The role and purpose of local government

The purpose of the local government system is to provide essential public services to the local communities as per their needs and ensure community participation in the planning and decision-making process. The idea of a local government system (LGS) is adopted worldwide for the social and economic development of the local communities through a community participation approach, but it works in different structures and sustains in a different framework.  In Pakistan, South Africa, and New Zealand, the local government system has been introduced to empower the local communities and work for their well-being and development through a community engagement and participation approach. However, the local government bodies have more power and authority in New Zealand and South Africa than in Pakistan, as it is very systematic and organized. Local bodies enjoy power but are simultaneously under the control of the central government through a legal framework. LGS provides effective service delivery at the grassroots level if it is developed in a very systematic way, either regulated or managed through the constitution or the central government. Moreover, the capacity of local bodies is always a remaining issue, and the central government mostly hires private actors to combat the inability and inefficiency of the local elected officials. Lastly, the essence of local government systems all over the world lies in the “community engagement/participation”, as it cannot serve its holy purpose of local service delivery with the practice of community disengagement.