Zimpapers Logo

Whinsley Masara, Chronicle Reporter
LOCAL authorities have been urged to embark on developmental projects to widen their revenue base so that they do not rely on taxes and user charges only.

Speaking at a workshop to craft the Local Economic Development Framework and Development of Local Economic Development Tools which ended in Bulawayo yesterday, the Project Manager for Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF), Mr Leopold Bhoroma, said most local authorities are struggling due to financial challenges.

He said the local authorities are playing more of an administrative role and delivering basic services, restricting themselves to collecting taxes and user charges only, yet they could do more.

“This workshop is bringing local authorities and government representatives together to talk about local economic development. The issue is that Local Authorities are not financially sustainable; they are depending and they have always depended on taxation and taxation is not enough,” he said.

“They should focus on the development of their local economy so that they can increase their revenue bases and provide better services. There hasn’t been that deliberate thinking on the local authority’s role in developing their local economies.”

Mr Bhoroma said facilitating Local Economic Development (LED) brings economic benefits and improved quality of life for all residents in a local authority.

“LED involves building up the economic capacity of a local area to improve its economic future and the quality of life for all. It is a process by which the public, business and NGOs sector partners work collectively to create better conditions for employment generation,” he said.

Mr Bhoroma said local authorities should not only focus on road maintenance, refuse collection, allocating stands and water issues but should assist in economic development.

“They should think towards developing their economies as those only will sustain local authorities going into the future if they have to play a leading role in the development of areas under their jurisdiction and to better the lives of people under their jurisdiction. That is not just a practice but a constitutional responsibility. The constitution demands that local authorities be responsible for the development of areas under their jurisdiction.

“They are given the right to govern the affairs of people within their areas and so by that mandate, developing the economies and bettering the lives is not an option,” said Mr Bhoroma. — @winnie_masara.