Accountability of Local Authorities
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Paul Smoke, Professor of Public Finance and Planning and Director of International Programs, at NYU University discusses the intricacies of accountability at the local level. First, outlining the 3 types of accountability: downward accountability to citizens, upward accountability to the central government, and horizontal accountability between elected council and the local authority staff. Then detailing how as decentralisation reforms progress the balance of accountability between the various actors can and do shift creating different economies of scale at the local level. In sum, while the principles of accountability are simple, the practice is very complex and varies for each local context.
Relevant documents
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2.3 - The political economy of Decentralisation: Empowering Local Governments: Autonomy and Accountability (248.53 KB) |
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Video transcript: "Accountability of Local Authorities" (30,5 KB) |