douglas cohen 2011 - municipal website compliance checklist

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Municipal Website Compliance ChecklistA municipal website should be an integral part of a municipalitys communication infrastructure and

strategy. If managed effectively, it allows easy access to relevant information, serves as a tool for

community participation, improves stakeholder involvement and facilitates stakeholder monitoring andevaluation of municipal performance.

Relevant Legislation

The role of municipal websites, as platforms for information dissemination, participation and disclosure

has been significantly catered for in various pieces of legislation, including:

The Local Government Municipal Systems Act No 32 of 2000 ("the Systems Act"); The Local Government Municipal Financial Management Act No 56 of 2003 ("the MFMA"); and The Municipal Property Rates Act, no 6 of 2004 ("the MPRA").

Legislation Requirements

Municipal

Systems Act

Section 21 A of the Systems Act states: Documents to be made public (1) All

documents that must be made public by a municipality in terms of a requirement of

this Act, the Municipal finance Management Act or other applicable legislation,

must be conveyed to the local community:

(a) by displaying the documents at the municipality's head and satellite offices andlibraries;

(b) by displaying the documents on the municipality's official website, if themunicipality has a website as envisaged by section 21 B; and

(c) by notifying the local community, in accordance with section 21, of the place,including website address, where detailed particulars concerning thedocuments can be obtained.

21B. Official website.(1) Each municipality must

(a) establish its own official website if the municipality decides that it is affordable;and

(b) place on that official website information required to be made public in termsof this Act and the Municipal Finance Management Act.

(2) If a municipality decides that it is not affordable for it to establish its own official

website, it must provide the information in terms of legislation referred to in

subsection (1) (b) for display on an organised local government website sponsored

or facilitated by the National

Treasury.(3) The municipal manager must maintain and regularly update the municipalitys

official website, if in existence, or provide the relevant information as required by

subsection (2)


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57( I ) ( h) of the Municipal Systems Act states that performance agreements for

Section 57 Managers must be on the Website1

MFMA Section 75 of the MFMA requires that the municipalities place key documents and

information on their website, including the IDP, annual report, the annual budget2,

adjustments budgets and budget related documents and policies3

.75. (1 ) The accounting. officer of a municipality must place on the website referred

to 1 0 in section 21A of the Municipal Systems Act the following documents of the

municipality:

The annual and adjustments budgets and all budget-related documents: All budget-related policies: All performance agreements required in terms of section 57(I) ( h lof the

Municipal Systems Act:

o all service delivery agreements;o all long-term borrowing contracts;o all supply chain management contracts above a prescribed value:

An information statement containing a list of assets over a prescribed value thathave been disposed of in terms of section 14(2) or (4) during the previousquarter:

Contracts to which subsection of section 33 apply, subject to subsection ( 3 ) ofpublic-private partnership agreements referred to in section 110:

all quarterly reports tabled in the council in terms of section 52: and any other documents that must be placed on the website in terms of this

Act:

any other applicable legislation, or as may be prescribed.(2) A document referred to in subsection ( I ) must be placed on the website not

later 30 than five days after its tabling in the council or on the date on which it must

be made public, whichever occurs first.Advertise and invite representations on any draft resolution on the proposed rates

and taxes on its website and public libraries, as required by Section 22 of the MFMA

and Section 21 A of the Systems Act

Copies of the draft and final Medium Term Revenue and Expenditure Framework /

(i.e. Municipal Budgets) in the prescribed format as per Section 17 of the Local

Government: Municipal Finance Management Act, 2003 with the following

supporting documents:

(a) Draft resolutions-

(i) approving the budget of the municipality;

(ii) imposing any municipal tax and setting any municipal tariffs as may be required

for the budget year; and

(iii) approving any other matter that may be prescribed;

1Section 57. Employment contracts for municipal managers and managers directly accountable to municipal managers.(1) A person to be

appointed as the municipal manager of a municipality, and a person to be appointed as a manager directly accountable to the municipal

manager.

2Also serves as proof of compliance with MFMA Circular No. 48

3http://www.treasury.gov.za/publications/igfr/2008/lg/Chapter%2011%20%20Fin%20Mgt%20and%20MFMA%20implementation.pdf


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(b) measurable performance objectives for revenue from each source and for each

vote in the budget, taking into account the municipalitys integrated development

plan;

(c) a projection of cash flow for the budget year by revenue source. broken down

per month;

(d) any proposed amendments to the municipalitys integrated development plan

following the annual review of the integrated development plan in terms of section

34 of the Municipal Systems Act;

(e) any proposed amendments to the budget-related policies of the municipality:

(f) particulars of the municipalitys investments;

(g) any prescribed budget information on municipal entities under the sole or

shared control of the municipality;

(h) particulars of all proposed new municipal entities which the municipality intends

to establish or in which the municipality intends to participate:

(i) particulars of any proposed service delivery agreements. including material

amendments to existing service delivery agreements;

( j ) particulars of any proposed allocations or grants by the municipality to-

(i) other municipalities;

(ii) any municipal entities and other external mechanisms assisting the Municipalityin the exercise of its functions or powers:

(iii) any other organs of state;

(iv) any organisations or bodies referred to in section 67( 1 ) :

(k) the proposed cost to the municipality for the budget year of the salary,

allowances and benefits of-

(i) each political office-bearer of the municipality;

(ii) councillors of the municipality; and

(iii) the municipal manager, the chief financial officer, each senior manager of the

municipality and any other official of the municipality having a remuneration

package greater than or equal to that of a senior manager;

( l ) the proposed cost for the budget year to a municipal entity under the sole or

shared control of the municipality of the salary, allowances and benefits of-

(i) each member of the entitys board of directors: and

(ii) the chief executive officer and each senior manager of the entity; and

(m) any other supporting documentation as may be prescribed.


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Any request for a formal written quotation which is likely to be in excess of R30000

must be advertised for at least 7 (seven) days on the municipal official website and

an official notice board as applicable4.

Municipal

Property RatesAct

Public notice of valuation rolls

49. (1) The valuer of a municipality must submit the certified valuation roll to themunicipal manager, and the municipal manager must within 21 days of receipt of

the roll-

(a) publish in the prescribed form in the provincial Gazette, and once a week for two

consecutive weeks advertise in the media, a notice-

(i) stating that the roll is open for public inspection for a period stated in the notice,

which may not be less than 30 days from the date of publication of the last notice;

and

(ii) inviting every person who wishes to lodge an objection in respect any matter in,

or omitted from, the roll to do so in the prescribed manner within the stated period;

(b) disseminate the substance of the notice referred to in paragraph (a ) to the

local community in terms of Chapter 4 of the Municipal Systems Act; and

(c) serve, by ordinary mail or, if appropriate, in accordance with section 115 of the

Municipal Systems Act, on every owner of property listed in the valuation roll a copy

of the notice referred to in paragraph (a) together with an extract of the valuation

roll pertaining to that owners property.

(2) If the municipality has an official website or another website available to it, the

notice and the valuation roll must also be published on that website 5.

4Fromwww.capetown.org.za

5http://www.info.gov.za/acts/2004/a6-04/a6-04c.pdf
http://www.capetown.org.za/http://www.capetown.org.za/http://www.capetown.org.za/http://www.info.gov.za/acts/2004/a6-04/a6-04c.pdfhttp://www.info.gov.za/acts/2004/a6-04/a6-04c.pdfhttp://www.info.gov.za/acts/2004/a6-04/a6-04c.pdfhttp://www.info.gov.za/acts/2004/a6-04/a6-04c.pdfhttp://www.capetown.org.za/