Evaluation of Local Government Reform Programme (LGRP)

Name of Client: Prime Minister’s Office Regional Administration and Local Government.

Name of Senior Staff Involved and Functions Performed: Local Government Finance and Human Resource Specialist Dr Per Tidemand worked as part of 8 member team.

The Government of Tanzania issued a Policy Paper on Local Government Reform in 1998. An operational Local Government Reform Programme started effectively 2000 for its implementation. Four main components were identified:

• Political decentralisation – the creation of multi-functional governments at the local level

• Financial decentralisation – discretionary financial powers and central government supplying unconditional and other forms of grants

• Administrative decentralisation – making local government staff accountable to local councils

• Changed central-local relations – into a system of inter-governmental relations

The LGRP was managed under by a semi-autonomous reform unit reporting to the Permanent Secretary Prime Minister’s Office Regional Administration and Local Government and financed by a group of development partners through a basket fund.

Services Provided:

• Review of outputs and impact of LGRP activities related to local government finance reforms in particular the reforms of the intergovernmental fiscal transfer system,

• Review of outputs and impact of LGRP activities related to local government human resource reforms including capacity building activities,

• Consultations with stakeholders in selected districts, regions and at national level including the ministry responsible for public service management, the Prime Minister’s Office, selected sector ministries and development partners,

• Preparation on technical papers on local government finance and local government human resources as input to main report.