasing amount of service tasks do not fit the idea of active local governance with sufficient latitude for decision-making. To increase process efficiency, electronic services and governance have been developed nationally and locally, and solutions of eDemocracy have been launched to support participation. Developing participative, deliberative democracy during deep renewals creates opportunities but also requires investments, which create and increase variation between municipalities. From the point of view of local democracy, it becomes interesting how strong municipal self-governance and local governance renewals meet and how the role and status of municipalities are changing.

E-Participation in Local Government Decision Making

2010 ◽  
pp. 195-210
Author(s):  
Peter Demediuk ◽  
Rolf Solli
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Local Government ◽  
Capacity Building ◽  
Citizen Participation ◽  
Community Involvement ◽  
Modern Society ◽  
Technology Choice ◽  
Community Capacity Building ◽  
Online Technologies ◽  
Government Decision

Modern society will only reach its potential when citizens individually and collectively are able to use their knowledge and capabilities to shape their lives and communities. Citizen participation in government decision making that uses online technologies is one way of leveraging this capacity, and has been termed e-participation. Case studies of a Swedish and an Australian local government examine how e-participation fits into initiatives to increase community involvement in decision making. Interactive chat sessions between stakeholders can facilitate debate. Information portals can provide supporting information in interesting and accessible ways. E-voting can enable greater input and influence by a wider number of citizens. But ultimately the technology choice and e-participation implementation must be driven by the objectives of the engagement exercise, and these can range from better decisions to community capacity building and issues of trust and legitimacy.

Towards Building Direct Democratic Governance Through the Ward Committee System in South African Local Government

2022 ◽  
pp. 222-241
Author(s):  
Ndwakhulu Stephen Tshishonga
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Local Government ◽  
Community Participation ◽  
South African ◽  
Local Governance ◽  
Structuration Theory ◽  
Participatory Governance ◽  
Community Governance ◽  
Local Government Level ◽  
Government Level

This chapter interrogates the ward committee system as an instrument in an institutionalised local government level to advance direct participatory governance. The ward committee has a constitutional mandate upon which accountability, democratization, community governance, and inclusive participation in the municipal decision-making is enhanced. The ward committee system was legislated to create a platform for community participation and enhance accountable local governance. Structuration theory has been used to engage with elements of representativity, powers, skills, functionality, access to information, influence in decision-making, and relationship with others structures as developed by Smith and de Visser. The chapter made use of various case studies to interrogate the role, potential, and challenges of the ward committee system in forging direct participatory governance.

scholarly journals Participatory Democracy in Local Government

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 246-268
Author(s):  
Ángel H. Iglesias Alonso ◽  
Roberto L. Barbeito Iglesias
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Local Government ◽  
Citizen Participation ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Local Politics ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
City Government ◽  
Administrative Participation

In 2015, the local government of the city of Madrid (Spain) introduced an electronic participation system. This initiative stemmed mainly from the social movements that had occupied the squares of many Spanish cities since 2011. As a result of the local elections in 2015, many of those same activists gained institutional power, took citizens’ participation very seriously, and decided to use the possibilities offered by the internet for political and administrative participation. In this article, we seek to assess the impacts of the Madrid city government with the e-democracy experiment – based mainly on establishing an online platform to facilitate citizen participation in political and administrative decision processes. Drawing on qualitative and documental data, our research indicates that whereas the overall aim of the project was to give citizens a say in local policy and decision making, our case study shows that participation was very low since most of the population does not feel concerned by these processes. Indeed, one of our findings showed that citizens’ involvement offline surpassed in some cases their online participation. To identify who is politically active online and offline is a great challenge, to which the promoters of the project did not pay much attention. Although e-participation was meagre in relation to the electoral turnout, the case study also shows that many proposals from the public were incorporated into the local policies, indicating that from a qualitative point of view, e-participation influences decision-making processes. Perhaps local governments should use a more strategic and integrated approach towards the use of electronic technologies to foster and motivate citizens’ involvement in local politics and administration. This more integrated approach should be less dependent on ideological incentives, more institutionalized, and must incorporate citizens’ perceptions and inputs before the introduction of new technologies.

Context

2019 ◽  
pp. 1-24
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Public Sector ◽  
Local Government ◽  
Health Education ◽  
Local Governance ◽  
Social Processes ◽  
Social Partnership ◽  
The Public ◽  
Fire Services ◽  
Insight Into

Globalization has played a transformative role with respect to social processes filtering from the global into the realm of the local. Governance and its modalities within globalization are highlighted and crisis elements are deconstructed leading to a discussion on key crisis “moments” within Jamaica's history, which together create the context from which the Public Sector Memorandum of Understanding Agreement or “MOU” social partnership emerged. The fragility of the Jamaican macroeconomy and key catalysts that precipitated the negotiations are examined as well as insight into issues of governance driving the decision making of the partners. A synopsis of the Public Sector Memorandum of Understanding or “MOU,” namely, the principles, provisions, and areas of restraint, as well as specific measures in the areas of health, education, and fire services managed by local government, is highlighted. Social partnership emerges as a governance response to crisis.

A Model Proposal for Local Governments to Increase Citizen Involvement in the Age of Information Society and E-Government

2022 ◽  
pp. 344-362
Author(s):  
Ceray Aldemir ◽  
Eyüp Şen
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Local Government ◽  
Citizen Participation ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Citizen Involvement ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
The Third ◽  
Innovative Solutions ◽  
The World

Crowdsourcing is a form of citizen participation in which an institution has a question submits to citizens via the internet in order to get citizens to think about innovative solutions to the problem. Several municipalities around the world have already used this means, but it has not yet been clear exactly how they can use it and which preconditions play a role in this. Thus, this chapter argued the concept of citizen involvement in the age of ICT by emphasizing the two related terms e-government and e-local government, then secondly the chapter underlined the importance of the necessity of citizen participation in the policymaking process. In the third section of this chapter, it has been argued the crowdsourcing concept as a tool of participation in the age of ICT. Then finally the paper outlined a model for local governments that may use the crowdsourcing approach in the decision-making process.

Turns of Direct Democracy at the Local Level in Latvia

2022 ◽  
pp. 91-114
Author(s):  
Lilita Seimuskane ◽  
Maris Pukis
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Local Government ◽  
Citizen Participation ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Direct Democracy ◽  
Local Level ◽  
National Government ◽  
Current Level ◽  
Study Participation ◽  
The Government

The chapter provides analysis of obstacles for the introduction of direct citizen participation in the decision-making process at the local self-governments in Latvia, as well as intents of national government to widen participative democracy by formalization of consultation mechanisms. Within the scope of this study, participation is seen as an interaction form of relationship between citizens and a local government. The highest form, according to Arnstein's gradation theory of a ladder of citizen participation, refers to the participation degree called partnership, delegated power, and is described by Teorell as a citizen voice in the government. Situation and perspective of local government referendums are analysed. Consultation is implemented at the level by involving the residents in the work of local government commissions and implementing public deliberations. Administrative territorial reform, performed by 2021 elections, will decrease the number of local governments to a third of their current level.

Child Welfare Legislation in Denmark: Trends in Child Welfare over the Past Decade

1986 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 12-16
Author(s):  
Kay L. Thomas
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Child Welfare ◽  
Local Government ◽  
Citizen Participation ◽  
Parental Consent ◽  
Local Council ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Law ◽  
Made In

AbstractThis paper deals with the Danish Child Welfare Law, which was passed in 1974 as part of an integrated welfare law aiming at decentralization of decision making in local government, and maximum citizen participation.The law provides for counselling, recommendations and injunctions in connection with counselling, appointment of personal guidance officers, and taking children into care. The greater part of decision making is made in co-operation with parents. The few cases of removal of a child from the home without parental consent are conducted under the auspices of the local council welfare committee, presided over by a judge. Parents are given access and must be heard. Parents have wide rights of appeal.

scholarly journals Governance problem in Citizen Participation in the district Municipality of San Martin de Porres

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (36) ◽  
pp. 17-26
Author(s):  
Renzo González Flores ◽  
Emperatriz Dina Flores Leiva
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Local Government ◽  
Citizen Participation ◽  
Direct Relationship ◽  
Qualitative Approach ◽  
San Martín

This research explanation of governance and its problems in the participation of citizens in decision-making in the Municipality of San Martin de Porres through the rules and management and decision-making instruments which prevent it. The methodology there is a qualitative approach, system of relationships between governance and citizen participation. The results report that the management instruments prevent real citizen participation in a municipal mandate. In addition, a municipal mandate must be meticulous in making decisions in relation to the collaboration of the authorities and the civil community. In conclusion, there is no direct relationship between local government and citizen participation; this shows that there is no real governance.

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