Raise the bar for council heads

Posted on 30 August 2011 - 07:29pm
Last updated on 30 August 2011 - 08:10pm

R. Nadeswaran

IN SEPTEMBER last year, the Redbridge Borough Council in London put out a request to all its ratepayers – Tell us how this council can save £25 million. The council had to slash its expenditure in line with the government's cut in budgets across the board including local authorities.
Email shots, leaflets and even billboards carried the message asking residents to give their views. The council had little choice as it expected the public to prioritise their needs. Is there a necessity for the council to maintain nine libraries in the borough which provide free Internet access?
Was there a necessity to print documents in 12 languages to cater for all races? Was there a need to have interpreters on retainer to handle complaints and issues with residents who speak in 30 different languages? Should the council hive-off the recreational facilities it owned like swimming pools, fitness centres and even a golf course?
The choices were hard. More than 4,000 responded but instead of opting for charging a small fee for borrowing library books or using the Internet, more than a quarter offered the same solution – downsize the number of councillors and reduce their allowances.
They wanted a massive reduction of salaries of senior council employees while not affecting the rank and file who provide yeomen service. Such moves, it seems, are the answers to all the woes facing local councils. The suggestion is not surprising though. The often-publicised salaries of council chiefs have been severely criticised and some earn more than the prime minister.
But the high salaries are often justified by the fact that to get the best people to work for the council, you have to pay big money. And the often-repeated phrase is "when you pay peanuts, you'll only get monkeys."
The appointment of chief executive officers is made by the councils themselves with no interference from any quarter. The candidate is interviewed, evaluated and then appointed. In many cases, councils seek to pinch candidates from other councils because of their efficiency and the manner in which they turned around mediocre ones into efficient organisations.
So, this brings about the issue of getting the best men or women for local councils in Malaysia. Should local councils go head-hunting and pay salaries based on merit? Why not? Why should council chiefs be drawn from the civil service while council staff like planners, engineers, clerks and drivers are recruited directly?
If someone from outside can come and clean up the mess, no one will grudge him or her for what he or she is paid as long as the administration is streamlined and better services provided to the ratepayers. If he or she can cut the wastage, plug the leaks which result in million-ringgit losses, it would be a small price to pay for saving so much of the people's money.
As it stands, council chiefs are drawn from the civil service pool, some of whom have little or no experience managing local councils. Because of their seniority in terms of service with the government, they are sent on promotion as presidents of councils.
Has the time come to do away with this practice? The trend started in Selangor when the State Development Corporation (PKNS) – an arm of the government – advertised the vacancy for the post of general manager and interviewed several candidates before appointing the current one.
Previously, the state merely seconded someone from the state government or promoted from within.
Having already set the trend and choosing from "outside", shouldn't chiefs for the various municipalities be similarly appointed?
Set them the targets which have to be achieved and if they are accomplished, reward them handsomely. Having said that, if they fail to reach the level of expectations, they should be prepared to offer their resignation and walk away.
It is the best solution for local government which has for too long been burdened under the pile of bureaucracy and meddling politicians.
R. Nadeswaran says the way forward for local councils is to have CEOs who have a "private sector" mentality where the bottom line is paramount without sacrificing efficiency and quality. He is theSun's UK correspondent based in London and can be reached at: citizen-nades@thesundaily.com