Local Authorities & Good Governance

In this Podcast we interview Sue Sanders on the importance of good governance for local authorities

In local government the idea of “governance” is different from the practice of government. It is about how a local authority relates to its stakeholders and citizens. Some local authorities although they govern are not always good at involving their citizens and those they work with in an open and transparent way.

In this Podcast we will look at what local authority governance means and also look at Enfield in north London an authority that illustrates serious deficiencies in good governance,

In some authorities governance is good but this is not universal and in some authorities governance is under strain, as funding reduces and responsibilities and exposure to commercial pressures change. There are worries about audit committees that do not provide sufficient assurance, ineffective internal audit, weak arrangements for the management of risk in local authorities’ commercial investments, and inadequate oversight and scrutiny.

So we will discuss this and also how governance means the way a local authority relates to civil society and citizens, how a strong and free local press is important and how local authorities can learn from each other through case studies of good practice

We will be interviewing Sue Sanders who has worked with several local authorities on governance and is now a consultant on good governance to local authorities.