"Local government is a generic term for the lowest tiers of public administration within a particular sovereign state."
The different forms and levels of local administration, including municipalities, counties, cities, and districts, and their organizational structures, functions, and processes.
Local government: This topic covers the structure, functions, and responsibilities of local government entities.
Local administration systems: This discusses the administrative systems used by local government bodies to facilitate efficient service delivery to their constituents.
Local government finance: This explains the financial management systems used by local government entities to manage their resources and fund public services.
Local government institutions: This covers various institutions within the local government hierarchy such as the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, as well as the different local government units.
Local government policy-making: This is the process through which local governments make policies that shape their operations and services, shape their communities and shape their overall development.
Public participation and engagement: This is the active participation of citizens in local governance initiatives and decision-making processes.
Human resource management: This covers how local government entities recruit, manage, and develop their human capital through training, hiring, evaluation, and monitoring.
Information communication technology (ICT) in local governance: This discusses how local government entities use ICT to better the delivery of efficient services and communication with constituents.
Intergovernmental relations: This covers the relationship between local government entities and their respective central governments, as well as dealings with other local government bodies.
Public service delivery: This includes the provision of essential services such as water supply, health care, transport services, and waste management.
Municipal Governments: These are the most common forms of local administration structures found in urban areas. They are responsible for providing services such as police, fire protection, sanitation, and public works.
County Governments: These are local administration systems that serve as the governing bodies of counties. They deal mostly with rural areas and are responsible for services such as law enforcement, parks and recreation areas, and social services.
Regional Governments: These systems provide services to multiple municipalities or counties, such as transportation planning, economic development, and environmental protection.
Metropolitan Governments: These are structures that serve large urban areas such as cities or suburbs. They provide services such as public transportation, zoning regulations, and emergency services.
Township Governments: These local government systems are used mostly in rural areas and are responsible for services like road maintenance, fire protection, and public parks.
Village Governments: These are similar to municipal governments but on a smaller scale, serving smaller municipalities or towns.
School Districts: These are local administration systems responsible for the management of public schools within a particular geographic area.
Special Districts: These are local administration systems that are set up to provide specific services, such as water supply, sewage treatment, or fire protection.
Regional Planning Commissions: These are organizations responsible for coordinating land use and planning across multiple municipalities or counties.
Councils of Government: These are organizations that coordinate services and share resources between different local administration systems in a region.
Home Rule Charters: These are structures that grant local governments greater flexibility and authority in administering local affairs.
Mayor-Council Governments: These are systems where the mayor is the chief executive and the council serves as the legislative body.
Council-Manager Governments: These are systems where a professional manager is appointed to oversee the day-to-day operations of the local government, with the council serving as the legislative body.
Commission Governments: These are systems where multiple commissioners are elected to serve as the legislative and executive bodies of the local government.
"The term local government is always used specifically in contrast to national government."
"Sub-national, first-level administrative divisions (which are generally known by names such as cantons, provinces, states, oblasts, or regions)."
"Local governments generally act only within powers specifically delegated to them by law and/or directives of a higher level of government."
"In federal states, local government generally comprises a third or fourth tier of government."
"The question of municipal autonomy is a key question of public administration and governance."
"Yes, local elections are held in many countries."
"The institutions of local government vary greatly between countries."
"Common designated names for local government entities include state, province, region, canton, department, county, prefecture, district, city, township, town, borough, parish, municipality, shire, village, ward, local service district, and local government area."
"Local government is a level of administration that is both geographically localized and has limited powers."
"In some countries, 'government' is normally reserved purely for a national administration."
"The term local government is always used specifically in contrast to national government – as well as, in many cases, the activities of sub-national, first-level administrative divisions."
"In unitary states, local government usually occupies the second or third tier of government."
"Local governments generally act only within powers specifically delegated to them by law and/or directives of a higher level of government."
"In federal states, local government generally comprises a third or fourth tier of government."
"The institutions of local government vary greatly between countries."
"Common designated names for local government entities include state, province, region, canton, department, county, prefecture, district, city, township, town, borough, parish, municipality, shire, village, ward, local service district, and local government area."
"The term local government is always used specifically in contrast to national government – as well as, in many cases, the activities of sub-national, first-level administrative divisions."
"Local government usually occupies the second or third tier of government in unitary states."
"Local governments generally act only within powers specifically delegated to them by law and/or directives of a higher level of government."