Local Government Achievements
The People’s Partnership government has set for itself three important goals for ensuring a vibrant local government system:
- The development of better communities
- The delivery of better quality services
- The creation of stronger councils
The quality of service delivery has always been one of concern.
While attitude and productivity shifts are important and will be the subject of continuous training, the provision of resources both human and financial as well as equipment are equally important in ensuring service delivery.
In this regard the PP Govt has been empowering the Councillors through training, through the provision of state paid offices and secretarial staff for every Councillor as well as higher travelling allowances.
In terms of money for development in addition to the monies allocated in the budget for fiscal 2012/13, through the special purpose companies a further 520 million was allocated for the development of roads, bridges, landslips and pavilions.
This meant that approximately 749 million was provided to the local govt system for development of the regions, the highest ever in the history of Local Govt.
This signifies the intent of this govt to provide resources for local govt.
As a result of this injection of finance and the use of unspent balances, the following was achieved by the Regional Corporations and the MOLG in 2012/13.
•1150 local roads were paved in the last fiscal year amounting to 237 kilometres (115 small and medium size contractors worked on this program)
•34.7 kilometres of box drains were completed
•31 pavilions were started, all of which will be completed by the end of October, with eleven already completed (thirty one contractors are working along with subcontractors on this program)
•Construction of sixty bridges started of which 30 are completed and the rest will be completed before year end (30 contractors are working on this program
•The Regional Corporations completed under their DP Program 969 projects including roads and drains
We deliver they talk!
Local govt is more than the collection of garbage and the clearing of drains.
It is about the development of the local communities and local economies.
It is about local economic development.
Through it people get a chance to participate in decisions affecting their communities and even an opportunity to work physically to build the community infrastructure.
This is being facilitated by changes and actions already initiated by MOLG in the last fiscal year.
145 litter wardens were selected trained and appointed.
Fifty ( 50) Scholarships in Public Health were awarded to 50 employees of local govt to train as Public Health Inspectors.
We have already implemented system and process changes to speed up the delivery of service and to achieve greater effectiveness at the corporations.
One of these is that the length of time taken to start projects has gone down by at least six months on the average.
In the last fiscal, year within five weeks of the passing of the budget Corporations began to receive confirmation of funds.
This is why in the last fiscal year corporations were able to complete their DP Program on time and within budget.
A real achievement for local govt under A PP Administration.