Friday, July 1, 2011

Transforming Local Government

In preparing for the discussion on the proposal to restructure MBPJ Council, I did research on the organisational structure for some local council in other countries. What strike me the most is criteria for determining the organisational size and functions. One of them is transforming to be provider rather than remained as service producer. As pace of development in the local council area is getting more speedy, complicated and challenging, Local Authority shouldering the function of providing urban services alone is no more feasible and possible. Functions of local authority providing services on their own with limited resources and aging manpower is not the way forward. For example, it is difficult for aging labourers to perform duties that requiring hard work and energy. Hence, maintaining such manpower performing these services is no more relevant and cost efficiency. Apart from that, services requiring creativity and continue investment for technological updating and maintenance or having higher turn over for staff should also be given thorough thought for out sourcing. No point of keeping these services if it is more cost effectiveness of soliciting the services from external parties. These services include project design, design and publication of material, event management, maintenance of ICT system, equipments and application and others. The role of local authorities is becoming provider of service, not the real on the job service but to monitor the service performance and quality by the appointed private suppliers. Monitoring and ensuring service quality should be the order of the day.

If this is the case, then perhaps local authorities should discard non-core essential services and aim for right sizing of the Council.

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