Local government

LOCAL GOVERNMENT FINANCE UMD7 – INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT

JULIA SKINNER
PERU

COUNTRY | Peru |
MUNICIPALITY | Several Peruvian district municipalities (average of 1600) |
ASPECT | Peruviansystem |
LEVELS AND RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN LEVELS | There are three tiers of government: central, regional and local (provincial and district). The latter is the lowest tier of autonomous sub-nationalgovernment. |
SIZE OF UNITS | There are around 1650 district municipalities and they are all highly heterogeneous in terms of size, fiscal and spending capabilities. |
RANGE OF FUNCTIONS | Theircompetencies are set by national law and include provision of local public services (waste collection, health inspections, measures controls, local police and civil register) and infrastructure(construction and maintenance of roads, bridges, schools, health centers, irrigation projects, water and sanitation, parks, markets, etc.) , urban planning and business licensing. They participate as well aslocal liaisons in central government programs related to poverty reduction, food support, health and education. |
CLARITY OF FUNCTIONS | Although the main limitation is that the infrastructureshould have a local impact, in practice there is confusion about which projects are local and overlapping with other government agencies. This is why there is close coordination between municipalities andseveral different public bodies. |
LOCAL REPRESENTATIVES OF CENTRAL GOVERNMENT | None |
REGIONAL GOVERNMENT | By law each regional assembly consists of provincial mayors (30 %), directly electedrepresentatives (40 %), and delegates from institutions representative of the social, economic, and cultural activities of the region (30 %). |
ELECTION SYSTEM | Local authorities are appointed inlocal elections and serve for a 4-year term without term limits |
TURNOUT FOR LOCAL ELECTIONS | 87.7 – 88.7 %. Voting in Peru is compulsory |
LOCAL GOVERNANCE SYSTEM | The mayor plays an executive...