Local council performance indicators : a review of the current system

Abstract

This project is a study reviewing the current system of Local Council Performance Indicators, with the objective of highlighting the importance of Local Council performance evaluation. A general overview of the concept of local government is given leading to a thorough account of its development in Malta. The study describes the term "performance indicators" while illustrating the various factors of performance which can be measured or evaluated through their use. It also demonstrates the lack of performance evaluation of public services in Malta prior to the introduction of Local Councils and furthermore the limited application nowadays. The analytical aspect of this study was explored through researching local authorities of several countries reported upon by the Steering Committee on Local and Regional Authorities in 1997 and appraising their current approach towards the use of performance indicators in local public services while highlighting good practice examples. In conclusion after having identified the performance evaluation system adopted in England as the most appropriate for local application, a potential proposal is put forward suggesting initially the introduction of a pilot scheme involving the performance evaluation of an individual group of services.