Collaboration Across Boundaries for Small Local Governments
Local governments can maximize their potential for providing quality public services through collaborative efforts. By coordinating their initiatives and consciously weaving a network of mutual support, communities can leverage their resources to achieve a greater impact. For example, sharing of data and information can enhance the effectiveness of public services such as public health initiatives and disaster preparedness planning. All key stakeholders such as decision-makers, budget administrators, residents and service providers should be actively engaged in interdependent collaboration to ensure that collective goals are achieved (Payson, 2021). Additionally, in order to deepen public sector accountability, local governments should embrace transparency in all levels of governance by allowing citizens to have access to official documents related to policy making as well as supporting open dialogue with the community.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 states, Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow....
But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two
lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand hima threefold cord is not quickly broken. Thus, from a...
…both internal officials and citizens are actively engaged in the process of collaboration across boundaries, public services stand to significantly benefit from the increased level of coordination.
Ensuring citizens are provided with quality public services and their satisfaction is paramount. Without collaboration, it could be difficult for small communities to provide the same level of services without having to endure large costs or experience limited resources. Collaboration between small communities has been acknowledged as a powerful tool for numerous development initiatives, granting access to wider platforms, resources and expertise that would otherwise not be an option. Communities coming together in this way can certainly make a difference by investing in…
