Contact: Rodrick Fayayo
Coordinator
Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA)
BPRA to Host Think Tank on Alternative Revenue Sources for Local Authorities
Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) will on Wednesday 29 February 2012 host a think tank meeting to discuss alternative means for the local authority to generate revenue. The meeting will be held at the Unlimited Connect Centre (UCC) in the Central Business District (CBD) from 1400hrs to 1700hrs. The topic for the think tank will be “Alternative Funding Sources for Local Authorities: The Case of Bulawayo.” The think tank will bring together experts including Dr Eric Bloch, Bulawayo City Council (BCC) leaders, the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) under the aegis of the National University of Science and Technology and development scholars from Lupane State University to discuss strategies that local authorities can utilise to raise revenue without overburdening residents, most of whom are earning salaries below the poverty datum line or unemployed.
BPRA has noted that despite the fact that Bulawayo is one of the best run cities in the country and the region at large, service delivery provision by the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has deteriorated over the past ten years due to difficulties in raising revenue to finance operations. Consequently, Bulawayo residents have found themselves in a quandary, faced on one hand by declining service delivery standards and on the other by increasing tariffs as the local authority attempts to improve revenue flows.
BPRA is thus holding the think tank to discuss alternative strategies to raise revenue for the local authority and mechanisms to revitalise current revenue collection methods in an effort to ease the burden on residents who face high rates in comparison to their incomes, and also in an effort to contribute to the improvement of service delivery in the city. BPRA believes that it is the duty of stakeholders such as residents associations, civil societies organisations and the corporate sector to advise local authorities on alternative methods of raising revenues.
The objectives of the think tank are:
· To discuss and deliberate alternative strategies and systems for the local authority revenue streams
· To map out the way forward on alternative funding strategies for the ailing local authority
· To produce a working document for action by the local authority
· To promote awareness and increase understanding of the administration and operations of the local authority
· To build a strategic working relationship between BCC and relevant stakeholders
· To foster participatory approaches to development issues, policy formulation and implementation towards human rights based service delivery
Signed
Mr Rodrick Fayayo
Coordinator
Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA)
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