National governments formulate policy but local governments have to implement it. Local governments have the responsibility to meet the needs and interests of local people. Their mandate includes providing services such as education; dealing with social problems and managing transport infrastructure. Given their direct link to the key processes that control people’s lives, they are potentially the most important users of participatory approaches. However, local governments’ ways of working are often outdated and conservative. How can the use of participatory methods in local government be increased?
This document from the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), gives practical examples of the use of participatory methodologies in local government bodies and how participatory approaches are helping. It takes examples such as an urban development plan in Peru; and the re-training of government officials to move from authoritarian, top-down management to participatory methodologies in India. An example from Germany asks how appropriate is the use of Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) within societies with functioning local democratic institutions.
The 18 individual articles that make up the document draw attention to the practical issues that arise when local government officials encourage community participation.
- How can one ensure social inclusion? Some individuals such as self-appointed activists and local opinion leaders are more likely to put themselves forward. Particularly challenging is how to reach pastoralists.
- Participatory politics is time-consuming for all parties and costs money. An example from Edinburgh highlights the benefits of good methodology design as a way of getting a smaller, but representative sample, and keeping costs down.
- Encouraging community participation can lead to higher expectations and a demand for services and infrastructure projects that local councils do not have the budget to deliver.
- The implementation and development of participatory planning processes is one-directional and based on the values and interests of the local government.
- The use of pre-packaged participatory tools, encouraged by multilateral and bilateral agencies and national governments, is not necessarily appropriate or useful. They are not designed for example with scattered populations in mind.
The purpose of this collection of studies is to encourage an increase in the use of participatory methods in local governments by showing practical working examples. Key policy recommendations are:
- Good governance is essential. It is essential to ensure that local governments are accountable to their constituents. This is key to ensuring that they deliver their promises and keep costs down.
- Local government officers must develop the skills required to implement participatory planning processes.
- The use of off-the-shelf participatory planning processes must be replaced with bespoke products or at the very least officials must be given the skills to adapt them to individual situations.
- The North and the South could learn a lot from each other in terms of social inclusion and the empowerment of the community and its citizens, respectively.
