01 pip baseline study aug 2009

8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009

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Table of Contents

List of Abbreviations 1. Introduction 1

1.1 Project background 1.2 Purpose of the study 1.3 Project log frame 1.4 Scope of the study

2. Summary of findings and recommendations 5 2.1 Human Resource Development findings 2.2 Human Resource Development recommendations 2.3 Local Government findings 2.4 Local Government recommendations 2.5 Community Development findings 2.6 Community Development recommendations

3. Human Resource Development (HRD) 9 4. Local Government 21 5. Community Development 48 6. Appendices 57

Appendix 1: HRD Data Collection 59 Appendix 2: HRD Results 85 Appendix 3: Local Government data source and schedule of visits for data 91

collection Appendix 4: Local Government Data Collection Forms 97 Appendix 5: Awareness of Standing Committees and number of types of 159

Communication tools Appendix 6: Redressal System Data Collection 165 Appendix 7: Community Development Data Collection 181



List of abbreviations

ACLG Assistant Commissioner of Local GovernmentADB Asian Development Bank BMZ German Federal Ministry for Economic DevelopmentCAP Capacity Building for Implementing Authorities at Local LevelCBO Community Based Organisation CDO Community Development OfficerCIM Centre for International MigrationCIRM Centre for Information Resource ManagementCLG Commissioner of Local GovernmentDPCC District Planning Coordination CommitteeDS Divisional Secretariat, District SecretariatEPC Eastern Provincial Councils FSCT Food Security and Conflict Transformation ProjectGS Grama Seveka GTZ German Technical Cooperation HRD Human Resource development IDP Internally Displaced People LA Local Authorities MA Management Assistant MDTD Management Development Training DepartmentMC Municipal Council NECORD North East Community Restoration and Development ProjectNGO Non Government Organisation NPC Northern Provincial Council PA Programme Assistant PIDT Public Information Dissemination TrainingPIP Performance Improvement ProjectPLA Participatory Learning in Action PreSTEPS General English course (Pre Skill Through English for Public ServantsPR Public Relations PRO Public Relations Officer PS Pradeshiya Sabha R/ACLG Regional Assistant Commissioner of Local Government (see ACLG)RDO Rural Development Officer RDS Rural Development Society SLIDA Sri Lanka Institute for Development AdministrationSTEPS Skills Through English for Public ServantsTO Technical Officer UNOPS United Nations Operations UC Urban Council WRDS Women’s Rural Development SocietyWSPS Writing Skills for Public Servants



1

1 Introduction

1.1 Project background

The GTZ Performance Improvement Project (PIP) is implemented by German Technical

Cooperation (GTZ) on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and

Development (BMZ). It is a good governance ‐ conflict transformation project which

operates in the conflict affected North and East of Sri Lanka. It was set up in 2003 and is now

in its third phase. Although the project’s partner ministry is the Ministry of Nation Building

and Estate Infrastructure Development, it is implemented through the Northern and Eastern

Provincial Councils to strengthen the devolved structures of governance.

The first phase (2001 ‐ 2004) consisted of rehabilitation work in conjunction with the Asian

Development Bank (ADB) North East Community Restoration and Development Project

(NECORD). The second phase (2005 – 2008) focussed on strengthening the North East

Provincial

Council,

and

after

the

de‐merger,

the

Northern

and

Eastern

Provincial

Councils

respectively. This was done by developing capacity in human resource management,

organisational development, planning, and information management. The work was

conducted through the Chief Secretary’s Office, the Provincial Planning Secretariat, the

Management Development Training Department, and the Centre for Information Resource

Management. When the Tsunami funded Capacity Development for Implementing

Authorities at Local Level (CAP) project was set up under the same management umbrella as

PIP, the Commissioner and Assistant Commissioners of Local Government also became key

stakeholders. CAP focussed on strengthening 27 tsunami affected local authorities.

In the current phase (2009 – 2010), the project’s mandate is to build capacity for provincial

and local government, and community based organisations so that they can work together

towards

sustainable

development

in

a

participatory

and

conflict

mitigating

way.

The

project’s main stakeholders are key offices in the Northern and Eastern Provincial Councils,

local authorities, selected divisional secretariats and Women’s Rural Development Societies.

The project’s implementing partners at government level are the Management

Development Training Department, the Centre for Information Resource Management, and

the offices of the Commissioners and Assistant Commissioners of Local Government. There

are three main areas of intervention.

Human resource development For a large number of change agents in governance and development, human resource

development improves planning, management, communication, good governance and

conflict

transformation

skills.

Directed

through

over

70

departments

and

organisations

within the Northern and Eastern Provincial Councils, activities include

• developing materials and training trainers to deliver Tamil and Sinhala courses in

effective communication, management, methodology and facilitation skills, integrated

local level development planning, public information dissemination, and self access skills;

• working through British Council Sri Lanka to train over 2,000 public servants to use

English as a link language for governance and development, effective management, and

conflict transformation

• Strengthening and making sustainable provincial council training courses and institutes.



2

Local government capacity development For government agencies working at local level, local government capacity development

ensures better service provision and more participatory ways of working with the public.

Directed through 77 local authorities in the Northern and Eastern Provinces, activities

support local government reform and include

• strengthening local government advisory and standing committees;

• facilitating grievance redressal between the public and their local authorities;

• supporting local government communication with the public and the way information is

disseminated;

• implementing integrated local development planning through central and provincial

structures at local level .

Community development Through women’s groups and other community based organisations, community

development empowers the public to improve their livelihoods and make better use of

government and

non

government

services.

Directed

through

30

Women’s

Rural

Development Societies (WRDS) in Batticaloa District, activities include

• supporting livelihood development, microfinance and small scale socio‐economic

development at village level;

• providing advocacy training and proposal writing to empower women to make better use

of local authorities and donors;

• working with the Czech NGO People In Need to help WRDS and their local authorities

develop pre schools and pre school education.

1.2 Purpose of the study

The purpose of the baseline study is to provide a factual account of the current needs of

each of the three areas the project supports. From this, the project will develop an

operational plan, a monitoring and evaluation system and a marker from which impact can

be measured. Specifically, the aims of the baseline study are

• to determine how many key skills for governance and conflict transformation are being

used by project partner staff in the workplace;

• to asses the needs of local government in terms of improving council affairs,

strengthening people’s participation in local government, and making local government

more responsive to the public;

• to

determine

to

what

extent

30

WRDS

in

the

Batticaloa

District

are

able

to

draw

on

support from local authorities and local donors for their community development

projects and to assess their needs in terms of access, advocacy and ability to

communicate effectively with these development actors;

• to establish a baseline position against which to measure impact as determined by the

agreed project outcome level indicators:

- 650 staff from partner organisations who apply what they have learnt about good

governance and conflict transformation in the work place; - At least 2 local authorities who use conflict sensitive, participatory mechanisms such

as committees and redressal systems; - 10 current, small scale socio‐economic projects which incorporate WRDS plans and

proposals.



4

1.4 Scope of the study

The baseline study was comprehensive and detailed. 7 separate studies were carried out in

five districts in the Northern and Eastern Provinces – Jaffna, Vavuniya, Trincomalee,

Batticaloa and Ampara ‐ between November 2008 and March 2009. In total, the opinions

and

skills

of

1,121

public

servants

and

citizens

were

considered,

representing

146 government and civil society organisations.

Date Study Districts Number of respondents Measuring tool

Feb to May

2009

Analysis of public servants’

ability in English Language Batticaloa,

Trincomalee.

Vavuniya,

Jaffna

473 from 65

organizations in

the NPC and EPC;

senior and middle

managers, field

officers, clerical

staff etc.

English language

written test

Analysis of public servants’

skills in good governance and conflict transformation

Written

questionnaire

Mar 2009

Analysis of existence,

composition and functions of

standing and advisory committees

Ampara,

Batticaloa,

Trincomalee,

Jaffna

67 staff from 16

LAs ‐ councillors,

secretaries, middle

managers and field

officers; 95 citizens

Structured

interview

Analysis of channels of local government communication with the public

Structured

interview

Nov 2008

and

Feb/Mar

2009

Effectiveness of the grievance redressal system and analysis

of complaints Ampara,

Batticaloa,

Trincomalee

98 staff from 30

LAs – chairmen,

secretaries, PROs,

CDOs etc.

Structured

interview

Data collection

from complaints

registers

Analysis of successful resolution of complaints

57 citizens from 18

local authority

areas

Complaints

analysis; door to

door follow up

interviews

Feb/Mar

2009

Analysis of Women’s Rural Development Societies use of local authorities

Batticaloa

310 women from

30 WRDS in 32

villages and 21 LA

staff

30 + 12 structured

& in‐ depth

interviews



5

2 Summary of findings and recommendations

2.1 Human resource development: findings

• The 2009 baseline study corroborates the findings of the 2005 HRD training needs

analysis: public servants in the Northern and Eastern Provincial Councils need

training in English as a link language for management and conflict transformation,

planning, management, professional development, communication and IT skills.

• 51% of participants nominated by their department heads were women. More

women than men were nominated at junior management level (61%) but more men

than women at senior management level (34%).

• In general, there was no significant difference between what men and women said

they knew and what they could prove they knew.

• Public servant

respondents

could

provide

very

few

practical

examples

of

using

skills

for good governance, conflict transformation, spatial planning, management

communication, public information dissemination and proposal writing in the

workplace.

• Two thirds of public servants are at elementary to pre intermediate level in English.

• 81% of government servants fall into an ability range in English that can be

enhanced enough by a four week training course to improve the capacity of the

organisation they come from and the links they have with public servants who speak

another national language.

2.2 Human resource development: recommendations

• Training should continue to be delivered based on needs identified during the 2005 ‐

2008 phase of the project, placement tests conducted between 2006 and 2009, and

project partners’ expressed requirements for 2009‐2010.

• Priority to General English (Pre STEPS) and Skills Through English for Public Servants

(STEPS) courses should continue to be given and bridging courses developed to

accommodate the greatest needs in English amongst public servants.

• Training courses should be related to the development of practical skills in the work

place, and include on‐the‐ job components and follow‐up. Participants should be

certified after work place components are complete.

• Senior managers should become more aware of the skills their staff gain on training

courses and ensure staff utilise their new skills in the workplace on a regular basis.

• The pool of qualified Provincial Council trainers should be increased and quality

assured based on an agreed list of trainer competencies.

• Project partners and PIP should make a conscious effort to involve more women

senior managers and administrators in capacity development. They should support

more promotion of women to senior management level.

• The

local

government

redressal

system

training

materials

should

be

updated

and

authentic examples from the field integrated in them.



6

2.3 Local government: findings

• None of the local authorities in this study had fully implemented local government

reforms regarding committees and means of communication with the general

public.

• Most of the assessed local authorities in the Eastern Province had functioning

standing committees. Those assessed in the Northern Province only had advisory

committees.

• The number, composition and functions of the standing committees examined were

not uniform. None had the legally required five committees but most had 1 for

finance and planning.

• In general women, youth and non‐elected members were underrepresented.

Functions also varied but mainly concerned budget, building, town planning, public

utilities, health and environmental issues.

• Advisory

committees

performed

similar

functions

to

standing

committees,

helping

to develop services to do with garbage, drainage, roads, and public amenities.

• None of the advisory committees in the study effectively ‘advised’ elected

councillors even though this was one of their three roles according to the

government circular.

• Although committee meetings were held regularly, no sound data on the frequency,

quality or effectiveness of committee meetings was evident.

• Public awareness of both standing and advisory committees was poor: 10% and 13%

respectively.

• Local authorities

used

many

ways

of

communicating

with

the

general

public

but

the

majority of these were one‐way, print based and not very accessible outside the

immediate environ of the local authority. This did not encourage public

participation, especially in rural areas.

• The analysis of the public redressal system showed

- complaints fell into five main categories: environment, land, buildings, local

infrastructure and street lights

- 96% of complaints could be resolved at local level

- women were key plaintiffs in the Tamil dominated local authorities of Batticaloa

but not in the Muslim dominated local authorities of Ampara

- according

to

the

public,

approximately

66%

of

complaints

are

resolved

by

the local authority.

• Local authorities had problems with registering, analysing, acting on and recording

outcomes of public grievances. There was no collective analysis of complaints. As a

result, the redressal system was under‐utilised for needs analysis or improved

service delivery.

• The role of Public Relations Officers (PRO) and the need for public relations was not

well established in most of the local authorities in this study. There were limited

resources, skills, recognition and respect for the post. Because of this, many

complaints bypassed the PRO system.



7

2.4 Local government: recommendations

• The project’s support for local government reforms should be done through the CLG,

ACLG, Secretaries, elected councillors and civil society groups.

• A feasibility study should be carried out prior to any larger engagement in

strengthening

standing

and

advisory

committees.

This

study

should

also

form

the

basis for any decisions on whether to strengthen existing committees or support the

formation of new ones.

• Balanced appointments of committee members should be made taking into

consideration gender, age, ethnicity, transparency, non‐elected status and sector

specific criteria.

• Quality assurance of how the committees function should be provided through

effective communication training for committee members.

• The redressal system should be standardised and improved and local authorities

should use

the

new

system

to

improve

the

way

they

register,

analyse

and

follow

up

complaints. Existing PIP public relations and redressal training for local authorities

should be revised accordingly.

• Analysis of high frequency complaints in the redressal system and utilisation of the

Public Information Dissemination Training (PIDT) should lead to improved public

awareness and service delivery.

• The role of public relations officers in local authorities should be strengthened, so

that they can provide front desk services, organize public information dissemination

and run the redressal system effectively.

• Two‐way communication between the public and the local authorities should be

improved with

more

emphasis

on

face

to

face

communication

and

outreach

to

the

community through, for example, open days and mobile services.

• Models of good service delivery that benefit the poor should be duplicated.

• Advocacy from community based civil society groups as a bottom‐up means of

strengthening channels of communication between the people and their local

authorities should be encouraged.

2.5 Community development: findings

• WRDS were not aware of their local authorities’ roles and responsibilities or how

local authorities

could

help

them

with

their

community

development.

• WRDS members lacked confidence in their local authorities and the confidence to

approach them.

• Local authorities were less accessible or visited in areas where the local authority

office was not adjacent to the Divisional Secretariat’s, for example in Kiran Division.

• Front line officers from both central line and provincial government often failed to

meet their community development obligations at village level because they were

not in the field enough.

• WRDS were much more likely to visit the DS than their local authority. 92% of

respondents

had visited

their

DS

at

least

once

and

66%

visited

on

a regular

basis,



8

whereas 22% had visited their local authority at least once and 8% visited on a

regular basis.

• Citizen’s charters in their present form were neither reader friendly nor accessible to

women from the WRDS.

• WRDS did

not

use

the

PIP

supported

local

authority

system

to

redress

grievances

in

their communities. Four out of six local authorities in their area didn’t have the

redressal system and women in the other two areas didn’t use the system even

though it existed.

• WRDS had other ways of redressing grievances in their communities. Approximately

one third resolved problems through the Grama Seveka or other village leader, one

third through the president of the Rural Development Society or Women’s Rural

Development Society, and one third through the police.

• DS supported community based organisations – the Rural Development Societies

and Women’s Rural Development Societies – did not coordinate with the Provincial

Council

supported

community

based

organisations

–

the

Community

Centres.

• Rural Development Officers, who look after WRDS, and Community Development

Officers, who look after Community Centres, did not coordinate at village level.

Duplication and gaps were evident.

• WRDS did not utilise the services or amenities offered by the Community Centres.

However they would be interested in doing so in future.

2.6 Community development: recommendations

• Women from vulnerable communities should receive confidence building training

and

active

accompaniment

to

meet

officials

and

establish

a

working

relationship

with them.

• Local authorities need to learn how to promote their services more effectively and

at the same time the WRDS need to learn how to advocate for support more

effectively.

• WRDS and community centres should be encouraged to work together since they

are all from the same village.

• Local authorities should reassess the effectiveness of their Citizen’s Charters and

explore new ways of providing more accountable, accessible, effective,

participatory, face to face means of communication with the public at village level.

• More outreach could be done through using local authority sub‐offices, providing

mobile‐services, open‐days, and by sending Community Development Officers

(CDOs) on bi‐weekly visits.

• The redressal system could be set up in the four WRDS‐local authority areas that

don’t yet have it, or where there is too much dependency on the police.

• Grama Sevakas could be encouraged to refer individuals and community based

organisations with grievance needs to the local authority redressal system.

• Central line authority field officers working at village level (Rural Development,

Samurdhi and Social Services Officers) and local authority field officers (Community

Development Officers)

should

coordinate

their

roles

more.



9

3 Human resouce development (HRD)

3.1 Aim of the HRD baseline study

To determine

how

many

key

skills

for

governance

and

conflict

transformation

are

currently

being used by project partner staff in the workplace.

To establish a baseline position against which project impact can be measured in terms of:

Indicator at outcome level 650 people working at provincial and local government level apply what they have learnt

about good governance and conflict transformation in the work place Means of verification Gender sensitive survey

3.2 Background

In the 2005 – 2008 phase of the project, the Human Resource development component

focussed on strengthening the two main provincial council training service providers, the

Management Development Training Department (MDTD) and the Centre for Information

Resource management (CIRM). This involved building up training facilities, courses, materials

and in‐house trainers and using these new resources to begin to meet the needs of the

provincial councils as determined by the 2005 HRD training needs analysis. As a result, 46 in‐

house Tamil and Sinhala speaking trainers were trained and placed, nearly 800 programme

and management assistants did Induction training for Public Service, and a further 1,500

field officers, middle and senior managers from the public service successfully completed

Skills

Through

English

for

Public

Servants

at

three

levels,

courses

in

Spatial

Planning,

Self

Access Skills, Effective Communication, Management, Proposal Writing, Impact Monitoring

and Assessment, Information Management, and English language training in the UK.

The 2009 human resource development component of the project continues quite

systematically from the 2005 – 2008 phase with many of the courses and target participants

remaining the same. However, in this new phase the training programmes are to be

expanded and made more sustainable and work‐place oriented. This will involve developing

new courses for local government, increasing the pool of provincial council trainers and

finding a permanent home for Skill Through English for Public Servants programme, as

planned for the STEPS Institute, Jaffna. It will also involve ensuring direct links between the

training room and the workplace and proving that a significant number of course

participants use their new skills in good governance and conflict transformation in their jobs.

An extensive HRD training needs analysis was carried out in 2005. On going project

monitoring and evaluation since then shows that training needs remain the same. The 2009

baseline study was therefore designed as a way of collecting quantifiable data on a known

problem in order to measure progress more systematically at outcome level.

3.3 Methodology

Scope of the study

Questionnaires and English language Placement Tests were administrated to 473 public

servants from management support level (Management Assistants) to senior managers



10

(Divisional Secretaries, Assistant Secretaries, Heads of Departments) working in the Northern

and Eastern Provincial Councils and representing 65 organisations. See Appendix 1 pp.60‐66.

Respondents filled out the questionnaires at the same time as they sat for the Skills Through

English for Public Servants (STEPS) placement test.

Date Venue No. respondents 12 Feb 09 Batticaloa ACLG Office 36

24 ‐ 26 Feb 09 Jaffna Public Library; Jaffna ACLG Office 233

26 ‐27 Mar 09 Vavuniya ACLG Office 85

11‐12 May 09 Trincomalee MDTD 119

Future respondents will fill out the same questionnaire prior to other Performance

Improvement Project (PIP) courses so that the impact in different professional fields can be

measured

at

the

end

of

the

project.

Date Course No. respondents July 09 Methodology 20

July – Dec 09 Public Information Dissemination Training 50

Aug – Dec 09 Effective Communication 50

Oct – Nov 09 Integrated Local Level Development

Planning Guidelines

30

As the

indicator

at

outcome

level

requires

a gender

sensitive

survey,

it

was

important

that

data at the baseline level was also analysed in a gender sensitive way. Therefore data

collected was analysed first collectively and then disaggregated by women.

Measuring instruments

An English language placement test was administered which consisted of two parts – a

listening paper and a grammar paper. Both were multiple choice and clerically marked out of

100. Overall marks corresponded to a banding scale and participants’ ability in English was

measured according to this system, and to the GTZ PIP courses on offer.

Band 0 ‐1 Beginner; no course available

Band

2

Elementary

(Council

of

Europe

A1);

Pre

STEPS

Band 3 Pre intermediate (Council of Europe A2); STEPS

Band 4 Intermediate (Council of Europe B1); WSPS 1

Band 5 Upper Intermediate – lower advanced (Council of Europe B2); WSPS 2

Band 6 Advanced (Council of Europe C1); WSPS 2.

A questionnaire in Tamil and Sinhala was used to find out to what extent six key skill areas

for governance and conflict transformation were being used in the workplace, as shown in

the table below. These skill areas corresponded to training needs identified through

• the PIP 2005 training needs analysis

• emerging needs identified over four years of project implementation

• the requirements

of

the

Northern

and

Eastern

Provincial

Councils

as

identified

through

the PIP stakeholder planning workshops in February and March 2009.



11

Each skill area was divided into its key sub skills which form the main components of PIP

training courses:

Skill Sub skills 1 Good

Governance

transparency, accountability, dealing with corruption,

responsiveness,

public participation,

equality,

consensus,

efficiency and effectiveness

2 Conflict Transformation dealing with conflict in the home, workplace, community; armed

conflict; conflict resolution

3 Spatial planning

local level development planning, resource mapping, integrated

local level planning, compiling development profiles

4 Management and communication assertive communication, time management, effective meeting

skills, information management

5 Public information dissemination public information management

6 Writing skills text types for writing, proposal writing

The questionnaire was designed so that data could be analysed at sub skill level and then

aggregated, to get an overall picture. See Appendix 1 pp.67‐75 for the questionnaire and pp.

76‐84 for an example of a filled one. For each of the six skill areas, respondents were asked if

a) they knew about the skill and its sub skills and b) they were using the skill and its sub skills

in the

work

place.

If

they

said

‘yes’

to

b)

they

were

required

to

give

an

example

that

‘proved’

they used the skill in the workplace. Those collating the questionnaires went through a

standardisation exercise to agree on which examples from respondents would be considered

‘good’ and which ‘invalid’. Responses were considered good, and therefore counted, if they

referred to practical use of the sub skills in the workplace. Responses were considered

invalid, and therefore not counted, if they referred to personal experience without relevance

to the workplace, or showed misunderstanding of the concept in the first place.

Examples of answers classified as ‘Invalid’ Good governance: efficiency Public

assets

were

being

vandalised

by

someone

so

I advised

the

public

to

catch

the

people

who

were

responsible.

Good governance: responsiveness When the public approached our office, I told them that we couldn’t provide services for them due to

lack of fund allocation from our line ministry.

Good governance: accountability Agriculture inputs provided by the government were distributed among the farmers.

Conflict transformation: dealing with conflict in the work place During the school sports meet a lot of conflicts came up among our staff.



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Appendix

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rding to t

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Appendix 1,

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31%

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39

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etery.

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PCC) meetin

egister those

‐edited it sev

ts were wo

s, Manage

mselves for

more men

r Administr

the project

9%

91%

ministration

Officers

ints

g the

who

eral

en.

ent

ard

than

tion

.



We

wo

wit

ther

rev

is al

the

rele

(e.g

Res

are

mor

plan

Ho

the

Res

ma

bet

but

In g

kne

diss

thei

The

resp

ma

ma

imp

trai

would hav

en workin

the gender

e is a 70‐30

rses to 30 –

so a commo

rural travel i

ase women

. Administra

ondents w

s of good g

e technical

ning (36%).

ever, for all

knew and

ondents w

agement c

een knowl

only 3%

cou

eneral, ther

and what

emination,

r knowledge

se results c

ondents n

agement, p

agement i

ortant to n

ing course

i

79%

15%

Good

governance

to compar

in these jo

demograp

female to

70 at Senio

n fact

that

nvolved in t

in certain j

tion Officers

re more c

vernance (

skills of ma

subjects, t

hat they co

re weakest

mmunicati

dge and pr

ld provide

p

e was no s

they could

ore than

with practi

orroborate

eded to cl

lanning, co

good go

te that 94

n these

subj

75%

3%

Conflict

transformat

Respon

e our basel

bs to see if

ic in the wo

ale ratio at

Manageme

ewer wome

he job. But i

obs (e.g. M

) for trainin

nfident to

79%) and co

agement c

ere was a v

uld prove th

in evidencin

n and spa

of was for

ractical exa

ignificant di

prove they

wice as ma

al example

the findin

ose the ga

municatio

ernance, c

of the res

ects before.

60%

1

ion

Publi

Informa

dissemin

ents’ sta

13

ine figures

the male‐f

rkplace. Ac

Manageme

nt level. In r

n work

as

fi

t may also b

nagement

.

laim knowl

nflict transf

mmunicati

ery big disc

ey knew.

g practical

tial plannin

onflict tran

ples of

usin

ference be

knew. Ho

ny women

from the w

gs of the

p between

, report w

nflict tran

ondents st

See

Appen

56%

1%

c

tion

ation

Mana

comm

ed vs. pr

with the ac

male upta

ording to th

nt and Prog

ough terms

eld officers

e true that

and Progra

edge about

ormation (7

n (56%), w

epancy bet

nderstandi

g. Of the

sformation:

g the

skills

ween what

ever, in th

(8%) than

orkplace. Se

IP 2005 Tr

their kno

iting propo

sformation

ated they h

ix 2,

p.90.

5

3%

ement

nication

Wr

oven kno

tual propor

e for PIP c

e Eastern P

ramme Assi

then, the fi

(CDOs and

anagers ar

me Assista

the perhap

%) than th

iting skills (

een what

g of conflic

e, the big

75% said th

t work.

men and

field of p

en (3%) co

e Appendix

aining Nee

ledge and

sal writing,

contexts. I

ad not follo

%

6%

iting skills

ledge

knowledge

ion of men

urses corre

rovincial Co

stant level

ures correla

DOs) becau

e more willi

nts) than o

s more ‘gen

y were wit

51%) and s

espondents

transforma

est discrep

ey knew ab

omen said

blic inform

uld substan

2, pp. 86 – 8

s Analysis.

performanc

and inform

addition

wed any ty

36%

3%

Spatial

planning

proof

and

lates

ncil,

hich

te. It

se of

g to

hers

eral’

the

atial

said

tion,

ancy

ut it

they

tion

tiate

8.

The

e in

tion

it is

e of



Fin

Eng

The

the

corr

of a

whi

has

By i

Engl

cap

tholink

of

tran

66%leve

B

dings by

lish placement

public ser

oborated th

ll those test

h are suita

been betwe

nternational

ish that co

city of the

e tested

ha

with public

he PIP app

sformation.

of

all

publl. 36% of th

8%

3%

Public info

dissem.

Dif

nd 3 STEPS

30%

B

skill and

est results

ice in the

e findings o

d could be

le for those

en 81 and 8

standards,

ld be enh

organisatio

the

potent

servants fr

roach to u

ic

servants

test taker

7%8%

Good

governan

erences i

and 4 WSPS

13%

Pla

ub skill

ere entirel

North and

f the PIP 20

accommoda

who scored

%.

81% of gov

nced by a

n they cam

ial, through

m other pa

se English

tested

were were place

3% 3

ce

Writin

n what m

1

Band 5 WS

2%

ement t

14

consistent

East of Sr

5 baseline

te on PIP de

Bands 2 to

rnment ser

four week

from. By

English lang

rts of the co

as a tool

placed

betd in Band 2,

2%

skills

com

en and wknew

omen M

S 2st band l

with the pr

i Lanka bet

study for En

signed Engli

5 on the tes

vants teste

training cou

xtension,

uage trainin

untry. The r

or effective

ween

elem Elementary

1.52%

Mgt

unication

Sa

omen co

n

Band 0‐1

course

19%

B

vels

evious 1500

ween 2005

glish. IN the

sh courses i

t. Between

fell into a

rse enough

ore than t

g, to

establi

esults affir

managem

ntary

and

(Council of

% 1.4%

tial planning

ld prove

o

nd 2 Pre

STEPS

36%

test takers

and 2008

2009 study

the STEPS

2005 and 20

ability ran

to improve

hree quarte

h more

effe

ed the pote

nt and co

re

intermeEurope leve

1.4% 1.6%

Conflict

transformati

they

from

and

81%

suite

08 it

e in

the

rs of

ctive

ntial

flict

iate

l A1)

n



and

plac

Thr

fore

me

The

cler

and

com

com

In

Adv

See

2

4

6

qualified fo

ed in Band

ugh Englis

casts and th

t the dema

results also

ical staff we

administra

mon place

mon place

he entire

anced level,

Appendix 2,

0%

0%

0%

0%

Ban

Sr M

Band 0 ‐1

C

r the PIP G

, Pre interm

for Public

e decision t

d.

showed th

e very simil

ion officers

ent in Ba

ent in Band

ample no‐

Council of E

p.89

d 0 ‐1

S

gers Mid

Mi

manag

Offic

Cleric

Ba

Ba

ntral ten

neral Englis

ediate (Cou

Servants (

run Pre ST

at the spre

ar with the

showed m

d 3 and E

4.

one scored

urope level

Band 2

read of s

dle Mgers

dle

rs, Field

rs and

al staff

d 2

d 2

dency of p

15

h course (P

cil of Europ

STEPS) cou

PS and STE

d of scores

ost comm

ore ability,

nglish teac

higher th

2).

Band 3

cores by

Field Office

Senior Ma

Band

Band 3

distributi

rofession

e STEPS 1).

e level A2)

rse. The re

S more fre

for middle

n placemen

as was to

ers were

n Band 5

Ba

rofessio

rs Clerica

nagers

3 T

Band

on: mode

30% of the

nd qualified

sults also c

uently than

managers,

t in Band 2.

e expected

etter again

(Upper Int

d 4

l staff Te

eachers

Band 4

4

scores b

test takers

for the PIP

orroborated

other cours

ield officers

Senior man

, with the

with the

rmediate‐L

Band 5

achers

Band 5

ere

Skills

PIP

es to

and

gers

ost

ost

wer



16

Good governance

79% stated that they knew about good governance. However, only 15% could prove they

used it in the work place. No significant gender difference was found.

Respondents’ working knowledge, overall,

was

better

about

dealing

with

the

public

(responsiveness, equality, and public

participation) than it was about dealing

with internal matters (efficiency,

effectiveness and dealing with corruption).

Good governance Men Women

% that said they knew

about it

39.5 % 39.5%

% that could prove it

with a good

example

8% 7%

Conflict transformation

75% stated that they

knew about conflict

transformation. How‐

ever, only 3% could prove

they used it in the work

place. The difference

here between stated

knowledge and proof was the largest in the whole survey. No significant gender difference

was found.

In all areas (from dealing with conflict

at home to dealing with armed

conflict) respondents were unable to

substantiate their knowledge with

good examples of using skills for

conflict transformation. Even if

respondents

had

valid

strategies

for dealing with armed conflict it would

have been unlikely for them to have

written them down in the

questionnaire, given the present situation in Sri Lanka. However, one third of the

respondents (156) gave invalid examples with specific reference to dealing with conflict in

the home, community and workplace.

Public information management

60 % stated that they knew about public information dissemination. However, only 11 %

could prove

they

used

it

in

the

work

place.

Unlike

other

sub

skills,

more

women

than

men

Skills % who prove itPublic participation 29%

Equality 23%

Responsiveness 22%

Transparency 15%

Consensus 14%

Accountability 12%

Efficiency 9%

Dealing with corruption 6%

Effectiveness 4%

Conflict transformation Men Women

% that said they knew about it 37% 38%

% that could prove it with a good

example

1.6% 1.4%

Skills % who proved itConflict in the work place 5%

Conflict in the community 4%

Conflict in

the

home 3%

Armed conflict 1%



17

said they knew about public information dissemination and more than twice as many

women as men could give practical examples from the work place.

The 8% of good examples

given by women came from

women in a wide range of

jobs,

the

biggest

group

being

Programme Assistants (31%)

followed by administrators –

Management Assistants (19%)

Senior Managers (17%), Teachers (17%), and Community Development/Front Line officers

(17%). This showed that the difference was more a gender than a job related tendency.

Management communication

56% stated that they knew about management communication. However, only 3% could

prove they used it in the

work

place.

No

significant gender

difference was found. A

few more women than

men said they knew

about management communication but the same number could prove it.

Most respondents said they knew about

time management (84%) whereas they were

not so confident about information

management (59%), assertive

communication (41%), and effective meeting

skills (39%). However, as for conflict

transformation and spatial planning, only 2 –

5 % could “prove” practical tools or skills for

effective management and communication

in the work place.

Writing skills

51% stated that they knew about writing skills. However, only 6% could prove they used

them in the work

place.

Slightly

more women than men

said they knew

about writing skills

but in terms of good

examples, both men and women didn’t have a lot of proof.

Respondents showed more awareness and skills in proposal writing than in text types. This

may have been because respondents were

more familiar with proposal writing

courses offered through NECORD, CIRM,

and SLIDA. ‘Text types’ is not such a

familiar approach

in

Sri

Lanka.

Public Information management Men Women


% that could prove it with a good

example

3% 8%

Management and communication Men Women


% that could prove it with a good example 2% 2%

Skills % who proved itTime management 5%

Information

management

5%

Effective meeting skills 2%

Assertive

communication

2%

Writing skills Men Women


% that could prove it with a good example 3% 3%

Skills % who proved itProposal writing 9%

Text types

for

writing

4%



18

Spatial planning

36% ‐ approximately only one third of respondents ‐ claimed to know about spatial planning,

and this was the skill that scored the lowest on the questionnaire, in terms of both

knowledge and

proof. Of those few

who

said

they

knew

about spatial

planning only 3%

could give an

example of applying spatial planning

skills in the workplace. This finding

correlates to earlier findings by CIM

experts working in the Provincial

Planning Secretariat. Slightly more

men than women said they knew

about spatial planning but slightly

fewer

of

them

could

prove

it.

Respondents were slightly better at

the needs analysis side of

development planning (provincial council planners may have had more experience in

preparing a development profile or doing resource mapping) but respondents were less

good at evidencing implementation skills for spatial or integrated local development

planning.

3.5 Recommendations

• Training should continue to be delivered based on the main needs identified in the 2005

training

needs

analysis,

the

2006

CAP

organisational

analysis

for

local

government,

needs arising from other PIP project activities 2005 ‐ 2008 and requirements from

stakeholders expressed in planning meetings in 2009. These needs include

- using English as a link language and tool for management, conflict transformation,

critical thinking and learning about governance and development;

- improving communication skills in all three languages (English, Sinhala and Tamil)

including writing better letters, minutes, and proposals and conducting better meetings;

- encouraging on‐going professional development by increasing self access skills and the

pool of qualified trainers and resource persons;

- making government organisations more effective and efficient and more responsive to

the public;

- finding

ways

of

running

longer,

more

intensive

courses

in

order

to

change

they

way

people do things, without depleting departments of their key staff too often.

• The approach of relating all ‘general’ training courses ‐ like STEPS, effective

communication, information management and self access skills training ‐ to practical

skills for the work place should continue.

• Senior managers should be more actively involved in making their staff apply their

newly gained skills in the work place. They should become more familiar with the

content of the training courses on offer through MDTD, CIRM and PIP, and find ways of

incorporating the best practices promoted through those courses in the workplace on a

daily basis.

Spatial planning Men Women


% that could prove it with a good example 1.4% 1.5%

Skills % who proved itPreparing development profile 5%

Resource mapping 3%

Integrated local development

planning

3%

Spatial local level development 2%



19

• PIP should increase awareness amongst secretaries and heads of departments of how

the courses on offer are of benefit to the work place. This could be done through PIP

preparing

- more regular reports and presentations for provincial council meetings

- short articles for EPC and NPC newsletters and websites

- short

‘taster’

courses

and

awareness

raising

sessions

for

secretaries

and

heads

of departments.

• New courses on guidelines for integrated local development planning, public

information dissemination, redressal system, and methodology should contain a

practical component which obliges participants to apply their new skills in the work

place. Courses should be designed so that recognition, funds or eligibility to continue to

the next level, depend on implementing a project or activity using the skills gained from

the training course. Certification should only be granted after participants have ‘proved’

they have utilised the new skills at work, measured against agreed criteria.

• The

pool

of

qualified

Provincial

Council

trainers

should

be

increased

and

quality assured, based on an agreed list of trainer competencies, in order for more training

courses to be run with follow‐up visits in the workplace.

• PIP should update local government training courses and materials in the light of the

PIP/CAP experience and changing frame conditions, to make them even more work

oriented. Changes should be made to

- spatial planning, to include the Kinniya experience and incorporate the integrated local

level development planning guidelines

- redressal system training, to standardise the approach, include lessons learnt since the

initial training, and add some more practical examples/case studies to make the

materials more

relevant

and

specific.

(See

recommendations,

Redressal

System,

p.

46,

bullet point 3.)

• PIP should continue providing the highest number of places for Pre STEPS and STEPS

courses to accommodate the 66% of all public servants who are placed in these bands.

However, because these numbers are so large and the placement test is a fairly crude

measuring instrument, the 66% represents a wide range of ability. To accommodate this

range, the STEPS suite should be expanded to bridge the gaps between Pre STEPS and

STEPS and between STEPS and WSPS so that more staff get a chance to continue at the

right level.

• Once WSPS

1 (letters,

emails

and

minutes)

is

developed

and

understood

as

catering

to

different needs than WSPS 2 (concept papers, reports and proposals), the two writing

courses should be used to target specific needs related to specific posts. For example,

more senior managers should follow WSPS 2 while those with greater administration

needs (Management Assistants, Chief Management Assistants and Administration

Officers) should follow WSPS 1.

• PIP and its project partners should work together to ensure equal participation by

women including at the higher management and administration levels. This should be

done as part of a longer term initiative to promote more women to senior management

level and even out the 60/40 junior management – 30/70 senior management female to

male ratio.

For

example

targets

for

women

in

senior

management

could

be

set

for

40%



20

by 2015 and 50% by 2020. The Performance Improvement Project should contribute to

this process by

- collecting real data on the female‐male staff ratios in both Provincial Councils,

disaggregated by job title

- conducting a special placement test for women in senior management and

administration so

that

more

places

can

be

provided

for

them

on

courses

- considering school principals as a rich source of women in senior management

positions, encouraging more of them to attend training courses like STEPS, and through

them establishing more positive role models and longer term professional development

patterns for girls and women

- comparing the number of women on residential and non residential courses and seeing

if there is a correlation between women with family responsibilities being more likely to

attend non residential courses at district level, and if so, providing more of these

courses (e.g. in Batticaloa, Vavuniya and Jaffna).

• PIP should continue to offer a choice of course dates to maintain the good will of senior

management and

at

the

same

time

maximize

the

release

of

staff.

3.6 From baseline to impact study

The findings in this report provide the baseline for the Performance Improvement Project to

measure progress and impact of its human resource development interventions. However,

of all the project indicators, data proving that ‘650 people working at provincial and local

government level apply what they have learnt about good governance and conflict

transformation in the work place’ will be the most subjective. A ‘time and motion’ study or

other work‐based observation tool might quantify specific use of specific skills in the

workplace, but so much of what is taught about governance and conflict transformation

through the

PIP

HRD

component

is

integrated

skills

and

not

observable

at

regular

intervals

in

the workplace. Therefore the impact assessment measuring tool, described in the project

document as a ‘gender sensitive survey’, must somehow ‘test’ practical application of skills

at work. It would need to be:

• compatible with the baseline instrument so that impact can be measured in a

transparent way

• designed as a quantifiable pen and paper questionnaire to accommodate the large

sample (650 positive examples might require up to 1000 respondents) perhaps with a

series of short case studies or scenarios with multiple choice questions that would

verify application of skills in the workplace

• non‐confrontational in test taking terms, in order to get the best out of the respondents

• designed with several alternative sections to accommodate the different skills taught by

the different courses in the HRD programme (public information dissemination,

effective communication, written correspondence, training methodology, dealing with

conflict at work…)

• conducted several months after course participants have completed the training course

and returned to the workplace, to give them time to put newly acquired skills into

practice

• conducted in several stages in the middle two quarters of 2010 to accommodate the

size of the sample

• corroborated by focus group interviews to measure participants’ and Senior Managers’

perception of

how

much

they

have

learnt

is

applied

in

the

workplace

• disaggregated by men and women, and by junior and senior managers.



21

4 Local government

4.1 Aim of the local government baseline study

To asses

the

needs

of

local

government

and

determine

project

interventions

with

regard

to:

• improving council affairs through the establishment of standing committees, (local

government reform circular no. 2)

• strengthening people’s participation in local government through advisory

committees, (local government reform circular no. 10)

• making local government more responsive to the public they serve by improving

communication mechanisms and grievance redressal systems (local government

reform circular no. 10).


Indicator at

outcome

level

Conflict sensitive, participatory mechanisms (committees, redressal systems) are established

and used in at least two local authorities Means of verification Minutes, publications and agreements

4.2 Background

From August 2005 to October 2008 the Performance Improvement Project’s sister project,

Capacity Building for Implementing Authorities at local level (CAP), strengthened 28 tsunami

affected

local

authorities

primarily

in

the

Eastern

Province.

During

that

time,

CAP

built

capacity in local government through

• organisational development: training in organisational analysis and the development of

organisational change plans

• responsiveness to the public: grievance redressal systems in 20 of the 28 local authorities

• better coordination with the central line authorities: integrated local level development

planning in Kinniya ‐ the first time in Sri Lanka that a Divisional Secretariat, an Urban

Council and a Pradeshiya Sabha had worked together on an integrated four year plan and

budget.

The importance of local authorities for the development of the country as a whole was

underlined by

the

Government’s

1999

Local

Government

Reforms

circular

No.

4 and

in

the

National Policy Declaration for Local Government (2007). The Citizens' Charter, adopted in

2008, emphasises public participation as a crucial prerequisite for sustainable, democratic

development.

In 2009 the local government component of PIP was extended to support the

implementation of local government reforms in the Northern and Eastern Provinces, to

enable greater public participation in local authorities through standing and advisory

committees, improved communication and redressal systems. Work in these areas builds on

what had already been achieved through CAP in 2005 – 2008 (see above). Specifically PIP will

work towards making local government more responsive to the needs of the communities

they

serve

through

piloting

models

of

workable,

participatory

standing

and

advisory

committees, an improved and standardised public redressal system, public relations officer



22

(PRO) front desk training, information dissemination training, capacity development for

service delivery, and integrated local level development planning.

4.3 Methodology

Scope of the study

Committees and communication mechanisms For gathering baseline data on local government standing and advisory committees and

mechanisms of communication, 15 local authorities were assessed.

Date District No. LAs No respondents

Mar 2009

Ampara 3 4 LA staff and 9 citizens

Batticaloa 3 6 LA staff and 11 citizens

Trincomalee 3 9 LA staff and 15 citizens

Jaffna 7 48 LA staff and 60 citizens

See Appendix 3, p.92 for further details.

Local authorities were selected to include

• all types of local authorities ‐ Pradeshiya Sabha (PS), Urban Council (UC) and

Municipal Council (MC)

• a mixture of elected and non elected councils

• the districts where PIP could work (local authorities in Vavuniya, Kilinochchi,

Mullaitvu and Mannar were not included due to their conflict related inaccessibility)

• those previously

assisted

by

the

GTZ

supported

CAP

project

• a range of government and civil society respondents.

Redressal system For gathering baseline data on the redressal system, staff from 32 local authorities were

interviewed and their redressal systems assessed: 25 local authorities in the East and 7 in

Jaffna. 20 of these Eastern Province local authorities had already set up redressal systems

with the support of the CAP project before the end of 2008 (see 4.2 above.) For this study,

five other local authorities in the Eastern Province (Manmunai West PS and Poratheevu PS in

Batticaloa District, Ampara UC in Ampara District, and Kuchchaveli PS and Trincomalee UC in

Trincomalee District) and the 7 local authorities in Jaffna who had not had the same support

were

also

assessed,

with

a

view

to

setting

up

the

system

systematically

for

them

in

the

future.

In addition 52 citizen plaintiffs from 18 local authorities were interviewed whose grievances

had purportedly been redressed successfully.

Date District No. LAs No respondents Conducted by Nov 2008

Batticaloa 6 12 LA staff, 23 plaintiffs PIP and respective R/ACLG

staff Trincomalee 4 7 LA staff, 10 plaintiffs

Feb‐ Mar

2009

Ampara

8 + 1

new

9

LA

staff,

24

plaintiffs

PIN and respective R/ACLG

staff



23

Date District No. LAs No respondents Conducted by Feb‐ Mar 2009 Batticaloa 2 + 2 new 16 staff, no plaintiffs

Mar 2009

Trincomalee 2 new 6 LA staff, no plaintiffs

PIP

Jaffna 7 48 LA staff, 60 citizens

See Appendix 6, p.171 for details.

Measuring instruments

Local government committees and communication mechanisms In the Eastern Province, five structured interviews were used and answers recorded in the

format included in Appendix 4, pp.97 ‐ 104. These consisted of

• Three

questionnaires

for

local

authority

secretaries

and

chairmen,

on

standing committees, advisory committees and communication mechanisms respectively

• Two questionnaires for the public (community leaders, community based

organisation representatives, teachers, and religious leaders), one combining

standing and advisory committees and one on communication mechanisms.

In the Northern Province (Jaffna) information was gathered through open interviews with

the administrative heads of the selected local authorities and with members of their

respective advisory committees, community based organisations and citizens. In both the

Northern and Eastern Province studies, citizens were interviewed to corroborate local

authority claims about reform implementation.

Questions

for

both

the

structured

and

more

open

interviews

covered

the

following

topics:

• the existence, type, composition and performance of committees

• public and public service awareness and opinion of committees

• the existence, type and purpose of communication mechanisms

• the form and kind of information transmitted by local authorities

• public awareness of information transmitted and effectiveness of the mechanisms.

Redressal system In the 20 assessed local authorities, information was collected and cross referenced in the

following ways:

• A questionnaire

was

used

to

collect

information

on

how

the

complaint

system

was

set up and functioned.

• Joint interviews were conducted with the PRO and the Secretary.

• The complaints ledger and a selection of complaint letters were examined.

• A limited number of follow‐up visits with plaintiffs were conducted, where the local

authority had entered the case as ‘successfully resolved', in order to corroborate if

this was in fact true.

In 12 local authorities in Jaffna, Batticaloa, Ampara and Trincomalee Districts, information

was collected by using more open interviews with local authority representatives and

citizens as respondents. In addition, accompanied by the Secretary and the Public Relations

Officer (PRO), a physical inspection was carried out to verify the existence of complaint

boxes, information counters and complaint registers. See Appendix 3, p.96 for details.



4.

St

The

The

no.

Nu

Noncom

ass

stan

Mu

con

See

Findi

nding co

role of theconcept

of

2

• The co

• Every L

addition

• Subjects

come u

• All matt

• Inclusio

the com

• The co

particip

• In view

operate

Ministry

ber of stae of

the

as

mittees, as

ssed local a

ding commi

icipal Coun

orming to t

Appendix 5,

3

2

gs

mittees

standing standing

co

mittee syst

cal Authori

a minimum

of commit

der one co

ers presente

of citizens

mittees sho

pulsory in

tion in loca

of the abo

d in all types

of Local Gov

ontained in t

nding comsessed

loca

outlined in

thorities in

ttees and a

cils of Battic

e governm

p.161.

3 3

2 2

umber o

ommittee

mmittees is

m should b

ty should h

of four oth

ees should

mittee.

d to the cou

in the area,

ld be made

lusion of c

l governmen

ve consider

of Local Au

rnment and

he Local Gov

ittees l authoritie

the local go

the Eastern

other three

aloa and Ka

nt circular,

2

3

f LA stan

Actual

24

specified b

made com

ve one co

r committe

be grouped

ncil should b

and represe

compulsory

tizens in t

t affairs.

ations the

horities.

rovincial Co

rnment Refo

had

estab

ernment re

Province, fi

had two fu

lmunai, wit

had only thr

3

0

2

5

ing com

Required

y the

Local

ulsory in all

mittee for

s.

providing f

e channelle

ntatives of

.

ese commi

committee

ncil, Local G

rm Circular 1

lished all

o

form circula

e local auth

nctioning st

the highes

ee standing

23

32

ittees

Governmen

Local Autho

inance and

r closely re

through th

outh and w

tees will f

ystem sho

vernment Re

to13 dated 2

the

requir

r quoted ab

orities had

nding com

need for,

committees

2

3

t reform

cir

rities,

planning a

lated subjec

e committe

omen sectio

cilitate peo

ld be unifo

form Circular

3 Apr 07, Col

ed five

sta

ove. Out of

hree functi

ittees. Eve

nd likelihoo

.

cular

d in

ts to

s.

ns in

ple’s

rmly

No.2

mbo

ding nine

ning

the

d of,



Onl

ther

wer

Fina

nin

Ord

The

by t

eac

The

of 2

two

com

com

thei

One

the

eve

elected loc

e were no s

e functionin

nce and Pla

assessed l

inance and

second mos

he Health a

of the follo

public were

1 committe

. These wer

mittee and

mittee. Sec

r standing c

of the aim

work of

the

aware th

8

Finance and

planning

90

Secretaries/C

al councils

tanding com

g as elected

nning com

cal authorit

he Local

Go

t common

nd Sanitatio

wing: Housi

not aware

es in nine l

In Ampara

in Vavunat

etaries, cha

mmittees.

of the bas

standing co

y existed.

6

Environme

protectio

T

%

ommissioner

Awar

ave standin

mittees in t

councils.

ittees wer

ies had the

vernment R

ere the Env

n committe

ng and Deve

f the existe

cal authori

UC, where t

hevu PS wh

irmen and

ee Appendi

eline study

mmittees in

Of the 10

4

tal

n

Health

sanitat

pes of st

Chair

nes of st

25

g committe

e Northern

found to b

. This was

eform Circu

ironment Pr

es (4 found

lopment, Pl

ce of most

ies, the pu

he public w

ere they w

ayors, on t

x 5, p.160.

as to find

their area.

who said

and

ion

Housi

devel

anding c

86%

en/Mayors

anding c

s. At the ti

Province as

e the most

probably be

lar 2 explici

otection co

). The other

nning and

local author

lic were a

re aware o

ere aware

he other ha

out how sat

However, 9

they knew

1

ng and

pment

P

mmittee

mmittee

e of condu

none of the

prevalent ‐

cause the

ly required

mittees (6

committee

ublic Utiliti

ity standing

are of the

the Enviro

f the Finan

d were ver

isfied the ci

0% of

respo

something

1

lanning p

10%

The Public

cting the su

local autho

eight out o

unicipal Co

there to

be

found), foll

s comprised

s.

committees

xistence of

ment Prote

ce and Pla

y much awa

tizens were

ndents wer

about sta

1

ublic utilities

rvey,

rities

the

uncil

one.

wed

one

. Out

only

ction

ning

re of

with

not

ding



com

coul

Co

The

ran15

Rep

me

me

of 1

You

me

any

sign

PS s

mittees, no

d be of use

position o21 standin

ed from

4 t

embers). T

resentation

bers) were

bers at all.

2 members

ng people

bers (22%)

ne under t

ificant prop

tanding com

12

3

B a t t i c a l o a M C

Ba

Y

13

2


Wo

ne of them

to the publi

f standing committee

o 15

memb

e average

of women

women. In

The only lo

ere wome

ere better

under 35. H

he age of 3

rtion of yo

mittees.

9

15

0

K a t t a n k u d i U C

tticaloa

oung peo

19

1

0


en on st

could desc

.

committee

s assessed

rs in

size

(T

as 6.

n standing

5 out of 8

al authority

.

represented

owever, thi

while 10 o

nger memb

20

V a v u n a t h e v u P S

A m p a r a U C

ple on st

7

0

V a v u n a t h e v u P S

anding c

26

ribe how t

s omprised o

rincomalee

committees

local autho

with a gend

on the co

was not un

ut of 12 m

ers was also

20

0

3

K a l m u n a i M C

Ampara

nding co

23

5

m p a r a

K a l m u n a i M C

mmittee

e committ

f 130 comm

C Finance

was very li

rities there

er balance

mittees wi

iform. Two l

mbers at A

identified i

53

S e r u v i l a P S

mitteeso

8

0 0

S e r u v i l a P S

es function

ittee memb

nd Plannin

ited. Only

were no fe

as Ampara

h 29 out o

ocal authori

mpara UC

Kuchchave

108

K u c h c h a v e l i P S

Trincomalee

ver 35 un

18

0

K u c h c h a v e l i P S

Men

ed or how

ers. Commi

Committee

% (9 out o

male comm

UC, where

130 comm

ties did not

ere under

li PS and Ser

18

2

T r i n c o m a l e e U C

der 35

18

2


women

they

tees

had

130

ittee

out

ittee

have

5. A

uvila



In t

the

littl

stan

wer

Vav

Onl

Of i

Fun

No

fun

In a

vari

citiz

Sta

Acc

met

20

e assessed

public. 55%

standardis

ding commi

e more pub

unathevu PS

Ampara U

s 12 memb

ctions of tstatutory r

tions can b

• Finance

prepara

• Environ

environ

• Plannin

• Health

diarrho• Public u

public u

ddition to t

ous technic

en charter c

ding comrding to th

regularly. 2

said at lea

15

0


Ba

sample, 58

belonged to

tion. Two l

ttees (Batti

lic member

, in

Ampara

had a goo

rs, 5 were

e standingesponsibiliti

summarise

committee

tion.

ent prote

ental prot

committee

nd sanitati

a. tility comm

tilities.

he standing

l or sub co

ommittees,

ittee mee

e responde

0% said the

t once in tw

5 5

14


tticaloa

on coun

c

ut of 130 st

the provinc

cal authori

caloa MC a

s in the co

UC and

in

K

balance of

omen, 10

committe

es were fo

d as follows.

recommen

tion comm

ction.

s prepared

n committ

ittees were

committee

mmittees w

library com

tings ts most of

y met weekl

o months.

2

10

V a v u n a t h e v u P

S

cil memb

ouncil memb

27

anding com

ial councils.

ies did not

d Seruvila

mittees th

chchaveli P

women, yo

ere under 3

s und for th

ded and ap

ittees inspe

hort, mid a

es raised p

responsible

s there wer

hich includ

ittees, spo

the commit

y, 75 % said

18

10

K a l m u n a i M C

Ampara

rs on sta

er non‐

ittee mem

However, i

ave any m

PS) while in

an council

S).

ng people

5 and 10 we

standing

roved finan

cted buildi

d long term

blic aware

for mainte

e advisory

d tender b

ts clubs, an

ees met ve

they met a

85

0

S e r u v i l a P

S

nding co

ouncil memb

bers (45%)

this catego

mbers of th

four local

embers (K

nd general

re non coun

committees

cial transac

gs and fac

developme

ess on den

ance of m

ommittees

ards, techn

purchasin

ry frequentl

t least once

6

12

K u c h c h a v e l i P

S

Trincoamal

mittees

er

ere membe

ry too there

e public on

uthorities t

attankudi U

public mem

cil member

, but their

ions and bu

tories to e

nt plans.

ue, malaria

rkets and

(see below)

ical commit

committee

y. 95% said

in a month,

13

7


ee

rs of

was

their

here

C, in

bers.

.

real

dget

sure

and

ther

and

tees,

.

they

and



Ho

min

me

wer

Ad

The

‘An

con

in t

bet

per

Mini

cont

Bas

the

com

sho

Ad

In t

com

majof a

ever, it wa

utes or oth

tings were

e not being

isory co

role of theadvisory co

isting of se

e area, who

een the Lo

orm the foll

• Assist l

taking i

• Functio

the exch

• Assist a

stry of Local

ained in

the

d on this d

general ma

mittees sh

ld be non‐ p

isory comhe Eastern

mittee as d

ority of

loca

dvisory com

ever

s not possi

er records.

less frequen

ept.

mittees

advisory cmittee on

ior citizens,

could contr

al Authorit

wing functi

cal authori

to account

as a comm

ange of info

d advise th

overnment

ocal Govern

efinition, th

date to dea

uld compri

olitical.

ittees in tProvince,

fined by Lo

l authority

o

mittees as

y 2 months:

20%

Frequen

le to verif

Therefore

t and that i

ommittees

community

subject spe

ibute to Loc

and the pe

ons.

ty in decidi

the needs of

unication ch

rmation an

councillors

nd Provincia

ent Reform

ere should

l with ‘com

e of only c

he Eastern one of th

cal Govern

fficers and

tipulated b

other: 5

cy of sta

28

the accura

it can be i

most case

affairs shou

ialists, war

l Governm

ople. The co

g develop

the people.

annel betw

ideas.

in the disch

l Council, Loc

ircular 1 to1

e one advi

unity affai

itizens who

Province assessed

ent Circula

lected me

the circula

onthly: 50%

%

ding com

cy of this i

ferred tha

s accurate

d be appoin

members

nt. This co

mmittee sh

ent policies

en the Loca

rge of their

l Governme

3 dated

23

A

sory commi

s’. Unlike st

are not m

nine local

10. The as

bers were

. However,

weekl

mittee m

formation

in some

inutes and

ted in every

nd other co

mittee sho

uld be non

and distri

l Authority

responsibili

t Reform Cir

r 07,

Colomb

tee per loc

anding com

mbers of t

uthorities

essment als

ot familiar

13 citizen’s

y: 20%

bi‐wee

eetings

from comm

ases comm

meeting re

Local Auth

mpetent pe

ld serve as

political an

uting resou

nd the peo

ties.’

ular No.10

o

al authority

ittees, adv

he council;

ad an adv

o found tha

ith the

con

committees

kly: 5%

ittee

ittee

ords

rity,

sons

link

will

rces,

le in

with

isory

they

isory

t the

cept

that



29

specialized in particular subjects had been established in seven local authorities. With the

exception of Karathevu PS, each local authority had one or two of these citizen’s committees

and Batticaloa MC had four.

Local Authority Committee Functions of the committee

Amparai UC

Solid waste management

committee

Raises awareness on solid

waste management at

village level

Vavunathevu PS

Planning Committee

Identifies community needs

and implements village

development plans

Rural Development

Committee

Acts in place of an RDS

Kattankudi UC

Federation

of

mosques

Provides advice to the PS

regarding development

activities

Karathevu PS no advisory committees

Kalmunai MC Working Group

Provides advice to the MC

for village level

development

Batticaloa MC

Community Service Fund

Repairs damaged roads and

drainage systems

Development Committee

Provides advice

on

town

development

Library Committee

Provides advice for library

development

Environment Protection

Committee

Provides advice to protect

environment

Trincomalee UC

Community Service fund

Repairs damaged roads and

drainage systems

Health Committee

Informs the public about

health related issues

Seruvila PS

Jana Sabha

Addresses development

related issues

Community Development

Committee

Addresses water related

issues to the PS



11

gov

wer

Co

Non

cou

disc

In p

spe

wit

pro

soci

con

bet

poo

tha

con

stan

syst

Ad

In

tfun

Cou

Co

inte

Ho

loca

loca

full

sect

abs

autcom

f the 13 ass

rnment ref

e the Vav

munity Ser

e of the adv

cillors and

harge of the

rincipal, inf

ial needs o

advice, su

ide a platfo

ety can be i

ect people

een comm

r. Public Ser

the

public.

lict resoluti

ding commi

em is strea

isory come

Northerntioning adv

ncil did n

missioner,

rference wa

ever, the c

l authoritie

l authorities

discretion in

ions of soci

nce of wo

orities only

mittee me

9

Public serva

Aw

essed advis

orm circular

nathevu P

ice Fund.

isory comm

a means

o

ir responsib

rmal citize

the public

port and p

rm for advo

ntegrated i

of differen

unities. Unf

vice Officer

See

Append

on in the c

ttees, advis

lined there

ittees in t

Province,

sisory comm

t have a

embers of

s delaying it

mposition

the memb

on two me

nominating

ety, particu

en on the

2 were

wo

bers.)

ts Cha

reness oCommitt

ry committ

10 (see the

S Rural De

ittees really

transparen

ilities’.

’s committ

to local gov

ublic contr

cacy for diff

the work

t ethnic, rel

ortunately

and Chair

ix

5,

p.162.

ommunity.

ry committ

is a danger

he Northerix

out

of

seittees as de

advisory

the advisor

s establishm

f committe

ers were no

mbers per

the membe

larly wome

Jaffna advi

men. (Chav

9

irmen

f Advisor

es, EP

30

es fulfilled

Role of the

velopment

fulfilled the

cy, ‘assist[i

es and ass

rnment an

l. They link

rent social

f the local

igious, and

ublic awar

en were th

At the sam

ees and info

f duplicatio

n Province en

assesseined by th

committee.

committee

ent.)

s was not

minated on

ard. The se

rs. This led t

. The asse

ory commi

kachcheri P

3

The Public

the first two

advisory co

Committee

third functio

g] and

advi

ociations ar

possibly o

the local a

groups. The

authorities

social back

ness of the

ree times m

Unl

aw

citiz

list

mo

trad

ass

tion

and

will lob

adv

not

stre

e time ther

rmal citizen’

n or commit

local

auth governme

According

had alread

ased on uni

the basis o

retary of th

o inadequat

ssment tea

ttees. Out o

radeshiya S

functions d

mittees ab

and the

n ‐ acting a

s[ing] the

c

a way of

providing l

uthorities t

interests of

nd this has

rounds and

se citizen’s

ore aware

ss there i

reness in

en’s comm

d in the

que federa

er’s partn

ciations, ta

s, develop

library co

remain as ying gro

isory comm

realise its

ngthening

e is overla

s committe

tee fatigue.

rities

in

tht circular. (

to the J

been ident

form criteri

one per w

ese local au

e represent

observed

f 87 memb

bha had

2

escribed in

ove). Excep

Trincomalee

a check on

ouncillors i

representin

ocal govern

the public

citizens and

the potenti

build toler

committees

f their exist

greater p

the wor

ittees like t

table abo

tions, muni

erships, tr

x‐payers ass

ent commi

mittees ‐

special int

ps and

ittee system

full potenti

democracy

between

s do. Unles

Jaffna

areaJaffna Muni

affna Muni

ified but pol

. In some o

ard and in

thorities enj

ation of diff

an almost

ers from 6

women out

ocal

tions

UC

local

the

the

ent

and

civil

al to

ance

was

ence

ublic

of

hose

e ‐

cipal

ders

ocia‐

tees

they

rest the

will

al in

and

hat

s the

had

cipal

cipal

itical

f the

ther

oyed

rent

total

local

of 9



It w

Acc

imp

Poifun

for

secr

ann

cou

Co

The

Dev

plac

Gov

is u

com

as found tha

held reg conven conduct

at

the

fo well att

rding to t

rovement o

• garbage

• drainag

• road de

• market

• bus stan

• library i

t Pedro

Ur

ing of a pu

cemetery d

etaries of th

ual budgets,

cils. Adviso

municat

role of coolution

of

p

e and the

ernment Ag

ndermined

munication

• change

channel

with, fo

• inform

Wom

t advisory c

ularly, ever

d and chair

ed with me

llowing

mended (60%

e minutes

local gover

removal

maintenan

elopment

developmen

d and cycle

provemen

an Council

lic market

velopment

e local auth

a significan

ry committe

ion mech

municati

wer to

loca

central go

ent and the

and there i

between lo

public perc

of good go

example,

itizens abou

Men

98%

n memb

mmittee m

two or thre

d by the se

ting agend

ting

attendance

subjects

ment servi

ce

t

parking inst

t.

Advisory C

rom the Go

and mainte

orities cons

t involveme

e members

anisms

n mechani

l governme

vernment

Divisional S

s very little

al governm

ption of lo

ernance at

aste manag

t their right

ers on ad

31

eetings wer

e months, u

retaries of

s and minu

f committe

iscussed a

es. These in

llation

ommittee c

vernment A

nance. One

lted the ad

t of people

independen

sms t as

intend

ontinues t

ecretariats.

public awa

nt and the

al governm

local level a

ement;

regarding

W

isory co

sually in the

heir respect

tes which

e members)

meetings

cluded

laimed they

gent and th

important

isory comm

s’ participati

tly corrobor

d by

the

13

operate

As a result,

reness of it

public are n

ent so that

d not just

ervice provi

men

2%

mittees

local autho

ive local aut

ere circulat

.

generally p

successfullt they had

spect to n

ittees befor

on in the ab

ted this fac

th Amendme

at local le

the role of l

s role. Effe

eded to

people be

s a sector i

sion;

in Jaffna

ity offices

horities

ed and revi

ertained to

advocated

a sub comm

te was tha

e preparing

sence of el

t.

nt has

not

t

el through

ocal govern

ctive syste

in to see it

stitution de

wed

the

the

ittee

the

their

cted

aken

the

ent

s of

as a

aling



P

6

Nu

All

wit

acti

East

tool

cha

com

dra

Loc

morcost

Suc

and

Pr

Le

N

Ci

N

N

bu

Po

Le

In t

(poboa

int

0%

Types

• inform

regulati

taxes

• receive

ber and t5 assessed

the public i

e. With the

, the North

s for both

ters (13), a

munication

a, mobile s

l authoritie

e popular

t

efficiency

an investi

what impac

int aflets

tice boards

izen’s charte

wspaper ads

wsletter

lletins

sters

tter campaig

he followin

sibly) stree

rds, citizen’

f commu

b

citizens a

ns on hygi

citizen feed

pe of comlocal author

n at least th

exception

and the Eas

were leafle

d local me

was more i

ervices ad l

preferred

an audio

v

ut the effe

ation shoul

t printed m

No. 14

13

s 11

3

2

1

s 1

chart, lett

drama

we

charters,

nication LAs

out their

ne in public

ack on local

municatio

iries (9 in th

ree differen

of loudspea

t used the s

ts (used by

ia (10). A g

nteractive a

tter campai

o communi

isual or

face

tiveness of

d include h

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Audio/Vi

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announce

TV/local m

Video doc

er campaig

re counted

ewspaper a

32

Face to

face

21%

ools use

public res

places, buil

authority s

tools e East, 7 in

t ways. Batt

er announ

me channe

14 local a

reater varie

nd more fa

gns were fo

ate throug

to

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so much pri

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on the prob

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edia

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as ‘two

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ds, posters,

Audio

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19%

ponsibilities

ding codes,

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the North) s

icaloa MC a

ements whi

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thorities),

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print mate

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No. 8

5

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endix 5, p.1

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be attribut

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Meetings

Workshop

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addition,

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S were the

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63.

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xamined fur

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a

most of

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as an ‘auth

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leaflets,

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No. 6

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munication

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public. As s

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ority is onc

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ges. In

7 di

l authorities

ices, or Pra

each faciliti

rity reasons

ails of comflets l authority

ronmental i

ronmental

ction. As s

various

, TV, local m

upported r

and accoun

study desc

orities use

ut

prevention

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collection

t of local go

ssages stre

s what to

onsibility a

had to do f

ch, the loc

to strength

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ited feedb

ication tool

this way, t

every four

e of the me

tricts in

Ba

could build

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es to isolate

.

municatio

responden

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T

com

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tability, sho

ribes the im

d communi

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used. With

e only time

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unication

14%

33

s of poste

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em for loca

uld also

be

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ation tools

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rovider we

authority, n

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izens becau

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regular mee

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ervices’ wer

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rder of po

lets for dis

, leaflets i

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unted as ‘on

l authoritie

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to create

.

of local aut

concerning

re missing.

t what the

dy were no

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l governm

e of the pr

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papers and

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and dissemi

e observed,

ravel was di

ularity)

seminating

creased pu

managemalth aware

One

commun

86

tyle of c

ouncemen

e‐way’ com

, a two‐wa

as a tool

fo

tem in secti

awareness

orities in lo

citizen’s ri

The empha

local author

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nt affairs.

dominantly

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ess their vie

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despite the

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information

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ay

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Local autho

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34

provide the public with information about local government services. Local authorities didn’t

produce the leaflets themselves but distributed printed materials prepared by other

authorities such as the Health Department or the Central Environmental Authority.

In the 2008 integrated local level development model for Kinniya, leaflets were written by

the local authority themselves. They extended the citizen’s charter by providing information

to the

public

about

services

and

procedures

for

obtaining

permits

and

approval,

for

example,

for construction. In addition they provided the public with a monitoring/transparency tool

which bound the local authority to abide by the stated fees, timeframes and regulations

printed in the leaflet. In this baseline study, most local authorities saw the usefulness of

producing their own the information leaflets and would like to do so in future, if assistance

were available as per the Kinniya model.

Notice boards Notice boards were used as a traditional communication tool and were in operation in 13 of

the 15 local authorities assessed. Local authority respondents stated that mostly health and

environment related information and calls for tender were posted on notice boards. It was

an inexpensive

tool

but

with

limited

reach.

The

majority

were

placed

in

the

office

of

the

local

authority, and addressed only visitors who came there. Notice boards in more prominent

spots in the town were not observed.

Citizens’ charters The Ministry of Public Administration and Home Affairs issued a directive instructing all

governmental organisations, ministries, departments, statutory bodies, semi governmental

organisation, provincial councils and local authorities to prepare and display citizen charters

in their offices. The Ministry of Local Government and Provincial Council published a ‘Guide to Citizens’ Charters for Local Authorities’. As such, the Citizen’s Charter should be a

document that illustrates local authority services, standards, time frames, responsible

officers and mechanisms for grievance redressal. It should be prepared with community

involvement and should state citizens’ rights and responsibilities. It should be publicly

displayed and there should be adequate publicity upon its release.

In the Northern Province, all the assessed local authorities except for Jaffna MC displayed

their citizen’s charters in their offices. Charters were in Tamil and were designed in different

sizes. For example, the Chavakachcheri Urban Council put up a very conspicuous 15’ x 30’

one on their front wall. However, regardless of how well charters are displayed, their impact

on service delivery is not known. Only some of the community based organisations and

citizens interviewed had seen their citizen’s charter. They too were not sure whether

services were delivered promptly as stated or whether the charter exerted pressure on the

local authority

to

be

more

efficient.

See

also

the

findings

from

the

Community

Development

baseline study in section 5 (page 52) where 96% of respondents were not aware of the

citizen’s charter.

Loudspeaker announcements Loudspeaker announcements were popular communication tools in the Eastern Province

and used by eight out of nine local authorities assessed. Loudspeaker announcements were

used to disseminate information related to health, drinking water, environmental issues,

emergency news and collection of local authority taxes and fees. According to local authority

respondents they increased public participation in environmental issues, disease prevention,

tax collection and road and drainage maintenance. It was an inexpensive and mobile tool

which was

used

to

reach

large

numbers

of

people.

However,

it

was

used

to

communicate



35

only simple, short public messages as one way communication which didn’t elicit feedback

from the community.

Information counters In the Eastern Province, information counters were established in three local authorities:

Kalmunai MC,

Batticaloa

MC

and

Seruvila

PS

and

in

the

Northern

Province

in

Point

Pedru

UC,

Valvettithurai UC and Nallur PS. Local authorities used this ‘front desk’ service to keep the

public informed about the services they offered and who to go to for what. Information on

health, environment and community development projects were usually available at the

counters. Respondents felt that this tool improved public access to local authority services.

However many of the Public Relations Officers (PRO) who were responsible for the counter

and the ‘front desk’ services only had limited knowledge of how to do things and in many

cases had no printed materials (leaflets, forms) as back up.

Local media Local media included the use of radio to disseminate information on health, drinking water,

environmental

and

emergency

news

in

Kattankudi

UC,

Kalmunai

MC

and

Batticaloa

MC.

Trincomalee UC used cable TV and newspaper advertisements as their communication tools.

Respondents stated that communication through local media increased public participation

in paying taxes and improved prevention of diseases. For example Trincomalee UC were able

to warn the public through the local cable TV network about contaminated bakery products

in a recent food poisoning case. Jaffna Municipal Council and other urban councils also

communicated with citizens through local newspaper advertisements, mainly regarding

payments of property rates and fines. Notices announcing market spaces and meat stall

tenders were also published in this way.

Local authorities felt that using local media was innovative for local government. It provided

a wide reach which was not necessarily very costly. It had the potential not only for

information dissemination, but also as a platform for public debates on development issues.

It was suggested that this could be done through interviews with local government

representatives where listeners or viewers contributed.

Public information campaigns In Jaffna, Nallur Pradeshiya Sabha designed and distributed posters for public awareness

campaigns. Topics included dengue, and herbal gardening. One successful campaign was

against spitting in public places. They were also planning to launch a website for the

Pradeshiya Sabha. Three other local authorities used cultural events, essay competitions and

school seminars for public information campaigns.

Newsletters Newsletters were published in only 2 local authorities in Jaffna (Nallur PS and

Chavakachcheri UC) where they were issued in very limited numbers (25 copies) mostly for

the local authority offices and libraries. They were issued for PR purposes and to

commemorate special occasions. They did not disseminate everyday information from the

local authority, as in the 2008 PIP Kinniya model which used newsletters to provide the

public with a range of information about local authority activities, leaders, decision making

processes, budget allocation and news from the area. None of the assessed local authorities

in the Eastern Province produced newsletters. All interviewed representatives in local

authorities expressed their interest in producing newsletters but some were unclear as to

the difference

between

newsletters

and

leaflets.

They

thought

of

using

them

to

disseminate



36

information to the public about health, local authority activities, taxes, and local authority

services.

Mobile services Mobile services were used in two local authorities – Ampara UC and Nallur PS Jaffna ‐ to

disseminate

information

related

to

health

issues,

drinking

water,

licenses,

taxes,

environmental issues and tenders. The main purpose was to provide the public with the

opportunity to attend to affairs close to their place of residence. This mechanism provided

access to local authority services in a gender sensitive way because it accommodated

vulnerable groups and women who, because of family or work commitments, could not

afford the time or money to travel to their local authorities. In the case of Nallur PS the

mobile service was jointly arranged with community based organisations in the area. The

mobile service not only improved service delivery but also created opportunities for

community based organisations to work together with the local authority.

Public meetings and workshops Public

meetings

provided

immediate

feedback

for

local

authorities

especially

when

public

participation in important decisions related to the development of the area was needed,

such as development plans, or proposed regulations. The perceived disadvantage by local

authorities was that public meetings were labour intensive and could not cover large groups

of people without becoming very time consuming and costly.

Two local authorities (Kattankudi UC, Vavunathivu PS) said they used public meetings and

workshops as a means of communicating with the public. Meetings were organized as the

need arose. Issues related to health, street cattle, and emergencies were discussed.

However, the citizens interviewed for the purpose of this study were not aware of such

meetings.

Street drama Batticaloa MC used street drama on a quarterly basis to create public awareness on health

and environmental issues. As a live medium it was seen as a very useful tool to address

social issues in a non literary, motivating way. However, it was fairly labour intensive and

required finding performers (usually young volunteers) and then organizing them to

rehearse and perform.

Other mechanisms observed

Local Government

Reform

Unit

In Jaffna a Local Government Reform Unit was set up in every local authority to assist the

secretary in coordinating and monitoring the implementation of local government reforms.

The unit, staffed by a local government assistant plus either a management or programme

assistant, prepared monthly progress reports on reform implementation, which were sent to

the Regional Assistant Commissioner of Local Government (R/ACLG). Together these units

compiled an Annual Report for 2008 and this speeded up the reform process. In addition, in

a process initiated by the R/ACLG, the secretary met the staff once a week to share

experience on local government reform activities and related them to the local government

circulars they exemplified. As a result local government staff were much more aware of local

government reforms.



37

Innovations in service delivery To improve service delivery, the R/ACLG Jaffna initiated a programme called ‘one project per

month’ in which local authorities carried out small scale participatory projects each month

which involved the public. These projects were normally on a shiramadana basis and

included

• clearing cemeteries; repairing public buildings,

• cleaning drains and wells; reducing mosquito breeding grounds

• planting trees around community centres, pre schools and along the roadside

• honouring preschool teachers, celebrating Children’s Day, promoting reading habits

with poster campaigns or book exhibitions

Jaffna Municipal Council implemented a new system for maintaining the drinking water

supply at stand pipes in poor areas for families who could not afford individual household

pipe water connections. In the past, Jaffna MC was unable to recover costs from common

water users. Stand pipes were often damaged and common water users quarrelled over

drawing the water. Under the new system nearly 650 water user groups were formed on

the

basis

of

one

group

per

stand

pipe.

Each

group

consisted

of

10

to

20

families.

These

families were assigned to a particular stand pipe close to them and told they could draw

water only from that stand pipe. This reduced quarrelling among the users. Each group was

made responsible for their pipe and immediately reported any damage to the council. The

group also agreed to pay a nominal sum of one rupee per day per family. This meant each

family paid Rs.30 per month and, in a water user group of say fifteen families, Rs. 450/‐ per

month was collected, enabling the council to recover part of the water supply cost. As in

most development contexts around the world, the water user groups were mostly

composed of women. The team met such a group and found the system was working

satisfactorily. Stand pipes were maintained well, quarrels among water users had been

reduced and monthly payments were made promptly. The water user groups were

supervised by

community

centre

officers.

Public redressal system

Situational analysis The PIP/CAP supported redressal system, set up in 20 local authorities in the Eastern

Province in 2008 consisted of

• an information counter for providing information on local authority services and

navigating citizens to respective departments

• a

suggestions

box

• a system for registering and dealing with complaints

• a collectively formulated and displayed citizen’s charter

• a trained public relations officer

• the beginning of a monitoring and evaluation system which used complaints to

analyse public needs and improve service delivery. The system for registering and dealing with complaints had five steps:

• step one: receiving complaints

• step two: registering complaints

• step three: analysing complaints

• step four:

acting

on

complaints

• step five: recording outcomes for the action taken



38

In each of the 20 local authorities visited in the Eastern Province for the baseline study, the

five step process for registering and dealing with complaints was broadly discussed with the

staff, especially with the Public Relations Officer (PRO) and the Secretary. Feedback was then

collated for the situational analysis under these five steps. In the five local authorities where

no PIP supported redressal system had been set up, and in Jaffna, the five step process was

used as

a tool

for

needs

analysis.

Receiving complaints In general, only a few local authorities could demonstrate a transparent and standardised

system for receiving and passing on complaints from the chairman/secretary to the PRO and

thereafter to the respective subject officers. Respondents said that local authorities usually

received formal complaints by letter and that letter was usually handed over to the

chairman or the secretary. If posted, then it was also usually addressed to chairman.

Although a complaints box was established in every local authority, fewer complaints were

received via the box, or by personal visit to the front desk. Informal verbal grievances were

also received by the chairman or secretary, but these were usually unsubstantiated

complaints. As

the

PROs

were

not

included

in

the

complaints

administration

in

most

of

the

local authorities visited, the PRO was not aware of the verbal complaints received by the

chairman and this was reflected in their lack of registration and follow up.

Registering complaints In the PIP/CAP supported model for the redressal system, when citizens lodged a complaint

by personal visit or through a letter, their complaint was recorded in a complaints register.

Out of 25 local authorities visited in the Eastern Province, it was observed that

• 8 local authorities had general complaint registers, usually in the form of a ledger.

• 9 local authorities had separate complaint folders for different types of complaints,

such

as

building

approvals,

environmental

protection,

public

utility

services,

local

infrastructure and land related issues.

• 8 local authorities did not have a recorded complaints register, ledger or folder for

their public redressal system. Instead they filed the complaint letters without

transferring the data into a summarised register and recorded progress or

comments on the letters themselves.

See Appendix 6, p.180.

Registers were usually maintained by the staff responsible for the subject of the complaint.

The main problems arose from improper recording of verbal complaints in the registers, as

described above. All 7 local authorities visited in Jaffna had a complaints ledger in some form

or another

but

were

not

maintaining

them

regularly.

Analysing complaints None of the local authorities in the study analysed resolved or pending cases or looked at

complaints collectively for patterns, needs analysis or lessons learnt. However, most of them

were interested in how to do this and requested further training. Some officers suggested

having a computer database application, for example in Microsoft Access with which they

could record complaints, and produce analyses and reports on a regular basis.

Acting on complaints When not referred to other government departments, action was usually taken by the

chairman, secretary,

PRO,

Technical

Officer

(TO)

or

in

combination:

the

chairman

with

the



39

PRO or the PRO with the TO. Information on how the case was handled and resolved was

usually written directly onto the letter of complaint so whole history of the case was

contained in that letter.

When the case was referred to another government department, it was not usually followed

up any further and the real outcome was not recorded in the local authority. Instead, such

cases were

counted

as

resolved

when

in

fact

they

were

simply

passed

on

to

someone

else.

Recording outcomes In the PIP/CAP model, after taking action on a case, the outcome was recorded and future

follow up planned if necessary. Local authorities sent a letter to the plaintiff explaining how

the case had been resolved. In general, it was found that steps three to five – analysing and

acting on complaints and recording outcomes ‐ were not carried out consistently. There was

no standardised ‘complaint tracking system’ for local authorities. None of the local

authorities were feeding the analysis of complaints back into the system as a form of

community needs analysis. If complaints were collected and categorised over a period of

time, patterns would emerge that could be dealt with more efficiently by dealing with them

collectively. But

local

authorities

did

not

have

this

overview

because

they

were

not

collating

the data beyond the individual complaint. As a result, the local authorities in this study had

not made the connection that the redressal system could also be used as a planning tool.

Complaints analysis Analysis of the data collected from 23 local authorities which had the redressal system

focussed on the type and quantity of complaints recorded, complaint resolution, gender

issues, and the role of the Public Relations Officers (PROs).

Complaints by category The

subjects

of

the

complaints

fell

into

six

main

categories,

which

were,

in

order

of

frequency,

• utilities (street lamps)

• environmental issues (felling trees, garbage collection, commercial waste, sewage)

• land disputes (accessing and demarking land)

• unauthorised building

• problems with local infrastructure (local roads, irrigation, community buildings).

Frequency of complaints 77% of the complaints ‐ 2116 complaints out of 2194 ‐ were about street lamps, and these

complaints were lodged in four large local authorities in the urban centres (in order of

complaints registered: Sammanthurai PS, Ninthavur PS, Akkaraipattu PS and Kalmunai MC).

Ranking Type of complaints No. of cases 1 Public utilities (including street lamps) 2194

2 Environmental issues 310

3 Land issues 166

4 Buildings approval 98

5 Local infrastructure 92



The

autlam

inte

rep

com

Ra

1

2

3

4

5

numbers o

orities

fromp complaint

rpretation

esentative

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En

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Bu

Lo

Pu

Public utiliti

77%

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Buildin

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infra

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f complaint

where

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ironmental i

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ildings appro

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s

of com

s

ocal

tructure2%

uency o

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came

and

data for th

plaints min

g the stre

ronmental i

aints ssues

al

ure

xcluding stre

laints by

Land iss

23%

Public util

(excludi

street la

10%

complai

40

eet lamps

should

be

de whole sa

us those a

t lamp iss

sues ‐ 42%.

et lamps)

Environmen

issues

11%

category

es

ities

ng

ps)

ts by cat

ere releva

ealt

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bout street

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tal

Land is

6%

(i)

Environ

issu

42

ogory (ii)

nt to the l

arately.

Hore this rep

lamps in

e most fr

N

31

16

98

9

78

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3%Loc

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3

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6

l

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local

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dged



23%

acc

buil

get

ProAcc

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neg

The

aut

dev

willi

Bec

reso

The

unu

onl

reso

the

inte

coul

link tem

An

not

Plai

66%

soci

Cit

3

of complai

ssing lanes,

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a bank loan.

lem solver

rding to th

es, 38% by

lecting their

refore, 96%

ority level.

lopment, e

ng to pass o

use 38% o

lved by citiz

se cases in

sed land, no

needed to

lve their dif

local autho

rventions at

d offer the

up with

the

ple or the m

nalysis of t

really sure

ntiffs by g of cases w

ety. This rev

izens

8%

ts were ab

demarking

orised struc

See Append

complaint

the behavio

duties.

of all prob

This is an

pecially in

n the respo

grievances

ens themse

luded disp

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turn up as

erences. In

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the interpe

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hese compl

hat the rol

nder re recorded

ealed a faul

ut land issu

land, disput

ures and th

ix 6, pp.169

analysed, 5

ur of other

lems report

empowerin

n environm

sibility of a

were cause

lves with so

tes betwe

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a figure of

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was enou

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might be q

mechanismrd.

ints lodged

of their loc

without no

in the local

Others

4%

Problem

41

es and this

ing bounda

problems

‐70.

8% were ca

citizens, an

ed by the

statistic f

ent where l

dressing gri

d by citizen

e assistan

n neighbo

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authority in

s people ask

h to settle

ould be de

ite a simpl

s for

arbitra

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l authority

ting if they

authorities’

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as a signifi

y walls, an

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used by loca

4% by oth

ommunity

r citizen a

cal govern

evances to t

s, it follows

e in arbitra

rs about b

many of th

order for

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the quarrel.

eloped as a

matter if t

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the

c

ghbours als

as or who

ere from w

complaints

ant numbe

in urban a

building ap

l authoritie

er governm

ould be de

vocacy and

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he central li

that 38% o

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oundary wa

ese cases t

he two dis

rom a parti

It was sug

service that

he local aut

ommunity‐

revealed t

should resol

omen, men

registration

Local

Authorities

58%

. Issues incl

reas, neighb

roval in ord

neglecting

ent departm

alt with at

for comm

ast has bee

ne authoriti

f cases coul

e local auth

lls, dumpin

e local auth

uting parti

ular officer

ested that

local autho

hority could

local

mosq

hat people

ve their cas

or on behal

system.

ded

ours

er to

their

ents

local

nity

too

s.

d be

rity.

g on

ority

s to

from

such

rities

also

e or

ere

.

of a



wer

soci

5%

and

ofte

a l

exa

com

poll

fact

Kor

live

felt

diso

was

of

and

Ver

Acc

the

not

reso

stu

(10

35%

Pl

e women, 4

eties.

of cases we

these coll

n represent

rge group

ple more

plained a

ution from

ory in

laipattu W

near the

it resulte

rders for t

resolved b

the public

PS staff of t

ification of rding to th

local author

resolvable.

lved. Howe

y, 73% of t

weren’t su

Not s

antiffs by Male

5% men an

re from soc

ctive comp

ed the wis

of people

than 50 p

bout the

the brick m

Kavaththa

st PS; thos

rick makin

in respi

heir childr

the interve

health insp

e area who

complaint

e local auth

ity within a

According t

ver, accordi

eir compla

re either wa

pecified

6%

6

gender

emale

15%

ieties

laints

es of

. For

eople

air

aking

unai,

who

yard

atory

n. It

ntion

ector

got the fact

orities, 69%

month, whil

o the local

ng to the pl

ints were re

y, and 17%

Plainti

42

5%

ory owner t

of complai

e 25% were

authorities’

aintiffs who

solved not

ere not sat

ffs by cat

136161

Batticalo

Plai

At district

female

dominated

Batticaloa

the Muslim

of Ampar

citizens w

complaints

o agree to u

ts were res

resolved wi

records the

were visite

94% as clai

isfied.)

1

egory

6548

Trincoma

tiffs by d

level, th

laintiffs i

local

and more

dominated

i district.

o were sa

had been

e water to

olved by th

hin six mon

refore, 94%

door to do

ed by the

ale

9%

Fem

10

Society

5%

339

lee Amp

istrict an

re were

n the

authorities

ale plaintif

local

autho

Of the 66

isfied that

redressed,

educe the d

interventi

ths and 6%

of all case

or as part o

local author

le

6

ra

gender

M

Fe

ore

amil

of

fs in

rities

of

their

40%

ust.

n of

ere

are

this

ities.

le

male



The

reso

coul

wat

the

dep

the

The

wha

doo

thei

The

As p

wer

loca

info

and

the

Mar

the

Ma

app

Ma

bee

did

thei

resp

und

mec

com

com

ana

diffi

re was a 21

lved and

w

d be accou

er and elect

local author

artments bu

other depar

re is still a

t the public

r follow up

r own in ord

Public Relart of the r

e trained. It

l authoritie

rmation cou

Assistant C

PROs in ch

ch 2009, th

Eastern Pro

y of the P

ointed as

P

agement A

n made res

’t have a p

r PRO resp

onsibilities

er utilised. I

hanism for

missioner.

missioner,

lysed by the

cult or

resol

Resolved

within 6

months

25%

% differenc

at the

plai

nted for as

ricity supply

ity was con

t as far as

tment took

iscrepancy

thought of

ith plaintif

er to get a

tions Offidressal syst

was their

and most

nter, and a

mmissione

rge of look

system w

ince and th

Os encount

ROs. They

sistants, Lo

onsible for

oper job de

onsibilities

f the PRO

n addition,

communica

Many co

ere not re

PRO. In ret

ed cases

fo

Not resolv

6%

Ac

e in opinion

tiffs though

complaints

and health

erned thes

he plaintiff

are of them

between w

s resolved.

fs. Local au

ore realisti

er systemem, 20 Publ

esponsibilit

f them carr

citizen’s ch

s of Local G

ing after th

s functionin

ee local aut

ered proble

ere officia

cal Govern

PR on top o

scription or

were. The

nd therefor

here was n

tion betwe

plaints re

ceived, regi

rn, the PR

r the

chairm

able

ion take

43

between

t of

as

reso

that were

services iss

were resol

were conc

.

at the loca

But this fac

horities wo

picture of r

ic Relations

to set up

ied out the

arter. From

overnment

e redressal

g without

horities in t

ms in their

lly employe

ent Assista

f their nor

training for

public wer

e did not se

proper su

n them an

eived by

stered, refe

was unabl

an or

secret

on case

hat the loc

lved (94%

‐

eferred to

es (98 out

ed because

rned, they

l authorities

only came

uld have to

edressal ne

Officers (PR

the redress

tasks of set

April 2008

(CLG and A

systems on

TZ PIP supp

e Northern

new role.

d under

ot

ts and Pro

al work loa

being a PR

e also not

ek them ou

port syste

d their cha

the chair

rred, tracke

to prepare

ary to

consi

wi

al authoriti

73%). 13%

other depa

of 744 com

they were

remained u

thought of

to light afte

carry out a

ds and reso

Os) from 20

l system in

ing up a co

onwards, t

LGs) and th

e they wer

ort in 16 lo

Province.

one of the

er designa

ramme Assi

d. As a resu

; they wer

aware of

. As a resul

for them

irman, may

an, mayor

d, resolved

an overvie

er at

the

m

Resolved

hin a month

69%

s thought

of the

differ

tments, su

laints). As f

eferred to

nresolved u

as resolved

r doing a do

similar surv

lution.

local autho

their respe

mplaints bo

e Commissi

e secretarie

e establishe

cal authoriti

were offi

tions –

as

stants. The

lt, most of

e not clear

the positio

t, the PROs

r an establi

or, secretar

, secretary

or cumulat

of the ong

onthly meet

f as

ence

h as

ar as

ther

nless

and

or to

y of

rities

ctive

x, an

oner

put

d. In

es in

cially

hief

had

hem

hat

n or

ere

shed

, or

, or

ively

oing,

ing.



44

4.5 Recommendations

• In general, local authorities should participate fully in the reform process, take

ownership and responsibility for the change process and sustain reforms in the long

run. To increase such ownership, Commissioners and Assistant Commissioners of Local

Government, Secretaries,

Mayors

and

Chairmen,

councillors

and

local

government

staff

should be involved to a greater or lesser extent in the research, design, implementation,

and evaluation stages of the reforms.

• Local authorities should explore new ways of providing more accountable, accessible,

effective, participatory, face to face means of communication with the public at village

level.

Standing Committees • Proceedings of existing standing committees should be examined – the way the minutes

are taken and the meetings are conducted (perhaps using a time and motion study) ‐ to

collect best

practices

from

committees

that

are

functioning

well,

and

to

gather

data

for

a

meeting skills needs analysis.

• Local authorities should be advised on which committees they should form, according to

the law and according to the needs of the communities they serve.

• Good examples of standing committees should be disseminated to raise awareness and

motivate local authorities, particularly Chairmen, as to their importance and potential

benefit.

• A balanced membership in standing committees should be encouraged, to include

women, non‐elected members and younger citizens.

• More

transparent

selection

criteria

should

be

introduced

for

appointing

committee

members. Councillors should be trained in how to evaluate the specialist skills needed

for standing committee members.

• Public awareness should be raised and specific groups and individuals (subject experts)

in the community motivated to become members of standing committees.

• The ways committee work is communicated to the public should be improved.

Advisory Committees • There should be further investigation into how advisory committees should be

established,

how

they

should

best

function,

and

the

most

practical

number

of

members

they should have. Some good national and international examples should be researched

to help with suggestions.

• Decisions on the best way to appoint members to the advisory committees should be

made, and whether or not this should be standardised for all committees.

• Selection of committee members respecting the principles of good governance in terms

of transparency, democracy, inclusiveness and efficiency should be ensured, including

gender and ethnic balance for proper representation of women and ethnic minorities.

The hold of the secretary or the chairman on the membership should be loosened and

membership should be made more non‐political.



45

• Further research should be done on potential synergy between standing committees,

advisory committees and informal citizen’s committees and how the system could be

streamlined to avoid duplication or committee fatigue.

• Advisory committees should be strengthened in the Northern Province until there are

more elected councils while both standing and advisory committees should be

strengthened in

the

Eastern

Province.

Public redressal system • Citizens should have a better working knowledge of the roles and responsibilities of their

local authorities and by extension, which issues it is the local authority’s responsibility to

redress.

• Citizens should be encouraged to utilise the redressal system more. Local authorities

should actively address their grievances more. Trust should be built between people and

their local authorities.

• More

complaint

boxes,

citizen’s

charters

and

notice

boards

should

be

put

in

public

places. At the same time Citizen’s Charters should become more community oriented, in

the way they are drafted and disseminated to the public, to create greater public

demand for services.

• All local authorities should be encouraged to keep a separate complaints register/system

for street lamp complaints, which should be quicker and easier to operate than the

general complaints register.

• All complaints should be recorded, regardless of who receives them. Prepared forms

(who, when, subject of the complaint) would make it easier.

• Plaintiff’s gender should be recorded in the complaints register/system.

• Some advocacy training for women, especially Muslim women, should be conducted to

encourage more of them to get involved in the development of their community.

• Further research should be carried out on community based / civil society groups as a

bottom‐up means of strengthening channels of communication between the people and

their local authorities. As one complaint from one of these groups can represent up to

fifty people, such complaints should be given priority in the redressal system. They

establish the local authority’s responsiveness and increase its impact.

• Local authorities need to regularly analyse complaints and use the redressal system as a

monitoring/needs analysis tool and a way of improving services. Further analysis of

environmental, land and building issues should be carried out as well as more door‐to‐

door follow up with plaintiffs.

• Public awareness campaigns for the most common grievances should be designed, for

example for the 41% of complaints which are about environmental issues.

• Local authorities should use mediation skills to help sort out the 38% of neighbour‐to‐

neighbour complaints they receive – for example, land disputes. The mediation training

from the Ministry of Justice could be researched, modified and delivered to PROs and

secretaries for this purpose.

• For the successful implementation of the redressal system a proper tracking system for

complaints should be implemented that follows the complaint from receiving it,

recording it,

resolving

it

and

analysing

it

along

with

other

complaints.



46

• An electronic database, for example in Microsoft Access, should be designed and

introduced to register and analyse complaints and produce quarterly reports.

• The redressal system should be updated and standardised to accommodate new

findings. Thereafter redressal training should be revised to incorporate changes in the

system and to include practical examples from the Sri Lankan context and experience.

• PIP‐trained local authorities should undergo consolidation training on public redressal

before the system is expanded to new local authorities. This should include follow‐up

training for PROs on how to analyse the data within the complaints, similar to the way

data has been analysed in this report – including categorising data in tables, presenting

data in diagrams, summarising findings and making recommendations. In fact, this

baseline report could be used as a local authority training resource.

• Once revised and standardised, the redressal system should be expanded to new local

authorities, for example in Eastern Province to the areas where PIP is working with

WRDS ‐ Manmunai West and Poratheevu in Batticaloa – and in Northern Province to

Jaffna and Vauniya.

• The PRO should:

- be officially and formally appointed by chairman, R/ACLG and CLG

- have a specified job description concerning public relation responsibilities and

other duties

- be involved in promoting and administrating the redressal system

- have full access to the complaints register and be informed by other officers of

any complaints they receive.

• The position and responsibilities of the PRO should be announced to the public, for

example on

the

notice

‐board,

in

the

local

newspapers

etc.

• The Chairman should clearly delegate the receiving of complaints to the PRO. Greater

transparency and effectiveness could then be encouraged in the local authority. The

referral of all complaints to the PRO should be clearly communicated to all concerned

and the chairman should actively support and implement this way of working. In cases

where the chairman would still like to be involved in receiving complaints, the PRO

should at least receive a copy of the complaint and register it.

• Two‐way communication between officers and the PRO should be improved. The PRO

should be able to ask for what action has been taken by other officers on specific cases

and other officers should be instructed to supply such information as a matter of course.

The

chairman,

mayor,

secretary,

commissioner

and

other

office

staff

who

receive complaints should support the PRO by cooperating and coordinating with him/her over

the receiving of complaints.

Other communication mechanisms • Local government staff should undergo Public Information Dissemination Training (PIDT)

to develop their capacity in addressing specific public needs including analysing needs,

designing appropriate information campaigns, using appropriate communication tools

and evaluating the success of the information transfer. PIDT should provide core training

in the above and have a series of add‐on training days to help staff from local authorities

specialise in specific tools – presentation and facilitation skills for face to face meetings

and open

days,

poster

and

leaflet

design,

etc.



47

• Greater emphasis should be put on two way, participatory, face to face communication

with the public ‐ public meetings, workshops, open days, street theatre followed by

discussion etc – in order to make channels of communication more effective and

democratic.

• Local authorities should understand that the onus lies with them to develop and

promote

outreach

mechanisms

to

connect

effectively

with

local

people.

More

‘open

days’ where local authorities build links with local people and disseminate information

about local services should be held. A Pradeshiya Sabha ‘mobile service’ could provide

the necessary outreach facilities to isolated communities.

• A further study on the efficacy of print based PR materials should be conducted,

particularly in rural areas with low literacy rates.

• Localised leaflets providing information about local authority services and procedures

(such as obtaining building permits, leasing market places etc.) should be produced,

particularly if they cover topics that hold the local authority accountable to the general

public.

• Electronic templates for leaflets could be prepared in local languages and local

authorities could be trained in modifying them to match with their particular needs. All

this should be linked to Public Information Dissemination Training (PIDT).

• Local authorities should prepare more pre‐printed application forms for people to obtain

permits and licences more efficiently.

• Local authorities should be encouraged to target not only with the general public as a

set of individuals, but also with community groups, societies, religious groups and NGOs,

in order to make their channels of communication more effective.

• The replication of local government reform units, similar to the one set up by ACLG

Jaffna,

should

be

considered

as

an

effective

mechanism

for

speeding

up

the

reform

process.

• Models of good service delivery that benefit the poor, such as the supply of drinking

water to water user groups by Jaffna Municipal Council, should be documented and

replicated.



measure progress and impact of local government interventions. At the end of the project,

data will be collected and compared with this baseline to prove that conflict sensitive,

participatory mechanisms such as committees and redressal systems have been established

and are being used in at least two local authorities. The following things will be measured:

• the number of local authorities that have functioning standing and advisory

committees with the right proportion women, young people and non‐elected

members and what they did to achieve this reform;

• the positive effects improved redressal and communication systems have brought

about, in terms of community needs analysis, service provision and the local

authorities’ general capacity to be responsive to the public;

• the benefits to local authorities and the public by having well trained Public

Relations Officers.



48

5 Community development

5.1 Aims of the community development baseline study

To determine to what extent the 30 PIP supported WRDS in the Batticaloa District are able

to draw on support from local authorities and local donors for their community

development projects.

To assess WRDS needs in terms of access, advocacy and ability to communicate effectively

with development actors.


Indicator at outcome level Plans and proposals from women’s/community based groups are reflected in at least 10

current, small scale socio‐economic projects. Means of verification Agreements and local development plans

5.2 Background

Between September 2004 and December 2008 the GTZ supported Food Security and Conflict

Transformation Project (FSCT) worked with 58 women’s groups using a methodology called

Participatory Learning in Action (PLA). PLA focused on the needs of vulnerable women within

conflict and tsunami affected areas, and helped them strengthen their capacity for self help

by improving their self ‐confidence as well as their incomes. Initiatives included savings and

loan schemes,

livelihood

support

for

small

businesses

such

as

mushroom

farming

and

milk

collection, and village development planning. In 2008 the 58 groups were amalgamated into

30 Women’s Rural Development Societies (WRDS) in order to give them sustainability and

legal status from within the government system. When the Performance Improvement

Project took over support of these 30 WRDS in 2009 it was decided to build their capacity to

work with a wider range of development actors at local level, primarily local authorities, but

also other donors and NGOS, and integrate these new links with their existing links to the

divisional secretariats.

In practice this will involve helping the WRDS become aware of the specific services local

government offers so that they can make informed choices about through whom to

implement their

small

scale

development

plans.

To

do

this,

the

WRDS

need

to

build

capacity

in

- understanding the roles and responsibilities of their local authorities,

- utilising existing channels of communication (representation on committees and in

community centres, registering complaints through the newly established redressal

system),

- making use of information disseminated by local authorities and front line officers,

- developing, writing and presenting small scale development plans and proposals,

- using advocacy skills to ensure their plans are incorporated in the local development

plans of the local authorities, the DS and the local donor community.



49

5.3 Methodology

Scope of the study

A structured interview was conducted with more than 100 women in 30 WRDS from 32

villages in 7 divisions in Batticaloa district. From each village, one to two existing WRDS

members and

a member

of

the

previously

supported

GTZ

Participatory

Learning

and

Action

(PLA) group were interviewed by GTZ PIP Batticaloa field staff. In addition, the PIP Advocacy

Consultant conducted a series of extended but less structured interviews in 12 WRDS with

almost 200 women, 19 public servants and 2 councillors from the local authorities in

Batticaloa District. In total, 331 people expressed their views in this part of the study.

Date Division / District No. WRDS structured baseline interview

No. WRDS advocacy consultancy interview

No. respondents Community members Public

servants LA councillors

Jan‐

Mar

2009

Koralaipattu

North;

5 2 39

Koralaipattu

Central; 3 1 26

Koralaipattu

South; 5 2 40

Eravurpattu 6 2 82

Manmunai West; 5 2 55 3 2

Poratheevupattu 5 2 49

Koralaipattu 1 1 19

Manmunai South

Eruvilpattu

1

ACLG office and

District

Secretariat,

Batticaloa

15

Total 7 30 12 310 19 2 See Appendix 7, pp. 182‐3 for details.

Measuring instrumentsThe women respondents were interviewed in small groups. Guided questions on the

following topics were asked:

• the relationship public officers and councilors had with the community

• public access to local authorities

• awareness of roles and services of local authorities

• the public redressal system

• the relationship between the community centre, the WRDS and the community.

See Appendix 7, pp. 184‐92 for details.



5.

Aw

WR

Sev

werwor

Insp

Dev

ove

of t

cen

The

leve

cert

80%

agethei

70%

Ho

offi

Acc

The

whe

30 t

bicy

Findin

reness of lS members

kas, Divisio

e of

their

lo

king in the

ectors or C

elopment

lapped. Giv

e Divisiona

ral line auth

all knew t

l, and the

ificates or n

of them f

cies to

the

r involveme

of them s

ever, less t

ers in their l

ess to localWRDS resp

n they need

o 60 minute

cle,

bus

or

9879

G r a m a N i l a d h a r i

D i v i s i o n a l S e c r e t a r

Pu

gs

ocal autho were more

nal Secretar

cal authorit

local autho

mmunity D

fficers’ cou

en that Wo

l Secretariat

orities than

heir Grama

ne respons

tional iden

lt the DS

ir villages

a

t in the WR

aid they ha

han 20% w

ocal authori

authoritieondents we

ed to meet

s travelling

an,

or

by

o

72

R u r a l D e v e l o p m e n t

O f f i c e r

DS office st

lic awar

rities aware of th

ies, Samurd

ies. They

w

rities. WRD

evelopment

nterparts i

en’s Rural

, it was not

the local au

Sevaka (GS)

ible for hel

ity cards.

layed a m

nd they

kne

DS’ bank ac

d at least s

re aware o

ties.

s re asked h

officers or c

o these offi

ther

means

47

1

S

a m u r d h i O f f i c e r

ff

ness of

50

e central au

i and Rural

re least

aw

members

Officers ev

the local

evelopmen

surprising t

thorities.

, the most

ing people

jor role in

w the

Rura

ounts.

een the ch

the presen

w they rea

ouncillors t

es, using th

(tractor,

lan

8

69

e r s

C h a i r m a n

LA Co

S and LA

horities acti

Developme

are of

provi

really did n

en though t

authorities

t Societies c

at they ha

prominent

obtain imp

bringing se

l Developm

airman of t

ce of secret

ched their

ere. Nearly

eir own me

d

master

et

22

O t h e r s

ncillors

officers,

ng at local l

t Officers (

ncial counci

ot know th

hese officer

and many

ome under

greater fa

overnment

ortant docu

rvices from

nt Officers

eir elected

aries or oth

S or local

60% of the

ns of trans

c.).

The

m

7 5

S e c r e t a r y

P u b l i c H e a l t h I n s p e c t o r

L

nd LA co

vel – the G

DOs), than

l public

ser

ir Public H

s were the

of their d

he manage

iliarity wit

officer at vi

ments like

the central

well becau

local auth

er public se

authority o

spent bet

ort – on foo

ans

of

tran

4

C o m m u n i t y

D e v e

l o p m e n t O f f i c e r

staff

ucillors

ama

they

ants

alth

ural

uties

ent

the

llage

birth

line

e of

rity.

rvice

fices

een

t, by

port

2

O t h e r s



wer

com

Batt

tho

Nor

(loc

far

the

loca

Cen

Odd

Sab

Wh

visit

to t

land

In t

offi

in t

the

Thethei

e similar for

mon means

icaloa distri

e divisions,

th (located

ted in Vavu

way from t

Pradeshiya

ted in Kira

tral the DS

amavady b

a was locat

re local aut

ed by the w

ke unusual

master etc.

rms of freq

e, with 46%

rms of freq

local author

said

the

r

r local autho

28%

1

Foot

travelling t

of transpor

ct has 12 l

three divis

in Vaharai

natheevu).

he DS office

Sabha was

but the P

ffice was lo

t for

some

ed in Vahar

horities wer

omen of the

routes, and

).

uency of vi

visiting on

uency of vis

ity office, wi

ason for

n

rities.

%

Mea

o both DS a

t due to the

cal authorit

ions had lo

); Eravurpat

In three oth

. In Porathe

located in P

radeshiya S

cated in Val

f the

villag

i.

e situated s

WRDS. In t

relied more

its to the D

regular ba

its to the lo

th only 5% v

t visiting

w

6%

9%

Bicycle

s of tran

51

nd local aut

rather long

y areas and

cal authorit

tu (located

er divisions,

evupattu th

alukamam.

bha was l

aichchenai

s (e.g.

Rithi

parately fr

ese cases,

on bus, van

S and to th

is within th

al authorit

isiting on a

as that

they

46%

Bu

sport to DS LA

hority, with

istances.

14 DS divi

ies close to

in Chenka

however, l

e DS office

In Koralaipa

cated in V

nd the Prad

thenna and

m divisiona

women usu

or other typ

local auth

month and

, 78% state

onthly bas

simply

did

55%

/Van

S and LA

bus and va

sions. In thi

the DS off

lady) and

cal authorit

was located

ttu South t

laichchenai

eshiya Sabh

Jeyanthiyaj

l secretariat

lly had furt

es of road t

rity, 92% h

66% within

that they

is and 8% wi

’t have

any

0%

1

Other

being the

s study of s

ice: Koralai

anmunai

ies were loc

in Vellavely

e DS office

. In Koralai

a was locat

) the

Prade

s, they wer

her to go, o

ansport (tra

d visited th

the quarter

ad never vi

thin the qu

reason

to

%

ost

ix of

attu

est

ated

and

was

attu

d in

hiya

less

had

ctor,

e DS

. But

sited

rter.

eet



Aw

Sinc

serv

cou

at s

disp

the

Whinfo

lan

(put

Pu

The

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

thr

thr

v

l

t

reness of e the Easter

ices were

cillors and

ome time, 9

layed quite

grievance re

t these

st

rmation dis

uage (the

ting the cha

lic grievanPIP support

wee

DS 5.0

LA 0.0

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

ough the

Police

30%

ough a

illage

ader

11%

hrough the

WRDS

president

3%

Probl

oles and sn Provincial

ecoming b

ice versa.

6% of resp

prominentl

dressal syst

atistics poi

emination

itizen’s Ch

rter or the c

e redressaed public re

lyevery 2‐3

weeks

24.00

0.00

Frequ

through

others

5%

m solver

rvices of lCouncil elec

etter know

owever, ev

ndents wer

in the loc

m (see belo

t to

is

th

in terms of

arters) and

omplaints b

l system dressal syst

monthlye

17.00

5.00

ncy of S and LA

s at local 52

cal authotions in Ma

as more

n though 2

e not aware

l authority

w).

e ineffectiv

long and, a

the local

x inside an

m is descri

ery 2‐3

onths

wh

nec

20.00 22

3.00 8.

RDS visit offices

through th

RDS

president

17%

level

ities 2008 it wa

people sou

% had visit

of the citiz

office. Like

eness of

t

t times, off

uthorities

office that t

ed in detail

en

ssaronly

once

.00 5.00

00 6.00

to

throug

the Gra

Sevek

34%

thought th

ght the su

d their loca

en’s charter

ise they w

e local

au

‐putting use

omewhat i

e majority

in section 4

pp. 4

analys

persp

local a

servicthe

velop

study,

dressa

analys

from

persp

should

the lo

the

Appen

not yet

8.00

78.00

h

a

at local auth

port of el

l authority o

which is us

re not awa

thorities’ p

of bureauc

nsular appr

ever visit).

, pp. 37 – 43

‐6, where

ed from

ctive of m

uthorities b

providers

ommunity

ent bas

grievance

l was

ed but this

a comm

ctive to se

be extend

al authoriti

RDS areas.

dix 7,

pp.19

DS

LA

ority

cted

ffice

ually

re of

ublic ratic

oach

and

it is

the

king

etter

. In

de‐

eline

re‐

also

time

nity

if it

d to

es in

See

‐4.



53

Respondents were asked how grievances were resolved at local level, to see if they were

using the local authority redressal system – if one existed – or if they were using other ways

of resolving grievances. Four of the six local authorities which the WRDS respondents had

access to, had set up PIP supported grievance redressal systems – Koralaipattu, Koralaipattu

West,

Koralaipattu

North

and

Eravurpattu –

but

the

WRDS

were

not

using

them.

Instead,

about one third of respondents used the Grama Sevaka (34%), one third used the police

(30%) and one third used the president of the RDS, WRDS or other village leader (36%).

Those who used the Grama Sevaka said they did so because they felt it was the most

effective way of solving problems: the Grama Sevaka always worked at village level and was

usually available. Moreover, because the focus of WRDS activities was primarily on savings

and loans activities, WRDS members saw redress on access to local resources as the work of

the Grama Sevaka, or the traditional village headman (oor thalaivar) still functioning in some

villages. Those who used the police tended to come from recently resettled villages. Those

who sought help from the RDS or WRDS president or other village leader did so because they

were

part

of

the

same

community

based

organisation.

Those women who did know about the local authority redressal system lacked confidence or

incentive to approach local authority officials. Individuals and families did not believe that

they had an entitlement to local authority services and were thus reluctant to ask for them.

WRDS access to local services From the interviews conducted it was clear that the previous GTZ Food Security and Conflict

Transformation (FSCT) project had, through the Participatory Learning in Action (PLA)

programme, empowered a small number of women in the WRDS structure. But many WRDS

members remained fatalistic about official promises of help with a ‘We will believe it when

we see it’ attitude. Channels of communication were known to be bureaucratically

overburdened and

villagers

often

waited

hours

to

see

officials

who

were

‘unavailable’.

The

distribution of local authority services was seen to be manipulated by those elected to office

for the purposes of political patronage to consolidate continuing political control of the area.

As a result, there was a strong need to build confidence and motivation for most women if

they were to establish a working relationship with Pradeshiya Sabha Chairmen, Community

Development Officers, and other relevant officers in the local government structure. It was

clear that these vulnerable communities required active accompaniment to meet such

officials and some measure of affirmation from those officials in order for the women to

adopt a more ‘Can do’ mentality.

WRDS interaction with community centres To coordinate more effectively, the PIP approach is, as much as possible, to integrate

mechanisms that are controlled separately by the central line authorities or by the local

authorities but where duplication or competition exists. To this end, the community

development baseline study was used to investigate potential for getting WRDS, linked to

the central line authorities, to utilise the redressal system and the community centres, linked

to the provincial line authorities.

Local authority run community centres are mandated to operate both as community based

organisations and actual buildings or sets of land and buildings for pre‐schools, reading

rooms, meeting halls and play parks. However, the study showed that if the community

centres were used at all by the WRDS, they were used for their facilities alone because the

community based

organisation

aspect

of

the

community

centres

was

not

in

operation.



54

About 30% of the villages assessed in six divisions of Batticaloa District (Koralaipattu North,

Koralaipattu, Koralaipattu Central, Koralaipattu South, Eravurpattu, Manmunai West and

Poratheevupattu) made use of their community centre facilities. The centres were located in

Illupadichchenai; Thikiliveddai; Mayilanthanai; Jeyanthiyaya; Hijranagar; Rithithenna;

Vilavadduvan; Ganthinagar, Palaiyadiveddai. Karadiyanaru.

In addition,

the

set

up

at

local

level

was

not

conducive

to

establishing

stronger

links

between

the WRDS and the community centres. Rural Development Officers (RDOs) attached to the

DS office supported the WRDS while Community Development Officers (CDOs) attached to

the local authorities supported the community centres. Both RDOs and CDOs had a

responsibility to visit an allocated number of villages regularly to provide development

assistance, but in many cases they failed to meet these obligations effectively. In addition, it

was found that the RDOs did not encourage the WRDS to utilise the local authority services,

such as the community centres or the redressal system, and the CDOs did not have regular

contact with the WRDS so they could not publicise these services.

Despite the fact that 70% of the WRDS surveyed did not utilise their community centres at

village

level,

the

WRDS

respondents

expressed

interest

in

integrating

WRDS

and

community

centre activities. They felt that if they worked together, their village would benefit. They felt

the community centre buildings had a lot of potential that could be used to support the

WRDS, by providing space for preschools, reading rooms, mother and child clinics and

community meetings.

5.5 Recommendations

• Many more people should be made aware of the functions and services of local

government and the roles and responsibilities of the public servants and elected

councillors who

work

there.

• WRDS and other community groups need to be convinced there is a valid reason for

them to visit their local authority. Only then will they use their local authority in the

same way they use the DS.

• Women from vulnerable communities should have their confidence and motivation

built in order to meet public officials. This should include advocacy training to empower

them to approach their local authorities for support or services and active

accompaniment on initial visits.

• Better public

relations

should

be

set

up

between

local

authorities

and

the

communities

they serve. Local authorities need training in promoting their services and in analysing

and responding to the needs of the public. Initially, a series of meetings and open days

should be carried out at village and pradeshaya sabha level in order to establish good

working relations between the two groups.

• Local authorities should seek cooperation from all CBOs, not just the WRDS, to carry out

activities such as open days, and arrange them in collaboration with the DS office.

• Local authorities should do more outreach by using local authority sub‐offices,

providing mobile‐services, conducting open‐days, and sending officers (e.g. Community

Development

Officers,

Revenue

Supervisors,

Technical

Officers

and

Public

Relation



55

Officers) on bi‐weekly visits, especially in the 2 divisions of Koralaipattu South and

Koralaipattu Central.

• WRDS and community centres should be encouraged to work together since they are all

from the same village. This would provide more harmony among the villagers, and

make better

use

of

facilities

and

skills.

• Further study should be carried out as to whether the PIP supported redressal system

should be promoted in areas where women already have adequate means of grievance

redressal through their Grama Sevaka, RDS or WRDS president.

• Grama Sevekas should also receive local authority and redressal system awareness

training so that they can effectively refer people to the local authority when

appropriate, given the fact that 34% of women in the WRDS go to them for redressal.

• WRDS and other community groups could be introduced to the redressal system and

encouraged to

use

it

in

the

following

cases:

- where communities rely too heavily on the police for grievance redressal

- where local authorities and chairmen are amenable to setting up a redressal system,

for example Manmunai West PS

- where WRDS have a specific need for service improvement, for example for the

provision of safe drinking water.

• The roles of DS and local authority field officers working at village level should be

coordinated more. Where the activities and needs of the WRDS and the community

centres ‘meet’ is a good entry point for this coordination to begin – for example RDO

work with the WRDS development and CDOs with the community centre development.

Joint training

with

RDOs,

Samurdhi

Officers,

PHIs

and

CDOs

should

be

organised.



measure progress and impact of community development work with 30 WRDS and their

respective local authorities in Batticaloa. At the end of the project, data will be collected and

compared with this baseline to prove that

• productive working relations have been established between WRDS and local

authorities

• local

authorities

are

supporting

WRDS

proposals

for

small

scale

socio

economic

development

• women are participating more in community based organisations and citizen’s

committees and their voice in village level development is being heard

• local authorities are offering improved services that benefit community based

organisations.



56



6 Appendices

01 pip baseline study aug 2009

Documents