The performance measurement system enables the local governments to determine their capabilities and limitations in the discharge of key functions and as a result, in the delivery of essential public services. It is a self-assessment, management and development tool that can be used by both the local governments and provincial government in tracking local governments’ performance over a period of time as well as among themselves.

The performance measurement system will generate information that will help the key stakeholders i.e. local governments, provincial government and general public, to work together as partners in pursuit of good local governance through:

The performance measurement system looks into a local government under seven performance areas. Within these areas are pre-defined indicators categorized into inputs and outputs to reflect local government management capacity, service provision and development condition. These areas are as follows:

• Council Operations
• Inter-governmental Relationship
• Financial Management
• Public Participation
• Administration
• Service Delivery
• Gender Equality

The software designed for the performance measurement system allows on-line data input, processing and analysis. Likewise, the software is designed to allow the provincial government to customize its own reports based on specific development requirements. To access the system, each local government is provided with a user name and a password.

Benefits of Local Government Performance Measurement:

• Improves local government management and operations

• Suggests ways to provide high-quality and essential public services
• Improves planning, budgeting, and rational allocation of resources
• Stimulates innovations
• Strengthens transparency, accountability and participation
• Helps achieve a focused vision for the future
• Provides benchmarks for local government performance
• Provides a basis for capacity-building initiatives
• Identifies good local governance and sustainable development practices
• Provides a basis for strategic allocation of resources to local governments
• Serves as a medium for better awareness of local governments’ operations
• Stimulates effective participation in governance