DECENTRALIZATION SUPPORT PROGRAM
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What is Technical Assistance 1

 
What is TA1 Local Government Performance Enhancement?
  Nature of TA1 Support
  Eleven Thematic Areas of TA1 Support
  Who can get TA1 Support?
  Examples of TA1 Support
 
 What is TA1 Local Government Performance Enhancement?
 

TA1 for Local Government Performance Enhancement is one of the most important components of DSP. TA1 meets the training (capacity building) and systems needs of those involved in the new local government system. Ensuring that those involved in local government understand their role and have the skills and systems to carry it out, will lead to better performance, better service delivery and, ultimately, poverty reduction.

TA 1 support has been designed for a specific purpose:
1. Nature of support
For training/capacity building and for systems design and/or installation
2. Areas of support
11 specified thematic areas
3. Eligibility for support
Specified departments and bodies at local, provincial and federal level
 
 Nature of TA1 Support
 
TA1 is specifically for two purposes: capacity building and systems.

It will not be provided for anything else. In particular, it will not be provided to meet infrastructure (e.g. office buildings), equipment (computers, printers, office supplies), salaries, or development (schools, roads, clinics, etc) costs. These costs can be met through the enhanced funding available to local governments.
 
 Eleven Thematic Areas of TA1 support
 
The 11 thematic areas in which TA1 will provide support are as follows:
1. Audit
2. Accounts
3. Communication, Strategic Monitoring and Social Audit processes
4. Balochistan medium-term policy making, resource management systems
5. Province training, capacity building and mentoring arrangements
6. Local government regulation and inter-governmental relations
7. Intergovernmental fiscal transfers and local revenue generation
8. Performance Budgeting and Service Delivery
9. Political and Institutional Arrangements and administrative restructuring for improved local government performance
10. Public access, information and internal audit/quality assurance
11. Public grievance and dispute resolution, internal administrative process and functionality of Ombudsman office
 
The table below gives a brief description of each thematic area, and examples of TA1 support:
 
THEMATIC AREA DESCRIPTION EXAMPLES OF POTENTIAL TA1 SUPPORT
Audit Audit of local government accounts is important to promote better public resource management and accountability. The LGO assigns the Auditor General responsibility to audit local government accounts - something that requires resources and training. TMA audit is a separate but eligible area.
- Training of personnel for local level auditing
- Development of auditing software
- Training councilors to carry out oversight responsibilities in Accounts Committees
Accounts Good accounting is the key to transparency and accountability, as well as to effective budgeting and planning. The responsibility for accounting at the local level is with the District Accounts Offices and Tehsil Accounts Offices. This requires suitable accounting systems and capacity building.
- Training for personnel in District Accounts Offices, Tehsil Accounts Offices, Union Administrations
- Equipping accounts offices to undertake new functions assigned after decentralization
Communication, Strategic Monitoring and Social Audit processes Communicating the devolution process to stakeholders and the public, monitoring its progress, and disseminating its results are important for its legitimacy, improvement and durability.
- Development of communications strategies to promote devolution
- Social audit at local level to assess problems and improvements in service delivery
Balochistan medium-term policy making, resource management systems Policy-making conducted on a multi-year framework promotes efficiency and monitoring. The latter requires the development of service standards and monitoring and evaluation systems. Balochistan is the only province to lack such systems.
- Development of performance standards for services
- Development of monitoring systems
- Medium-term budget planning
Province training, capacity building and mentoring arrangements Devolution has created the need for new capacities at the provincial and local level, and highlighted existing weaknesses. These are most economically addressed at the provincial level, provided there is local level input. Training should be done in partnership with public and private sector capacity providers.
- Assessment of training needs in local governments and provincial departments
- Preparation of training material
- Procurement of training methodology and expertise
- Evaluation of training programmes and use of lessons to improve designs
Local government regulation and inter-governmental relations An appropriate regulatory regime for local governments is needed to allow policy integration whilst safeguarding jurisdictional independence.
- Development of mechanisms to integrate policies in specific sectors between province departments and local governments
- Strengthening of Local Government Commissions
Intergovernmental fiscal transfers and local revenue generation More than 80% of local government funds on average will come from transfers. In order to ensure fiscal stability, timely, predictable and transparent transfers are essential. The PFCs have responsibility for this, but lack institutional strength. Mechanisms are also needed to incentivise local revenue generation and allow fiscal flexibility.
- Analysis of local revenue mobilization
- Creation of databases for fiscal conditions and service delivery· Strengthening of PFCs.
Performance Budgeting and Service Delivery Budgets can be used for information about resource spending, and also to make decisions. By adding performance data to budget results it is possible to make informed decisions about future resource allocation.
- Design and installation of multi-year budget planning and evaluation framework
- Establishment of monitoring systems to assess success in gender equalization and poverty reduction
- Promotion of scrutiny of budgets by elected leaders and by the public
Political and Institutional Arrangements and administrative restructuring for improved local government performance The local government system is new, and could require modifications in distribution of responsibilities and functions (e.g. between civil servants and elected representatives) to improve performance. Analytic review methodologies are needed to assess performance.
- Development of methodologies and survey techniques to assess local organizational performance
- Capacity building of council committees
- Promotion of citizen/community participation in local political processes
Public access, information and internal audit/quality assurance In order to promote effective public participation in governance and decision-making, information must be made available about governance processes and performance.
- Development of survey tools/software to help provide reliable, timely information at low cost
- Assistance to maximize public dissemination of performance data
- Development of internal audit units to independently assess expenditure and systems results
Public grievance and dispute resolution, internal administrative process and functionality of Ombudsman office There are few effective internal grievance procedures in government. The LGO provision for District Ombudsmen needs to be made functional, and clear, well-publicised administrative grievance and redressal procedures should be established in local government.
- Installation of systems for grievance/redressal and public response
- Implementation of provisions in Local Government Ordinance for District Ombudsman
- Public education efforts to ensure people know about grievance and Ombudsman systems
 
 Who can get TA1 Support?
 
TA1 support is targeted at specific groups. The table below shows who can access TA1 assistance at the federal, provincial and local government levels:
 
Federal Implementing Agencies Provincial Level Local Government
Ministry of Finance

Controller General of Accounts

National Reconstruction Bureau

Auditor General of Pakistan

Ministry of Women's Development		 Provincial Finance Commissions

Local Government Commissions

Other agencies and departments that can promote an enabling environment for local government

Civil society groups:
- CBOs / NGOs
- Private voluntary organizations
- Unions
- Consumer rights groups
- Forums (e.g. Press clubs)
District government departments

District councils and elected representatives

District Public Safety Commissions

Tehsil municipal administrations

Tehsil councils and elected representatives

Union administrations

Union councils and elected representatives

Citizen Community Boards
- CBOs / NGOs
- Private voluntary organizations
- Unions
- Consumer rights groups
- Forums (e.g. Press clubs)
 

TA1 deliberately places most stress on local government stakeholders because these are generally in greatest need of capacity building and systems support, and because they are crucial to the success of decentralization. The programme has a focus on the citizenry and demand side of service delivery as well.
 
 Examples of TA1 Support
 
The following examples of on-going activities will help illustrate the scope and nature of assistance that is available from TA1:
 
PROBLEM TA1 SUPPORT SOLUTION
Example 1: Local government laws
Local government departments in Punjab often do not have all the relevant provincial laws, rules, notifications, and orders. Whenever they need to refer to these, they ask the Local Government and Rural Development Department for assistance. It does not have the time to speedily deal with all requests. Development, printing and distribution of a Compendium of Local Government Laws to all local governments in Punjab.
Example 2: Budget Preparation
The TO (Finance) is responsible for preparation of the TMA budget. But most officers posted as TO (Finance) do not have the necessary skills and experience to effectively work on finance and budget matters. Training for TMOs, TO (Finance), TO (Planning) and officials in TO (Finance) offices in all aspects of budgeting. Training entails:
- Preparation of a training handbook,
- One-two week workshops for master trainers
- One week training workshops in each tehsil.
Example 3: Provincial Finance Commissions
Provincial Finance Commissions have been established in each province to regulate distribution of funds to the district governments. The PFCs are new entities and have not yet been able to fully perform their assigned function. A comprehensive assistance package to get the PFCs functioning effectively, comprising:
- Development of fiscal transfer rules and rules of business;
- Preparation of first annual report;
- Preparation of databases to support analytical work of PFCs;
- Workshops to gauge the views of stakeholders on resource allocation;
- Training of PFC staff;
- Provision of essential furniture and fixtures.
Example 4: District Council Monitoring Committees
The LGO provides for District Council Monitoring Committees to assess the performance of government departments. In many cases the Committees have not been formed. Even where they have they are not functioning effectively because of lack of guidelines and capacity, lack of basic resources, lack of support from Nazims and lack of demand for reports from citizens.
- A survey to assess why Monitoring Committees are not effective;
- Presentation of findings to Zilla Naib Nazims;
- Development of rules of business and bye laws for Committees;
- Development of an Urdu handbook 'Effective Monitoring by Zilla Monitoring Committees';
- Publicise monitoring success stories.
Example 5: Drawing and Disbursing Officers
Drawing and Disbursing Officers (DDOs) are responsible for disbursement of government funds according to the financial rules. Many DDOs are not aware of the financial rules, or of changes in these, and hence make mistakes. They lack the capacity to make demands according to actual needs, and they do not surrender surplus funds in time for re-allocation to other departments. All this leads to poor expenditure management.
- Preparation of an up-to-date DDO Handbook on the basis of the latest financial rules with references and examples;
- Training of master trainers at district level in two week-workshops;
- One-week workshops for training of DDOs.
Example 6: Social and Political Accountabilities at Local Level
Devolution was supposed to increase community participation in governance and decision-making, and thereby promote accountability. In practice, this has not been totally realized. One reason is lack of awareness of their rights among citizens, as well as lack of understanding of government functioning and how to monitor this.
- Creation of Grant Fund titled 'Enhancing Social and Political Accountabilities at the Local Level' publicized through a brochure;
- Development of a database of organizations actively working with civil society groups at the local level;
- Registered organizations apply for funding for projects to build capacity of civil society groups and enable them to participate in local governance and raising local accountability.
Example 7: NWFP Naib Nazims Forum
The NWFP Naib Nazims Forum was established in April 2003. The Forum can be an important mechanism for exchange of information, experience sharing. In order to become institutionalized the Forum needs basic resources to function, and it needs to establish its mandate, rules of business, accounting procedures, etc.
- Development of an operational manual for the Forum
- Development and implementation of a communications strategy to make the Forum effective
- Support for establishment and functioning of Forum
Example 8: Local Government Commission
Provincial Local Government Commissions have been established to regulate the functioning of local governments and develop systems and mechanisms to improve their performance. In order to carry out these functions they need secretarial and other office support, clear rules of business and guidelines, and capacity building of staff.
- Series of interactive workshops with stakeholders for inputs on LGC functioning
- Situation analysis in a number of districts and tehsils by LGC members
- Formulation of rules of business of LGC
- Formulation of institutional processes for dispute resolution
- Training of LGC members
- Assistance in Annual Report preparation
 
     
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