OVERVIEW OF THE GOVERNMENT MANAGEMENT IMPROVEMENT MODEL (LGMIM)

In an attempt to support and improve the performance of municipalities, the Local Government Management Improvement Model (LGMIM) tool was developed to measure or benchmark the institutional performance of municipalities across a number of Key Performance Areas (KPAs).

In each KPA, performance is assessed against standards established with the assistance of relevant sector departments (e.g. National Treasury for financial management and Department of Water & Sanitation for water and sanitation services). LGMIM looks at the municipality from various angles concurrently, thus adopting a holistic approach to institutional performance analysis. LGMIM does not duplicate existing monitoring by sector departments or the auditing conducted by the Auditor-General. Instead, LGMIM draws on existing evidence from municipalities and secondary data from oversight bodies when conducting the assessment.

The LGMIM framework is built around six (6) KPAs against which compliance and the quality of management

practices is assessed, namely:

• Integrated Development Planning and Implementation

• Service Delivery

• Human Resource Management

• Financial Management

• Community Engagement/ Participation

• Governance

The KPAs are further broken down into Management Performance Standards against which performance is measured.

What differentiates LGMIM from other monitoring processes is that it provides a consolidated view of a municipality’s performance across several critical KPAs, thus making it easier to prioritise areas that are in need of significant improvement. At the same time LGMIM can assist sector departments and other stakeholders in identifying areas where frameworks and guidelines could be improved.

LGMIM Objectives

Given the above, particularly the importance of effective

1. Provide municipal leadership with a management information tool to reflect on how the municipality approaches its tasks in key management areas with a view to shaping management and administrative practices to deliver quality services;

2. Provide a framework to measure, monitor and support improved management practices in municipalities for quality service delivery and increased productivity;

3. Facilitate well-co-ordinated, targeted and differentiated support by national and provincial departments.

LGMIM LOGIC

The LGMIM considers and focuses on the managerial practices of a municipality. That is to determine what the organisation does and how it approaches its tasks to achieve the desired results.

The LGMIM assumes that good management practices combined with the necessary workplace capabilities will result in quality of service delivery & productivity. A municipality that scores at Level 1 or Level 2 for a management performance standard is not fully compliant with the legal, regulatory and prescribed best practice requirements and there is room for improvement before a level 3 score, indicating full compliance can be achieved. When a municipality scores a level 4 in respect of a management performance standard it means that it is fully compliant and operating smartly and or innovatively in respect of that management performance standard. The four levels are described below:

LGMIM Benefits

LGMIM can be a great asset to Executive Mayors and Municipal Managers who want to build strong and well-functioning municipalities. The Benefits includes:

• Grants municipalities an opportunity to reflect on management practices and operational processes.

• Assists municipalities identify where improvements are needed and the nature of the improvements.

• Guides the development and implementation of an improvement plan to give effect to the improvements.

• Focus for management on a set of key operational processes that are regularly measured, monitored and improved.

• Information generated through the LGMIM analysis can be used to inform the drafting of performance agreements.

Level 1

Municipality lacks basic adherence to management practices in line with legal, regulatory and prescribed best practice requirements. Affected management standard require serious attention from the management team.

Level 2

Municipality has some management practices in place that partially adhere to legal, regulatory and prescribed best practice requirements. A platform exists to become fully effective, but will require some attention from the management team.

Level 3

Municipality employs management practices in line with legal, regulatory and prescribed best practice requirements. The municipality is fully effective, and the management team should endeavour to sustain the good performance.

Level 4

Municipality employs management practices in line with legal, regulatory and prescribed best practice requirements and shows innovation.

PHYSICAL ADDRESS :

Department of Planning Monitoring and Evaluation

Hatfield Office: 330 Grosvenor Street, Hatfield, Pretoria, 0028