Commonwealth launches new network for local government finance officers

Local government finance officers will be able to discuss the practical issues and implications arising from financial decentralisation through a new network set up by the Commonwealth Secretariat.

This network, known as CFONet, will facilitate discussion on issues such as inter-governmental transfers and borrowing by local governments. It will also promote stewardship and fiduciary responsibility as fundamental principles.

“Many local and central governments we have been in contact with have shared their concerns about the complexities of managing delegated financial authority between local and central governments,” said Jacqueline Wilson, Director of Governance and Institutional Development at the Secretariat. “We hope this network will encourage finance officers across the Commonwealth to share both best practices and the various lessons learned in their own member countries.”

CFONet was launched on 9 October 2009 at the Fifth Commonwealth Executive Programme on Finance for Sub-national and Local Governments held at the University of Birmingham in the UK. Although finance officers who have benefited from this programme currently make up the members of CFONet, it is open to other public sector officers from all over the Commonwealth.

To date, the Secretariat has organised six pan-Commonwealth programmes on local government finance at the University of Birmingham, as well as a recent more regionally focused programme in Malaysia for representatives from Commonwealth Asian and Pacific countries.

The objective of these programmes is to expose public officials to key challenges relating to municipal finances and offer guidance on potential solutions. Officials managing local government finances in central or local governments, chief finance officers, and officers working in the Local Government Finance Commissions, have all attended these programmes.

“The CFONet is a welcome initiative which will assist the senior management of local governments in the decision-making process mainly to balance competition for limited resources, and promote and help deliver value for money, good stewardship and ultimately help to safeguard taxpayers' money,” said Manzoor Sheikh, District Co-ordination Officer from Pakistan, who participated in the most recent programme in Birmingham.

“I hope that this Commonwealth network will not only promote professional issues, but would also facilitate adequate exposure to good practices around the world.”

Email localgovernment@commonwealth.int if you are interested in becoming a member of CFONet.

Key Links:

• Topic Guide on Decentralisation and Local Government
• Public Sector Development