© 2010 Local Government Alliance for International Development
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As exemplars of good practice in public sector management and service delivery, UK councils are widely respected by local government overseas. In turn, local government practitioners overseas can provide fresh insights to UK councils. International development is a two-way street. Sharing and learning from innovative practices can bring improvement to services at home and in other countries. |
Better education. Better health and well-being. Better living standards and environment. Better jobs and businesses. The challenges to local government are the same everywhere, it’s the solutions that are different. >>Case studies
The partnership between Leeds and the city of Durban (now eThekwini Municipality) began in the late 1990s as a solidarity link following the first free elections in South Africa. The partnership is a lively one with the two cities co-operating on education, sports, culture and business projects for the benefit of both sides.
Leeds City Council and eThekwini are currently working together on a Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF) Good Practice Scheme funded by the UK's Department for International Development. Working with a third partner, Steve Tshwete Municipality in Middelburg, South Africa, the project looks at best practice and capacity development in procurement and small business support.
As well as sharing expertise on these areas Leeds has also been learning new ways of thinking from its South African partners in how to engage and interact with corporate procurement. Leeds will now hold a workshop, mirroring work undertaken in South Africa, to open up better dialogue with large local businesses and find out how a local authority can influence and improve use of supply chains for the benefit of the local economy. The working relationship between Leeds’ procurement and business support services has also been strengthened as a direct result of working closely together on this project.
Bristol's twinning association (BITA) has helped expose local schools to information about a number of countries, not only those where there are direct partnerships. Between 2007 and 2009 Bristol City Council has supported the Nicaraguan Fairtrade Producer initiatives reaching thousands of local school students across the city.
>>Self assessment
1Have you undertaken an explicit process to consider how international activities could boost your council’s objectives and service delivery?
2Are there aspects of service delivery where you believe your council is an exemplar and could be used to support international development?
3Have you considered the potential insights that you could gain from developing world counterparts that might strengthen your own council’s service delivery?
4Do you have a clear map of where businesses, schools, communities and local agencies in your area are seeking to maximise the value of international connections and what you as a council can do to facilitate it?