GOLD Report I - UCLG

33suffrage. Metropolitan councillors are electedby the deliberative bodies of the submetropolitanunits; most candidates aremembers of that deliberative body, as isthe case in Cameroon. As for the distributionof powers, sub-urban units are responsiblefor local community services, andare forums for participatory democracy.Federative services of importance to theentire city are provided by the larger, centralgovernment of the city.Many African decentralization systemsclassify lower-tier local authorities accordingto their level of development or urbanization.For example, in decreasing rankof urbanization Cameroon has urban communities,urban communes under a specialscheme, urban communes and rural communes.In South Africa, classification takes theform of an alphabetical hierarchy with categoryA, B and C municipalities. Such differentiationmakes it easier to identify the mostdisadvantaged authorities and, through aprocess sometimes called equalization, tofocus on their development with specific supportpolicies.The governmental variations observed inmajor cities point up the need to define theminimum common content of over-archingAfrican decentralization policies. In fact, anAfrican local government charter thataddresses this need for more standardizationis currently being mooted. The debateis being driven in particular by the UnitedCities and Local Governments of Africa(UCLGA) and the African Conference onDecentralization and Local Development(CADDEL).III. Responsibilities, managementand financeUndeniably, there is a trend toward strengtheningthe responsibilities of local governments.However, the transfer ofresponsibility may not be accompanied bya transfer of the money or other resourcesrequired to fulfill the added duties. MostAfrican local governments continue toexperience very serious financial constraintson their resources and powers.The administrative capabilities of localgovernments are also restricted by a shortageof qualified personnel and the wherewithalto train employees properly. In part,it is this dearth of skilled officials that haslead to inefficient and ineffective localmanagement, particularly in the areas ofstrategic planning, urban development,economics and social development. Lackingqualified personnel, some local andurban governments have turned to the privatesector for help in the management oflocal affairs, public services and property.Recently, several African cities have alsosought private assistance with moderninformation and communications technology.III.1. ResponsibilitiesOne of the most important aims of decentralizationis to provide an effective, appropriateresponse to the needs of local communitiesfor public services. The density and efficiencyof public services are among the most importantindicators of the vigor of decentralization,and provide a vital source of legitimacyfor local governments. Unfortunately, suchservices seem unsatisfactory in virtually allcountries. The prerogatives of local governmentsalso vary from country to country,with two notable tendencies:• Increased responsibilities of localauthorities for local services and urbanmanagement.• More private-sector management of localpublic services by means of various formsof devolution, such as delegation, licensingand partnerships.Table 3 shows that a majority of countriesgrant many important powers to local governments.The scope of responsibility coverssocial investment –infrastructure andsocial facilities, health, education, leisure–