Title: Importance of Accountability in Local Government
Headings: Importance of Accountability in Local Government
Importance of Accountability in Local Government
Article highlights
The Importance of Ethics in Government Accountability
Ways to Create a Culture of Accountability in Local Government
Values-driven leadership
Ethics training
Written policies and procedures
Independent ethics commission or officer
Accountability audits and assessments
Some states require accountability audits.
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Content: Local governments should focus on ethical values. Government agencies should teach leaders and supervisors to lead with those principles at the center of everything they do. As Brent Gleeson wrote in an article in Forbes: “ [Values-based leadership] just means leading the team and evaluating performance – both your own and the team's – based more so on the organization's set of values rather than specific metrics and milestones. Managers still have to oversee their team member's ability to execute and be accountable for their role in mission success, but values-based evaluations can't be an afterthought.” For local governments, core values such as integrity, equality, and transparency should provide the foundation for every decision and policy. Citizens won’t care if the government achieves results if government employees do it through misusing funds, cutting corners, or accepting bribes. People need to be able to trust their local government to act responsibly. This makes transparency and public disclosure especially important. Citizens should be able to see how the government is spending their tax money, what services the government is providing, and how government officials are working to improve the community.