Table of Contents

Foreword

Acknowledgements

How to Use This Manual

Introduction

Chapter 1: The Zimbabwe Local Government System

Chapter 2: Framework for Council Operations

Chapter 3: The Ideal Councillor

Chapter 4: Corporate Ethics

Chapter 5: Meetings of Council

Chapter 6: Policy Formulation

Chapter 7: Implementation and Monitoring

Chapter 8: Clients, Stakeholders and Their Needs

Chapter 9: Gender Mainstreaming

Chapter 10: Planning and Budgeting

Chapter 11: Financial Management

Chapter 12: Procurement

Chapter 13: Human Resource Management

Chapter 14: Protocol and Etiquette

Chapter 15: From Promises to Results

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FOREWORD

Local authorities play a crucial role in service delivery and the broader development of
any country. In the context of Zimbabwe , Rural District Councils and Urban Councils are
not only mandated to directly provide essential services to residents but are also
responsible for facilitating other development agencies to effectively execute their
responsibilities in various ways. In addition, local authorities in Zimbabwe also help to
place ‘Government’ closer to the people that it is meant to serve.

Councillors occupy a central position in all councils. Being representatives of their

people, councillors are the policy makers at local authority level. Through the
committee system, Council drives its business and gives the overall direction to their
individual local authorities.

Given the above, it is essential that all Councillors be fully empowered to effectively
discharge these responsibilities through a well-coordinated capacity building exercise.

Accordingly, the Councillors’ Induction Handbook is meant to provide the necessary

knowledge and skills to councillors so as to enable you to perform your duties to the
expectations of your people. The induction exercise is broadly structured so as to
provide a wide understanding of the local government system, the relationship between
councils and other key public institutions, the mandate of local authorities, among other
relevant topics.

Finally, it is emphasized that this induction exercise is just but the first key step in the
councillors’ capacity building programme. Following completion of this exercise,
additional needs based capacity development exercise will be executed th roughout the
life span of the current council.

Welcome to the Local Government family!!

K. Mupingo
Secretary for Local Government Urban and Rural Development

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How to Use the Manual
This manual brings together information contained in several so urces-;
 The Constitution of Zimbabwe (2013)
 Acts of Parliament relevant to local government
 Rural District Councils Act [Chapter 29:15]
 Labour Act [Chapter]
 Public Finance Management Act [Chapter 22:19]
 Procurement Act [Chapter 22:14]
 Statutory Instruments
 Circulars
 General management books and manuals

The manual should be read together with these important documents. These should be
available to you at your council offices. Whenever a councillor wishes to conduct council
business, it is important that he/she reads the relevant chapters in the manual.

Where a councillor is not sure, he/she should consult the Town Clerk/Secretary for
interpretation of sections in the manual.

This manual shall form the basis of the councillors’ code of conduct. Councillors are
expected to adhere to the provisions of this manual and legal instruments as enacted
and amended from time to time.

Objectives of Induction
 To facilitate councillors understanding of the legal and policy framework of the
local government system in Zimbabwe
 To capacitate councillors to effectively and efficiently discharge their duties

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CHAPTER 1:
ZIMBABWE LOCAL GOVERNMENT SYSTEM

Zimbabwe is a unitary, democratic and sovereign republic of which local authorities is a

tier. The unitary state mechanism comprises of the following tiers;-
a) National Government
b) Provincial and Metropolitan councils; and
c) Local authorities, that is to say –
1) Urban Councils to represent and manage the affairs of people in urban areas.
2) Rural District Councils to represent and manage the affairs of people in rural
areas within the districts into which the provinces are divided.

Definition of Central Government

Central government is a system of public administration whose structure, powers and
functions are given in the constitution and statute law as approved by a body of elected
representatives at national level called Parliament.

Definition of Local Government

Local Government is a lower level of public administration which uses both
constitutional and delegated powers and functions to manage local affairs and provide
services through a body of elected representatives at local level called a council.

Why do we have local government?

The Government of Zimbabwe established local authorities for a number of reasons: -
 To bring government closer to the people by giving them access to their leaders
 To enhance provision of services such as roads, water, waste management,
education and health etc.
 To facilitate community participation in decision making and resource allocation.
 To facilitate the equitable allocation of national resources.
That is why the local government system is provided for in the Constitution of
Zimbabwe in Chapter 14

The History of local government in Zimbabwe

Local government has been in existence in Zimbabwe since the 18 th century. It was first
there in the form of our traditional structures of Kings, Chiefs, Headmen and Village
Heads. After colonisation local government structures were set up to suit the colonial
government’s needs and these were always segregated along racial lines with a system
that served white interests and another that allowed for stronger control in those areas
assigned to blacks.

At Independence the following structures were in place;

Urban Councils looked after the interests of those living in cities and towns. White
ratepayers dominated them and only property owners could become councillors.

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Rural Councils covered the commercial farming areas but only permitted landowners to
vote. This meant that farm workers had no representation in local government matters
even though they formed the majority of the residents of the area. Rural Councils were
interested mainly in the provision of roads within the farming areas and the provision
of services to the small urban centres within their boundaries.

African Councils were responsible for the Tribal Trust Lands. They were made up of
appointed representatives and the white District Commissioner had the final power.
They were small and unviable and depended entirely on Government for funding. They
offered limited basic social services.

After Independence, efforts were made to remove racial bias from local government.
Systems were unified and improved to give us the structures that we have today. Farm
and mine workers were given the right to vote and councils were given greater powers
and responsibilities.

Currently there are two types of local authorities in Zimbabwe;

Rural District Councils which are established in terms of the Rural District Councils
Act [Chapter 29:13] and cover rural areas and small service centres. There is only one
type of Rural District Council. Currently there are sixty Rural District Councils in
Zimbabwe.

Urban Councils which are established in terms of the Urban Councils Act [Chapter
29:15] and cover urban areas. There are four different status of urban councils; cities,
municipalities, towns and local boards. The status of an urban council is dependent on a
number of factors including size and population, infrastructure, services offered and
social developments. Some areas are declared urban councils because they have special
needs like Lupane because it is the new provincial capital of Matabeleland North or
Chirundu because it is an important border post. Currently there are thirty two urban
councils in Zimbabwe.

The latest development is the inclusion of local government in the new Constitution.
This means that the importance of local government is recognised and its guiding values
are set out in this principal law. It also guarantees central government fu nding.

The period we are in now will determine future local government laws as all current
Acts will be amended in line with the new constitution.

Operational system for local government

The system of local government in Zimbabwe operates on a system of d elegated power.

Delegation is the giving of one’s rights and powers to another. The person/institution
who receives this power is called the delegate. The delegate is supposed to use the

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powers within a given set of rules. Delegated powers may be taken b ack by the one who
gave them if these powers are misused in any way.

In Zimbabwe there are three levels of Government namely national, provincial and local
government. The first is central government consisting of the President and Cabinet
responsible for policy making and Ministries which are implementing agencies.

The second level of government is called provincial government in the form of

Provincial and Metropolitan Councils

The third level of government is called local government and is made up of local
authorities. Below the local authorities there are structures such as wards and villages.

This is the way the local government system operates in Zimbabwe;

 The President appoints a Minister to be responsible for matters of local government.
 The Minister is a member of the Cabinet and because s/he is responsible for local
government, s/he is required to report to Parliament on all local government matters
and answer any questions on the subject.
 The Minister has powers in terms of Urban and Rural District Councils Acts. These
powers allow the Minister to monitor and supervise local authorities.
 The Minister has his/her own administrative structure to undertake his/her functions.
The structure includes the Permanent Secretary, the Directors at the Head Office of the
Ministry, Provincial and District Administrators and their support staff. The
Permanent Secretary, the Provincial Administrator and the District Administrator are
not written in the Act but they carry out the work of the Minister and should be
regarded as his/her representatives when they are undertaking their work.
 The Minister of Local Government is not the only Minister who delegates powers and
functions to local authorities. Both Urban and Rural District Councils carry out
functions on behalf of various Ministries including the Ministries responsible for
Health, Education, Environment, Roads and Water etc. The Ministers responsible for
those areas set standards and monitor the activities Councils undertake in those areas.
Officials of those Ministries oversee Councils in those matters and provide advice and
assistance. In some cases Ministries even provide funds for the council to use in
providing the services.
Autonomy versus Independence
Every council needs to know where it stands when it is making decisions, how far it can
go on its own and where its power begins and end. It is therefore important that you
understand the meaning of these two words;

Autonomy is a system that is allowed to govern itself, but the main rules are set and the
self-governance takes place within those rules. Within an autonomous system the one
who sets the rules will require accountability from his/her delegate.

Independence is a system that is allowed to govern itself. It makes its own rules and
answers to itself for its activities.

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It is important that you understand that Local Authorities are autonomous but not
independent. They can make rules and decisions as long as they do not breach the rules
and statutes of the country. They also have to explain what they are doing to the central
government.

The Establishment of a Council

Councils are set by means of a proclamation by the President published in the
Government Gazette. The proclamation will include the following information;
 the type of council,
 the name of the council,
 the area in which the council will operate
 the number of wards in the council

The President may also change a council by altering its boundaries or the boundaries of
the wards, by changing its name or by changing the type of council. The President may
also abolish a council. This is usually done where a council has been divided because the
area it controls is too big. Any changes made to a council have to be published in a
proclamation.

Whenever the President establishes or changes a council s/he does so, on the advice
given to him/her by the Minister of Local Government. Before the Minister makes
his/her recommendations to the President, s/he may set up a Commission. This
Commission is sent to the area to find out the system that would b est serve the interests
of the State and the residents. The Commission then writes a report to the Minister and
the Minister makes his/her recommendations after considering the report.

Council as a Legal Entity

Urban Councils Act [Chapter 29:15] says that the council is a body corporate. What
does that mean? It means that the Council is like a person in terms of the law. This
means that a Council can sue other people and other people can sue the Council. It also
means that a council is a continuous entity, which means the Council exists from the day
that it is established until it is abolished even though the councillors and staff may
change. If a council made a decision in 1995, the current council is still required to stand
by that decision unless it changes it. Another person may also sue you for that decision.

The laws that operate in Zimbabwe are binding on all councils and they cannot do
anything that the law does not permit. If it does, this action is called ultra vires. An
example would be if a council decided only to allocate sites for worship to Christians
and to deny other religions sites. The Constitution of Zimbabwe allows for freedom of
worship and so all religions have to be treated in the same way.

A Council only has the authority to operate inside the area that was given to it in the
Proclamation. This area is called the jurisdiction. Councillors need to know the
boundaries of both the Council and the wards so that they do not step into another local
authority’s territory.

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The Composition of Council
Councils are made up of elected councillors. Each ward has one elected councillor to
represent the people of that ward.

Each council, at its first meeting, has to choose a Mayor. The Mayor then becomes the
leader of Council but s/he does not have executive power. This means that s/he is not
part of the staff of council and cannot make decisions alone. S/he is called the first
among equals.

Each council has staff that perform the duties necessary to fulfil the council mandate.
The council staff is called the executive and is headed by a Town Clerk/ Secretary.

A council must practise what is called division of labour. This is where each person
should do the job they are supposed to do. If people did each other’s work there would
be chaos. In a local authority, the Council makes the policy and the executive implement
it. When implementing a policy the executive will follow the rules given to it by the
Council itself, the Government and/or the professionals concerned. Councillors as
individuals do not give instructions to members of the executive, because it is not their
job. Councillors communicate through the Town Clerk/ Secretary because the day to
day running of council is the responsibility of the Town Clerk/ Secretary and his/her
staff.

Councils must observe separation of functions. This means that councillors should not
become involved in the day to day operations of the council and members of staff should
not become involved in the political aspects of council. If each player in the council do es
what s/he is supposed to, then progress will be made.

What Happens When There Is No Council?

Urban Councils Act [Chapter 29:15] mandates the Minister to appoint persons as
Commissioners to run council affairs in the absence of councillors.

The Role of the Ministry in Councils

All local authorities are the responsibility of the Ministry of Local Government, because
the Minister is accountable to Parliament for their activities. The Ministry therefore
performs a monitoring role over urban councils through attendance at council meetings,
analysis of minutes and reports, monitoring visits and systems audits. The Minister also
provides regulation advice and sanction to local authorities.

The Minister also facilitates local authorities in their activities by providing sound legal
framework for operations, mobilising resources and by coordinating government
ministries to assist councils. The Minister also plays a promotion role by advocating for
local authorities and by intervening in disputes between councils and clients. The

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minister is represented by functionaries in the form of staff of the ministry particularly
the Secretary, Provincial and District Administrators and their staff.

Provincial Government
In terms of the new Constitution, the provincial government is made up of either a
provincial or metropolitan council. All councils are represented at Provincial Council by
Mayor or Chairperson.

Provincial Council
The Provincial Council is established in terms of the constitution of Zimbabwe. The
Provincial council is chaired by a person elected in terms of section 272 of the
constitution which provides that one of two qualified persons submitted by a political
party which gained the highest number of national assembly seats in the province or
from the political party which received the highest number of votes cast in the province
in that general election for members of the national assembly. The other members of
the provincial council include;
1 All members of Parliament
2 Two senator chiefs elected from the province. If the president or deputy
president of the council of Chiefs comes from that province they are also
members.
3 All Mayors and Chairpersons of all urban and rural local authorities in the
province concerned.
4 The ten persons elected from the province.

The Metropolitan Council

The metropolitan councils are also established in terms of the constitution in the two
metropolitan provinces in Zimbabwe, namely Harare and Bulawayo.

For each of the metropolitan provinces there is a metropolitan council consisting of;
1. In the case of Bulawayo, the Mayor of the City of Bulawayo, who is the
chairperson of the Bulawayo Metropolitan Council.
2. In the case of Harare;-
a) The Mayor of the city of Harare, who is the chairperson of the Harare
Metropolitan council.
b) The Mayor or chairperson of the second largest urban local authority within
the province, who is the deputy chairperson of the Harare Metropolitan
council.
3. All members of the national assembly whose constituencies fall within the
metropolitan province concerned.
4. The women members of the National Assembly who are elected in terms of
section 124(1)(b) from the metropolitan province concerned.
5. The Senators elected from the metropolitan province concerned.
6. The mayors and deputy mayors and the chairpersons and deputy cha irpersons,
of all local authorities in the metropolitan province concerned.

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Functions of Provincial and Metropolitan Councils:
A provincial or metropolitan council is responsible for the social and economic
development of its province, including;
1 Planning and implementing social and economic development activities in its
province.
2 Coordinating and implementing government programmes in its province.
3 Planning and implementing measures for the conservation, improvement and
management of natural resources in its province.
4 Promoting tourism in its province, and developing facilities for that purpose.
5 Monitoring and evaluating the use of resources in its province.
6 Exercising any other functions, including legislative functions; that may be
conferred or imposed on it by or under an Act of Parliament.

The local government system in Zimbabwe only works if everyone plays his or her part.

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CHAPTER 2:
THE FRAMEWORK FOR COUNCIL OPERATIONS

Introduction
This chapter provides a guide for council operations. In order to arrive at your
destination you need to know where you are going.

What Is a Vision
A vision is a dream. A reflection of the way we want things to be in the future. Imagine if
you left Zimbabwe now and then flew back in five years’ time. How would you want
things to be? That is a vision?

National Vision
Zimbabwe has a national vision which reads;
“To emerge a great, united, strong, democratic and prosperous nation with a high
quality of life for all Zimbabweans by the year 2020”

Visions are reviewed from time to time.

Based on the national vision, each individual Ministry has a mission. A mission is a
statement of intent in order to achieve the national vision. Every Ministry has to play its
part in fulfilling the national vision. A mission is also called your reason for being or
your purpose in life.

Your Ministry has a Mission;

“To provide leadership in the provision of sustainable local government services
for the improvement of the welfare of the people of Zimbabwe”

Does your council have a mission? What is your reason for existing? How does your
council fit into the national scheme of things? What part are you playing in bringing
about the vision for Zimbabwe?

These are questions you need to think about and then discuss in Council. W hen you
have a mission you should advertise it and use it regularly to check that you are doing
what you are supposed to do and playing your part in national building.

The Legal Framework of Operations of a Council

Councils are legal entities. This means you exist because of a law. The law that
established your council is the Urban Councils Act [Chapter 29:15] and this law also
gives you functions and duties but at the same time controls and limits you. It says you
can do this but not that. It is the duty of every councillor to go through the Act so that
you know what you can and cannot do. You must make sure the Act is there at every
meeting and you should always refer to it.

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Every now and again Parliament changes the existing laws and these changes are c alled
amendments. The Urban Councils Act has been amended on more than one occasion
and would be amended again soon to be aligned with the new Constitution . It is
essential that the amendments to the Act are made in the copies of the Acts that the
Council uses. This writing of the changes in the Act is called annotation.

The Urban Councils Act [Chapter 29:15] flows from the constitution. The constitution is
the supreme law of the land which sets out the rights of individuals and council should
never do anything that undermines the rights of the individuals who live in its area.

There are other pieces of legislation that also control councils some of which are listed
below

Burial and Cremations Act [Chap 5:05]

Cemeteries Act [Chap 5:04]
City of Bulawayo (Private) Act [Chap 29:02]
City of Gweru (Private) Act [Chap 29:03]
City of Harare (Private) Act [Chap 29:04]
City of Mutare (Private) Act [Chap 29:05]
Civil Protection [Chap 10:06]
Education Act [Chap 25:04]
Environmental Management Act [Chap 20:27]
Foreign Representatives Parking Privileges Act [Chap 3:02]
Harare City Building (Private) Act [Chap 29:07]
Labour Act [Chap 28:01]
Liquor Act [Chap 14:12]
Local Authorities Employees (Pension Scheme) Act [Chap 29:09]
Mines and Minerals Act [Chap 21:05]
Municipal Traffic Laws Enforcement Act [Chap 29:10]
Names (Alteration) Act [Chap 10:14]
Provincial Councils and Administration Act [Chap 29:11]
Public Health Act[Chap 15:09]
Regional, Town and Country Planning Act [Chap 29:12]
Roads Act [Chap 13:18]
Shop Licences Act [Chap 14:17]
Traditional Beer Act [Chap14: 24]
Urban Areas (Omnibus Services) Act [Chap 29:14]
Water Act [Chap 20:22]

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To complement the Acts of Parliament mentioned above, relevant Ministers periodic ally
make Statutory Instruments and Proclamations which are also called subsidiary
legislation. Subsidiary legislation often gives detail as to how things are to be done.

Local authorities are also empowered to make subsidiary legislation in the form of by -
laws. These should be approved by the Minister.

The Urban Councils Act [Chapter 29:15] gives the Minister the right to issue Circulars to
councils which should be observed.

All councils must know and follow the laws that govern them. It is the responsibility of
your Town Clerk/ Secretary to give you advice on the contents of the law whenever you
discuss a matter but it is your responsibility to make sure that s/he does so. If you act
ultra vires [which means outside the law] it is you as councillors that have to answer for
your mistakes.

Integrated Results Based Management [IRBM]

The whole government system is using a management style known as Results Based
Management. Councils are also expected to use this system, which ensures that we use
the resources we have for achieving the best results. RBM is a way of thinking – a way of
doing things better.

Why Do We Need RBM?

 Resources are always in short supply and we need to use them wisely.
 The public demand for better quality and appropriate services.
 People are more aware of their rights.
 Financial controllers, including donors, are demanding that we use what we have
more effectively.
 Financiers, including donors and the tax payer are demanding more accountability
 Priorities need to be set using a system that is right and that is known.
 Implementation needs to be done following a proper order and according to
priorities.
 We need to monitor what we do.
 A need for transparency and specific accountability
 It is the best way to make promises a reality.

The Results Based Management System

As a councillor you are part of the Council which is the decision making body. You
should not make excuses for failures or blame others; you have to fix it so that services
are properly delivered because that is your reason for existing.

When you are using Results Based Management the first thing you have to do is find out
why you exist – that is why you have a mission and why it is very important. You then
find out who your clients are and what they need from you and what the various laws
require from you. This will give you a picture of the way you need to go.

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Once you have your picture you draw up your goals and objectives. Goals and
objectives are what you want to change. You then look at what you want to achieve by
the changes and these are your outcomes. These two elements form the result of your
actions.

The next area you look at is what you intend to deliver to your clients. This is called
output. This is followed by what you actually do – this is called activities. You then look
at what you need in order to carry out the activities. This is called inputs and includes
finances, equipment and people or human resources. These three steps are the
implementation stages and throughout these stages you should be watching to see
things are going according to schedule. This is called monitoring.

The last stage is to look at what you have done and decide whether you achieved your
goals and objectives. This is called evaluation.

All councils are required to sign an integrated performance framework with the
ministry, which will guide their activities for the year.

If you want to be effective in using RBM you need to be aware of your environment.

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CHAPTER 3
THE IDEAL COUNCILLOR

Introduction
A councillor is a person elected to serve on a local autho rity. The purpose of this booklet
is to tell what an ideal councillor is like so that you know what is expected of you.

Work of a Councillor
A councillor is part of the local system of government and his/her main work is be
actively involved in the policy/decision process for his/her area. How do you do this?
By actively participating in all activities of the Council assigned to you.

 You have to be busy in your ward getting the opinions of your constituents and
telling them all the news from the Council.
 You have to be busy in the committee/s that you have been chosen onto by the
Council. Busy means studying the agenda well before the meeting and doing any
research to make sure you are ready for the debate. You would also be listening to
the debate and contributing meaningfully. You would debate honestly for the benefit
of the whole Council as you do not represent your ward only in committee
 You have to be busy in Council by attending all the meetings and participating in
matters that are of interest to you and the people you represent. You would also
need to research matters that are coming to council from other committees. You
should also refresh your memory about things previously discussed so that you can
make follow-ups so that issues that were not finalised can be concluded and that
promises made by the executive are fulfilled.
 You would also be busy representing the Council in your ward. This is not always as
easy as you think. Sometimes Council has to make tough decisions in order to carry
out its work and you would have to be the one to take that news back to your ward.
There may also be cases where you have to explain a council decision that you may
not have supported in debate. Once the Council has made a decision, all councillors
have to adhere to the decision, even those who may have voted against it. This is
called collective responsibility. You must never go to your ward and blame
decisions on others.
 Being a councillor is not a job or an opportunity to get things, money and power. It is
a community service and giving you an opportunity to serve the area where you live.

CHARACTERISTICS OF AN IDEAL COUNCILLOR

A local authority will always be made up of individuals and they would have been
chosen because of their various personalities and skills. The difference between people
is what gives a Council its diversity. There are however a number of characteristics that
a councillor must have in order to be able to perform his/her duties properly.

A councillor must be respectable. Respect is earned by proper behaviour. S/he must

always behave in a dignified and honest manner. Drunkenness, swearing, violence and
immorality do not suit a public figure like a councillor.

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A councillor must be honest. It is extremely difficult to lie consistently and so lies are
always uncovered. Sometimes the truth is a hard thing to tell but you must learn to use
it. The good thing about always being honest is that people get to trust you.

A councillor must have integrity. This is a word that is often used without
understanding. Integrity is strength of character in a straightforward and trustworthy
manner. The Bible describes a person with integrity as someone whose yes is yes and
their no is no. This is someone who can be counted on. This is someone who can be
counted on. Integrity includes keeping council confidentiality. For example, if you are in
a committee meeting which is confidential meeting, and you talk about deliberations
outside council this will mean you do not have integrity.

A councillor must have empathy. This is the ability to put yourself into the place of
another.

A councillor must be impartial; that means a councillor must be neutral, fair and just.
S/he must not take sides.

A councillor must be transparent; everything he or she does must be above board.

A councillor must be approachable; Members of the public able to approach the

councillor without fear.

A councillor must be committed; S/he must be dedicated to duty.

A councillor must be accountable; S/he must be able to account for his or her actions.

A councillor must be knowledgeable; S/he must be aware of what is happening in his

or her ward and council.

A councillor must be humble; S/he must be a person who does not think is better than
the community he serves.

A councillor must be resourceful/innovative; S/he must be able to use resources

available to the best advantage of council.

CODE OF CONDUCT
This is a set of rules that govern the behaviour of councillors. A code of conduct should
be signed by all councillors on the date of swearing in. A code of conduct is necessary in
order to create good corporate governance and uphold council’s integrity.

Basic issues addressed by a code of conduct are;

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a) Curtailing bad behaviour
b) Promotes orderliness in meetings of council
c) Promotes dignity in council
d) Build respect for residents and public funds
e) Promotes honesty and respect for the rule of law
f) Promotes good ethics.

Generally councillors as public figures should be guided by the following founding

values and principles as enshrined in the constitution of Zimbabwe;-
1) Supremacy of the constitution
2) The rule of law
3) Fundamental human rights and freedoms
4) The nation’s diverse cultural, religious and traditional values
5) Recognition of the inherent dignity and worth of each human being.
6) Recognition of the equality of all human beings.
7) Gender equality.
8) Good governance; and
9) Recognition of and respect for the liberation struggle.

KEY COMPETENCIES OF A COUNCILLOR

There are a number of skills and competencies that you need in order to do the work of
a councillor. Some of these you may have naturally, some you will have to develop.

Leadership is the ability to get people to follow you. The easiest way to do this is to be
an example to others such as paying your rates and charges on time and in full.
Someone with a life that does not leave questions unanswered and someone who is
dependable.

Representation is the skill of speaking on behalf of others. Every councillor is expected

to represent everyone in his or her ward.

Consultation is the process of gathering information from different sources in order to

facilitate you making an informed decision in Council. Consultation is done in formal
meetings such as feedback meetings, community meetings and budget meetings. You
should never make a decision on behalf of others without seeking their opinion on the
matter

Communication is a process of giving and receiving information for the purpose of

understanding. It is a two way process involving speaking and listening by both parties.
You will need to speak and to allow others to speak as well. The councillor is the link
between his/her ward and the council office. Communication is required both inside
and outside the Council chamber. Inside the chamber you must remember that you are
all equals and so you will have to be convincing in your arguments and not try to bully
others to follow your idea.

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Decision making is the selection of the right choice where there are alternatives. Good
decision making is the art of weighing up the pros [good things] and cons [bad things]
for each alternative and finding the one with the most pros and the cons that can be
lived with. The big thing about making decisions in Council is that they will affect the
lives of others – maybe even thousands of people so decisions need to be made
thoughtfully.

Negotiation is the process of give and take in order to reach a consensus or having a
common agreement. A councillor needs to know how to bargain – when to let go and
when to hold on to an issue. You also need to know how to argue without offendin g
others and how to put your views across whilst listening.

Facilitation is the process of helping somebody to do what they can and should be
doing for themselves. It is helping people to help themselves

Punctuality is about being time conscious and being on time. You have all heard of the
saying ‘time is money’. In council this is true. If you miss a deadline it could cost the
council money.

To be an ideal councillor, you simply need to be people conscious, law abiding and
moral.

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CHAPTER 4:
CORPORATE ETHICS

What is Corporate Ethics?

Ethics is about what is good or bad and what is right or wrong. Corporate refers to the
organisation as a whole. Therefore, corporate ethics are the values of an organisation.

Reasons for Corporate Ethics

1. To set the standard for human behaviour in an organisation
2. To portray the values of the community in which it operates
3. To promote a positive image of the organisation

Examples of Unethical Behaviour

 Inefficiency and ineffectiveness
A council is ineffective or inefficient when he/she wastes resources required to
produce goods and services for the community. Inefficiency and ineffectiveness can
also be shown where councillors or staff fails to produce quality work or fails to fulfil
work programmes. For example, a councillor fails to mobilise the community to
participate in a developmental project. Cement purchased for the project may end
up getting dry because of lack of community mobilisation. A council is ineffective
when it fails to send out monthly bills to service users as this will mean that council
income will drop.

 Nepotism
Also referred to as, “homeboyism”. It means according favours to certain individuals or
groups in the allocation of council resources or provision of services; for example , the
allocation of stands or employment of staff is restricted to those who come from the
council area. It could also mean that refuse removal from a certain section of township
is more frequent because an in-law of one of the councillors or staff resides there. This
does not mean that relatives or local people are not entitled to services; it means that
everybody is served equally.

 Bribery
Bribery takes two folds. The first is giving or asking for somethingof value before a
service is given. The second is taking something of value from a person who wants a
service. For example, a councillor would ask for money or some favours of a sexual
nature in the allocation of a stand. A tender is awarded where members of the tender
committee have been given money. A council should be on the lookout for suspicious
decisions and take preventive and corrective action. Council should publicly stand
against bribery.

 Theft or abuse of public property

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Councillors and staff are duty bound to safeguard public funds or resour ces of council
and therefore, it is a betrayal of trust when they steal or abuse assets of council. This
will include misuse of vehicle or telephone facilities for private purposes. Councillors
are guilty of theft when they claim money from council for pur poses of travelling and
subsistence (T&S) and then fail to acquit it. As a word of caution, the courts are now
sending those convicted of abusing public office to jail without an option of fine.

 Victimisation
This is where councillors or council officials revenge against others in the line of duty.
For example where services are not provided to those belong to a different political
party.

Ethical Behaviour
Ethical behaviour is the same as behaviour of an ideal councillor. If you wish to avoid
unethical behaviour, and by doing so spoiling the name of your council, then be an ideal
councillor.

Code of Conduct
This is a set of rules which govern the behaviour of councillors. Each council should
have a code of conduct understood and signed by each councillor .

Councillor’s Disciplinary Code

The New Constitution has provided for the discipline of councillors who exhibit errant
behaviour.

The New Constitution provides for the removal of Mayors, Chairpersons and councillors
by the Tribunal on the following grounds:
 inability to perform the functions of their office due to mental or physical incapacity;
 gross incompetence;
 gross misconduct;
 conviction of an offence involving dishonesty, corruption or abuse of office; or
 wilful violation of the law, including a local authority by-law.

The Tribunal
The Tribunal will be an independent body that deals with the discipline of Mayors/
Chairpersons and councillors.

Do not trip up and be disqualified.

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CHAPTER 5:
MEETINGS OF COUNCIL

Meetings
Council does its business by way of meetings where councillors discuss issues and
decisions are made. Staff then implement these decisions.

Frequency of Meetings
 monthly for ordinary council meetings (Full Council)
 monthly committee meetings
 at such time and place as council may determine
Types of Meetings
What types of meetings are there?
There are different kinds of meetings for different purposes. The main types of meetings
are;
 Ward meetings
 Committee meetings
 Special Committee meetings
 Council meetings
 Special Council meetings
 Joint meetings
 Other meetings

What Is the Purpose of these Meetings?

Ward Meetings are held to:

 Draw up ward development plans
 Discuss ward development programmes
 Discuss ward development issues to take to council
 Report back to the residents on outcome
 Obtain residents opinion on council business

Committee Meetings are held to discuss:

 Reports from officers
 Motions put forward by councillors
 Communication/ correspondence from various stakeholders, and make
recommendations to Council.

Each committee of Council has its own special work called terms of reference and
committee members are specialists in that work. This means that committee members
are not there to represent their ward in the committee, but to represent Council
interest. Committee do not decide a matter; they make recommendations to full council.

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Special Committee Meetings are held to discuss items normally discussed in a
Committee meeting but which are too urgent to wait until the next meeting.

Council Meetings are held to:

 Discuss recommendations from the committees
 Make resolutions based on the recommendation
 Communication and correspondence

It is not permitted for new issues to come straight to Council without passing through
committees first.

Special Council Meetings are held to discuss urgent business which cannot wait for the
next ordinary meeting. These are called for by the chairperson/mayor

Joint Meetings are held to discuss common issues between:

 two committees
 two councils

Who Attends Meetings?

Council meetings are attended by:-
 Councillors
 Relevant council officials
 The Ministry
 Those invited

Council meetings are open to the public that is anyone including the press. If council
intends to discuss anything that should not be public, it dissolves to turn into a
committee (this means that all people who are not part of Council or Ministry are
requested to leave before that item is discussed). council may not dissolve itself into a
committee to discuss matters related to the budget, by-laws or audit reports, as these
are matters of public interests.

Committee meetings of council are confidential. They are attended only by:
 Members of the committee
 Mayor / Chairperson (except the audit committee)
 Relevant Council officials
 The Ministry
 Those invited

How is the Mayor/Chairperson Selected?

The District Administrator/Provincial Administrator chairs the first meeting, where a
chairperson/mayor is elected by councillors.

What does a Mayor/Chairperson do?

The job of the mayor/chairperson is to chair a meeting and;
 To ensure that there is order

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 To ensure that everyone gets a turn to speak
 To ensure that discussions come up with a decision
 To ensure that advice is heard
 To certify minutes.

What Powers does a Mayor/Chairperson have?

The mayor/chairperson has the following powers in meetings;
 To demand silence
 To choose speakers
 To enforce the code of conduct
 To ensure that the discussion is focussed and come up with a dicission.
 To remove badly behaved members from the meeting
 To cast the deciding ballot (this means that where there are an equal number of
votes, the mayor/chairperson cast the deciding vote.) The Council
Mayor/chairperson may not cast a deciding ballot in an election or when changing
or cancelling a previous resolution.

The Deputy Mayor/ Vice Chairperson

The deputy mayor/vice chairperson is the deputy to the mayor/chairperson and it is
his/her job to do the duties of the mayor/chairperson if the mayor/chairperson is not
there. The deputy mayor/vice chairperson is elected by the full council at the firs t
meeting.

Conduct in a Meeting
Council business is serious business and so the meetings of Council should be
respectable. Debate should properly and wisely be carried out. It is the duty of the
mayor/chairperson to control the meeting. It is also the duty of every member present
to behave in a mature and dignified manner.

Notice of Meetings
All meetings that are arranged by the Council must be properly convened. The proper
way to call a meeting is by a notice of a meeting.

A notice is a formal invitation to attend a meeting. The notice specifies the meeting to be
held, venue, day, date and time. A notice dully signed by an authorised official/ member
is issued to every member who is entitled to attend .

Agenda of a Meeting
An agenda is the list of items or issues to be dealt with in a meeting. It is important that
the agenda has details of items to be discussed and not just headings. If a councillor is
given details before a meeting s/he is able to research and debate well.

When is the Notice and Agenda Sent Out?

For an ordinary meeting the notice and agenda should be delivered in time to allow
members to prepare for the meeting or as determined by the Act.

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Who is Responsible for the Agenda?
The Town Clerk/Secretary is supposed to ensure that the Agendas are properly done.
The Mayor/Chairperson of the meeting should be the one who sits with the Town
Clerk/Secretary to decide what business will go on the Agenda.

Quorum
A quorum is the least number of people that should be present at a meeting for the
meeting to take place. In terms of the new Constitution, for all meetings of Council a
quorum is half the number of councillors in a Council.

You must remember that if you do not attend meetings you may cause them to fail and
this will be a waste of Council money and time.

Minutes
What are Minutes?
Minutes are a record of what happens in any meeting. The Town Clerk/ Secretary is
responsible for having minutes written and s/he shall assign an officer to write them.
They are written by a person who is called the Chamber Secretary or any person
appointed to do so.

How are Minutes Kept?

The minutes of full council meetings must be kept in English even if the actual debate
was done in any other language. The minutes must be numbered and coded. The
minutes must be securely kept for the life of council.

How are Minutes Processed?

Once the Chamber Secretary has printed the minutes they should be distributed to all
those who were at the meeting, with a copy being sent to the District Administrator, the
Provincial Administrator and the Minister.

At the next meeting the minutes are presented and members must correct them and
then pass them as a correct record of what was said. When this is done the
mayor/chairman of the meeting then signs the minutes and they beco me a legal record.
Once minutes are signed, they become prima facie evidence which means they cannot
be disputed. It is very important that the minutes are well kept, detailed enough to be
useful.

The Town Clerk/Secretary should keep one copy of every set of minutes and these must
be made into a book so that they do not get lost. This should be done every year.

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As soon as the minutes of a committee have been presented to the Council and as soon
as the Council minutes have been confirmed, any member of the public is allowed to
read them at the Council offices or buy a copy of them.

MOTIONS
What is a Motion?
A motion is an issue that a councillor or staff member wishes to be discussed by the
Council.

How do you make a Motion?

A motion should be submitted to the Town Clerk/Secretary using the form for motions.
It is important that the person who is putting the motion research on it. S/he should
give the Town Clerk/Secretary as many details as possible and also give justification,
which means the reasons for wanting the issue.

When somebody is putting in a motion they must do it at least two weeks before the
agenda is supposed to be sent out so that the Town Clerk/ Secretary can do some extra
research and get all the facts together before the issue is put on the agenda. By doing
this, the other members of the meeting will understand the motion before they come to
the meeting and will be able to consult and to debate wisely.

Resolutions
What is a resolution?
A resolution is the final decision of Council. Once a resolution is made, it is the law of the
Council. A resolution should never try to change the law of Zimbabwe.

How do you make a Resolution?

A resolution is made by a majority decision of the Council. This means more than half
the Councillors at the meeting have to support the decision. All resolutions have to be
proposed and seconded. If a councillor seriously objects to a resolution, his/her
objection can be noted in the minutes.

The Minister can restrict the making of resolutions by writing a notice to Councils
telling the Council which resolutions require the Minister’s permission. If the Minister
writes such a notice it will not affect resolutions made before the notice.

Can you Cancel or Change a Resolution?

A Council can cancel a resolution made earlier. Cancelling a resolution is called
rescinding. You can also change or alter a resolution.

How Do You Rescind or Alter a Resolution?

If a resolution made at the previous meeting of the Council needs to be rescinded or
altered the Council can only do this if a committee makes a recommendation to do so or
if a motion has been made and signed by one third of all the Councillors.
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If the Council wants to rescind or alter a resolution before six months has passed since
the resolution was made, then two thirds of the Councillors present at the meeting have
to agree.

If the resolution to be rescinded or altered is more than six months old then the Council
simply resolves.

The Minister may instruct a Council to rescind or alter a resolution by written notice.

Voting in Council
Where a meeting is divided over an issue, the chairperson may call for a vote. The voting
may be by secret ballot or show of hands. If the meeting is still divided, the chairperson
may use a casting vote to decide. (S/he does not have to). Voting should only be used as
a last resort when debating is finished and no consensus can be reached.

Delegation
The Council has various powers given to it and it must use these powers to ensure that
the people of the Council area are provided with the services they require.

Sometimes it is not practical for the Council to do everything themselves and so there is
need to delegate.

What is delegation?
Delegation is passing the powers that you have to somebody else who will use them on
your behalf. Central Government has delegated some of its powers to Local Authorities.

The Council can delegate its powers to its committees or to its executive or to the
Mayor / Chairperson. When Council delegates its powers it is still responsible and
accountable and so it is important that the Council supervises its delegated powers.

Report Backs
You must always remember that you are only in Council to represent the electorate and
so you should always make sure they know what you are saying on their behalf in
meetings and you should always know what they want you to say. This is called
reporting back and you should do this regularly.

When you report back you have to inform your ward of the decisions made by council
and you have to stand by those decisions. If it was a decision you cannot escape
responsibility by saying “I voted against this”. You have to explain the reason for the
decision. At report back meetings, you should also get opinions of residents on matters
before council.

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All meetings held under the name of your Council must follow the rules that the Urban
Councils Act [Chapter 29:15] has laid down. It is your duty to make sure that meetings
are done properly to save your Council from legal problems.

27 | P a g e
CHAPTER 6
POLICY FORMULATION

What are policies?

Policies are collective decisions by council by means of resolution on any matters that
cut across their functions. Policy making is a key responsibility of council.

Importance of policies
Policies ensure:
 Consistency
 Objectivity
 Standard and quality control
 Transparency

Examples of policies
Local authorities can make policies on any matter within their mandate, which means
their area of responsibility e.g.
i) Budget statements
ii) Internal policies such as:
- Transport policy, Recruitment policy, Housing policy, service delivery
policies.
iii) Clients charter

Policies are best formulated through participatory processes. This means that the
councillor must consult widely before going to council to make policies th at affect the
resident.

Sources of Policy
Council policies come from various sources and these include:
 The Constitution
 Acts of Parliament
 Statutory Instruments
 Regional and International Protocols
 National and Provincial Programmes
 Emerging issues e.g. disasters, disease outbreaks, HIV and AIDS
 Councillors
- Policies may be initiated by councillors as a motion for debate in the council
chamber. A motion may be decided by a resolution of council.
 Consultations
- Public consultations help in making policies with the people and not for the
people.
 Management (the executive)
The executive can come up with proposals for consideration by council.

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 Government Directives
The government can from time to time issue directives on what is to be done on
various issues. Councils, as the lower tier of central government are obliged to
take the directives as given.
 National Policies
Local or internal policies can be derived from national policies eg, Workplace
HIV and AIDS policies form the National HIV and AIDS Policy.

POLICY FORMULATION PROCESS

The policy formulation largely depends on the source of the policy e.g.

The executive researches and comes up with a draft policy which is presented to the
relevant committee for consideration and recommendation to council. Council
deliberates and resolves on the recommendation to make it policy.

FULL
COUNCIL

Policy Recommendation

COMMITTE Resolution
E DEBATES
implementation

Proposal (Draft Policy)

MANAGEME
NT
(RESEARCHE
S AND
DRAFTS)

COUNCILLO
R’S MOTION

Policies require period reviews and updating.

29 | P a g e
CHAPTER 7
IMPLEMENTATION AND MONITORING

What is Implementation?
Implementation is a process of putting into effect council policies and decisions.
Implementation is the duty of the executive.

Who Implements What?

Councillors are supposed to make sure that the executive puts into action the decisions
they make.

Remember that councillors are not implementers as they are not involved in the day to
day running of the Council. Council and committees would only be involved in
implementation where a decision of Council was required.

The Town Clerk/ Secretary is accountable to the Council for the implementation of the
decisions council makes and for the day to day running of the council. Council and
committees are allowed to insist on receiving regular progress reports, r esolution
registers and individual councillors are permitted to request for information from the
Town Clerk/ Secretary in order to check on progress being made in terms of quality,
quantity, timeliness and cost.

Heads of Department within the council are responsible for the actual implementation
of all Council decisions. This is because they are the ones with the required skills and
knowledge to transform Council decisions into actions and reality. Individual
councillors may not approach staff of the Council directly – they should simply allow
them to get on with their work. If a councillor is unhappy with progress s/he should
approach the Town Clerk/ Secretary on the matter. Heads of Department supervise the
staff who carried out relevant activities.

Let’s look at some examples.

A Development Project
Let us imagine that the Council has passed a resolution to construct a road from A to B.

 The Town Clerk/ Secretary would make sure that the Head of Department has
drawn up the implementation plan for the project including the design, the costs and
the timeframe. This implementation plan is used by him/her to check progress.
 The Town Clerk/ Secretary must make sure that the funding is actually available
before the project begins.
 The Town Clerk/ Secretary would co-ordinate the activities of the Works
Department, the Treasurer, the Human Resources Department and the Buying
Section so that they all work together.
 The Town Clerk/ Secretary must see that all project processes are done in a legal
and transparent manner.

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 The Head of the Works Department is the project manager and s/he is the one who
supervises the day to day implementation of the project. This would include setting
standards, quality control, timeframe and cost control. S/he would visit the project
site frequently to keep control of things.
 The Treasurer would watch the rate of project expenditure to ensure that it stayed
within budget. S/he would also watch the level of council income to make certain
that the council was not spending money it did not have. S/he would also oversee
the tender process to ensure that Council gets value for money.
 The Human Resources Department has the job of engaging staff for the project. In
doing so it must get the number and qualifications of staff required from the Hea d
of the Works Department. Employment of staff must be done according to the
Labour Laws. The Human Resources Department must also make sure that workers
are paid the right amount, on time and that safety standards are observed.
 The Buying Section purchases all material and services required by the project
according to the specifications set down in the project plan. When buying, tender
procedures must be followed.

In some cases the beneficiary councillors may be involved in implementation if there is

need to mobilise community participation – this might be voluntary work or the raising
of revenue or the supply of certain locally available resources such as sand and stones.
This only happens in community based projects.

An Administrative Matter
Let us imagine that the Council has passed a resolution to lease out a Council beerhall.

 The Town Clerk/ Secretary would oversee the process of advertising the lease, the
drafting of the contract document and the awarding of the contract. The Town
Clerk/ Secretary would sign the contract on behalf of the Council.
 The Town Clerk/ Secretary would visit the beerhall occasionally to make sure that it
was being properly used in order to protect the council’s asset.
 The Treasurer collects rentals as agreed in the contract and includes the revenue in
the financial statements. If the lessee fails to pay the rentals, the Treasurer would
inform the Finance Committee so that a decision on what to do could be made.
 The Officer responsible for buildings would set rentals to be paid. These should be in
line with current market values. S/he would advise whenever rental reviews should
take place.
Service delivery
Let us imagine that the Council provides a family planning service at each clinic.
 The Town Clerk/ Secretary supervises the service delivery as s/he is accountable to
Council for it.
 The Head of Department would manage the service. S/he would make sure that is
performing in the manner it is supposed to do and is producing the results it was set
up to achieve. S/he would ensure the maintenance of standards.
 The Treasurer would receipt income and provide the budgeted finance for the
service.
 The sister in charge would oversee the staff.

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And so What?
Whenever a Council implements anything, it must always remember that the
implementation is done in order to achieve a desired result. Never implement for the
sake of looking busy.

Can Implementation Go Wrong?

The answer is yes!!! Decision making is a process and decisions will often need
reviewing. Sometimes the changes to be made are major and sometimes minor. The
important thing is that decision making is done on time so that implementation
progress is not badly affected.

Some of the things that could make implementation go wrong are:-

 Underestimation of funding
 Poor planning
 Unavailability of materials
 Natural disasters
 Improper decisions
 Labour unrest
 Lack of skills
 Lack of co-ordination
 Incompetence on the part of implementers
 Poor planning and mistiming

What happens when implementation does not occur and it is the fault of the s taff. The
first thought that may come to your mind is “Fire him or her”. Be very careful. Whilst
Council is the employer, Local Authorities staff come under the jurisdiction of the
Labour Act and firing somebody is not a simple matter as your staff have rights too.
Where implementation is not going according to schedule, council must ensure that the
Town Clerk/ Secretary is taking the necessary corrective action.

When dealing with implementation problems, some decisions can be made by the
executive but some, such as supplementary budgeting or the termination of a contract
will require a Council resolution.
There is a secret to keep these failures to a minimum – it is called monitoring.

Monitoring
What Is Monitoring?
Monitoring is a process of following up on progress as the executive is implementing the
resolutions, policies and decisions of Council.

Who Monitors What?

Councillors are supposed to make sure that the executive implements the decisions they
make. The job of the councillor is to monitor and not to supervise. In this context,

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supervision is giving instructions, making individual, technical or financial decisions.
These are functions of the executive.

Monitoring can be done at various levels;

 Council level
 Committee level
 Ward level

The Town Clerk/ Secretary is also required to monitor council activities. S/he is
accountable to the Council for the implementation of the decisions council makes and
for the day to day running of the council. Council and committees are allowed to insist
on receiving regular reports and individual councillors are permitted to request for
information from the Town Clerk/ Secretary in order to carry out his/her monitoring
function.

Heads of Department within the council are responsible for the monitoring of
professional activities of their departments and they may give reports to committees
and the council on professional matters relating to their area of speciality.

When councillors are undertaking monitoring and they see the need for corrective
measures to be taken, it is not the duty of the councillor to give instructions to the staff;
s/he must bring the issue to the attention of the Town Clerk/Secretary.

Let’s use an example of each.

A Development Project
Let us imagine that the Council has passed a resolution to build a road from A to B.

 The Council, the beneficiary ward councillors and the committee responsible for
roads would request reports on progress being made.
 The beneficiary ward councillors and the committee responsible for roads would
visit the site to see progress for themselves and check the accuracy of the reports
being given.
 The Council, the beneficiary ward councillors, the committee responsible for
roads and the Finance Committee would check on the expenditure of the project
against the budget using the financial statements.
 The Council, the beneficiary ward councillors and the committee responsible for
roads would keep a watch on the timeframe for the project to see that deadlines
are met.
 The beneficiary ward councillors and the committee responsible for roads would
watch the quality of work.
 The Town Clerk/ Secretary would receive reports from the department
responsible for roads
 The Town Clerk/ Secretary would have site visits to verify the reports [this
means s/he checks to see that the reports are true]

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  The Head of Department would get reports from the person managing the
project and would make regular site visits to check on progress and standards.
 The Treasurer would watch the rate of expenditure to ensure that the project
stayed within budget. S/he would also watch the level of council income to make
certain that the council was not spending money it did not have.

An Administrative Matter
Let us imagine that the Council has passed a resolution to lease out a council beerhall.

 The Council and the Finance Committee would monitor the transparency of the
process of advertising the leasing of the beerhall.
 The Council and the Finance Committee would receive a report on the contract
awarded from the procurement committee.
 The Finance Committee would check to see that the rentals were being paid as this
would reflect on the financial statements.
 The Finance Committee would check to see that the money raised from renting out
the beerhall was being used for the budgeted purpose.
 The Town Clerk/ Secretary would visit the beerhall occasionally to make sure that it
was being properly used in order to protect the council’s asset.
 The Treasurer would check that rentals are being paid regularly.
 The Officer responsible for buildings would check that the rentals being paid were in
line with current market values.

Service Delivery
The Council provides a family planning service at each clinic.

 The committee responsible and the ward councillor should occasionally visit clinics
to see if the service is being provided.
 The Council will receive reports from the committee responsible.
 The Town Clerk/ Secretary would receive reports on the standards and usefulness
of the service and would occasionally do spot checks.
 The Head of Department would monitor the performance of the service and make
sure it was serving its purpose. S/he would also measure standards and monitor the
budget for the service.
 The Treasurer would monitor the income and expenditure of the service.
 The Sister in Charge monitors staff performance.

And So What?
Monitoring is only a useful activity if it has a result. Remember everything you do
should be for a purpose. If the Officer responsible for buildings discovers that the
rentals being received for the leasing out of the beerhall are very low compared to the
market value and puts the information in a file, then monitoring serves no purpose.
S/he should inform the Finance Committee of the problem and propose a new rental
that is proper, for the Committee to consider.

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So what should a councillor do when s/he is monitoring and finds that something is not
being done properly? S/he should bring it to the attention of the Town Clerk/ Secretary
and to the relevant committee and keep raising the issue until a proper solution is
found.

Other Ways of Monitoring

There are other ways of monitoring that are useful to councillors.
 By listening to your ward residents and clients. They will often be the first to tell you
when things are not being done properly. When using the public as a source of
information you will need to check out [verify] the information before you do
anything as some reports are untrue and some are exaggerated.
 By reading the newspaper and watching/listening to the news. Again you should
check the accuracy of reports before acting.
 Most services offered by Council are also monitored by Government Departments
and Ministries. You can ask opinions and advice from staff from those Ministries and
Departments.
 You can try out your own services. Sometimes you will be shocked if you did. You
might end up being a victim of your own Council!

The Ministry of Local Government is also tasked with monitoring of council activities
through the District and Provincial Administrators. Examples of this monitoring include
systems audits, investigations, attending meetings, analysing minutes and random
visits. Monitoring reports from the ministry should be given serious consideration.

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CHAPTER 8
CLIENTS AND STAKEHOLDERS

Introduction
The reason that we have councils is because it would not be reasonable to gather the
entire community together regularly to ascertain their needs with regard to the services
offered by the local authority. The system is used to ensure that the voices of everyone
are heard is that of elected representation. The people of a ward choose one person to
be their ears and voices in council. This means that when a councillor attends council
meetings s/he is the equivalent to the number of residents in her/his ward and
therefore s/he should always speak on behalf of others.

So who are these others? Who are the people we are supposed to serve?

Clients
A client can be an individual, groups of people or an organisation. A client is someone
who is supposed to benefit from the services you offer. The reason you exist as a council
is to serve your clients. If you are not serving your client then you are not serving any
purpose.

There are two types of clients:-

Direct Clients are the reasons why you do the things you do as a council. They are the
people who you do things for. An example would be a resident benefiting from the road
that passes by her/his house. A council has to be aware of its clients, as it has to provide
services to them and charge them for the use of those services. The ratepayers are your
most important clients as they are the reason you exist.

Indirect clients are people who benefit from your services even though you do not offer
the service specifically for them. An example would be a farmer from the neighbouring
council area using your council road on her/his way to the market. A council needs to
know its indirect clients so that efforts can be made to get them to pay for the services.

It is important to remember that the council does not have a direct obligation to indirect
clients but should provide services to them.

It is important to know your direct and indirect clients because proper planning to cater
for the needs of both clients is required.

Stakeholders
A stakeholder is a person or organisation, which has a vested interest in the operations
of a council. Some stakeholders are able to influence policy but not all. For example a
donor is a stakeholder and they can influence policy by the threat of the withdrawal of
support.

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Different stakeholders have different levels of influence and some stakeholders may try
to dominate the Council. A council should hear what its stakeholders have to say but it
has to do the right thing for all its clients and within the law. Concerns ra ised by key
stakeholders such as residents associations should be considered.

In some cases stakeholders are also clients but not always. A council preschool child is a
client but not a stakeholder but the parent of the preschool child is a stakeholder b ut
not a direct client.

Special Clients and Stakeholders

Special Interests
Every council will have special interest groups. These are people who share a common
purpose. These can be clients and/or stakeholders. These special interests should not
be ignored. Examples of special interests are a large mine, women, youths, churches.

Special interests have to be considered in the decision making process. For example a
large mine may be the single largest ratepayer but it would not vote as an entity. The
interests of the mine should be considered because if they are not well serviced they
may close which would have a huge impact on the local economy. If the majority of the
people in your ward are Seventh Day Adventists, it would be unwise to plan programs
for Saturdays.

Minority groups
There will be groups within your council that should not be forgotten simply because
they are either small in number or because they do not have a “voice” in council. Some
examples are the disabled, a small racial or religious grouping. Women are sometimes
classified as a minority grouping even when they are numerically in the majority. They
are given this rating because they may not have a “voice” because men dominate most
councils.

Whenever a councillor is consulting s/he must give the minority groups an opportunity
to be heard and should consider their views. It should be remembered however that we
should never again allow the minority to dominate at the expense of the majority, but
they should not be completely ignored as they are a part of the community and they
have rights too.

Imposing decisions on council

Whilst many of you may have been elected into office on a party ticket, your party is
only a stakeholder in the council. The people of your ward are your clients; all of them
even if they are not from your party. No individual stakeholder should be allowed to
impose decisions in council, for example, religious sect, a political party or a business
grouping.

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CHAPTER 9
GENDER MAINSTREAMING
THE GENDER SENSITIVE COUNCILLOR

Gender is a difficult subject as it often touches on vested interests, fear of the unknown
and cultural prejudices. It is regularly mistakenly viewed as ‘a women’s thing’ and has
not been given the serious attention it is due by Councils. As you are at the fo refront of
service delivery, this cannot be the case.

Before Independence, women were not legally, economically, socially and traditionally
view as equal members of the community. During the liberation war, some of the
prejudices were reduced as women took their place beside men in the war zone and
proved themselves capable. At Independence, Government declared its intention to
remove all forms of discrimination and gender equality was enshrined in the
Constitution. The Legal Age of Majority Act gave women the status of adults and a
number of other pieces of legislation and policy have since been passed to improve the
status of women and take up their rightful place as equal members of our society.

In the new Constitution gender issues have been further clarified and gender equality is
now a constitutional right.

In addition, the Government of Zimbabwe has signed a number of international

protocols about gender and so as a Council you are obiliged to implement these.

Definitions

Sex - means the biological differences between females and males.

Gender - describes the socially constructed differences between women and men,
which can change over time and which vary from one community to another. A gender
identity determines how we are perceived and how we are expected to behave.

For example; it is a fact that women give birth to children because this is biologically
determined, but the fact that they perform the majority of household chores and ‘care
work’ are all socially constructed. Gender issues are dynamic; they are formed by the
history of social relations and interactions, and they are also influenced by other factors,
such as race, religion, social standing and tribe. On the other hand the issue of sex
cannot be changed.

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Why should a Council be gender sensitive?

The 2012 Census shows that females constitute 52 % of the national population. In local
government terms, they form over 65% of the primary users of local authority services.
This means that the first and main users of the service are women. For example
everyone uses water but it is the womens job to ensure that the water is available.
Everyone uses the clinic but the woman is the one who takes the children there.

Unfortunately, the number of women in positions of influence does not relect the
population statistics and to make matters worse statistics also show that women
constitute the majority of the poor. Because of these facts they often get forgotten in
decisions you as councillors make, even though they are most affected by those
decisions

In order to be able to address issues of gender it is important to maintain statistics that

are both sexually and gender disaggregated as these are vital for planning and policy
making.

What should a Council do concerning gender?

Gender mainstreaming- This is the process of always thinking about the implications
for women and men of any planned action/s, including legislation, policies,
programmes, services or developments, in all areas at all levels. It is a strateg y for
making women’s, as well as men’s, concerns and experiences a vital part of the design,
implementation, monitoring and evaluation of these interventions so that everyone, be
they male or female, benefit equally and any existing inequality is not continued.

Be gender aware. This is the recognition that both females and males, have an
important role to play in your community. It is remembering that the nature of women’s
involvement is determined by gender relations, which make their involvement different
and often unequal. As a result women have different needs, interests and priorities,
which may sometimes conflict with those of men. In order to be gender aware you
should try and learn from each other. For men the easiest way to be gender aware in
service delivery and development is to simply ask you wife about how she feels and
thinks and what she needs.

Gender budgeting. This means an application of gender mainstreaming in the

budgetary process. It means making sure that all budget lines have taken into account
the gender issues and restructuring revenues and expenditures in order to promote
gender equality. It also means making sure that your Council has a budget line for
gender specific activities

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Prevent and denounce gender based violence Gender based violence is all acts
perpetrated against women, men, girls and boys on the basis of their sex, which cause or
could cause them physical, sexual, psychological, emotional or economic harm,
including the threat to take such acts. There is a great deal of gender based violence and
a Council should make every effort ensure that the area and the Council services do not
allow gender based violence.

Do not gender stereotypes There are beliefs held about characteristics, traits,
capabilities and activities that are believed to be appropriate fo r males and females both
domestically and socially. They are created through sayings, songs, proverbs, the media,
religion, custom, culture, education, drama and books and often this are misguided or
out of date. Council should never continue with such beliefs. The bulldozer operator can
be a woman and the pre-school teacher can be a man.

How to be a gender sensitive councillor

Being gender sensitive is not an option for a Councillor. It does not matter what your
personal opinion of gender is, you are obliged to conform to the Constitution as well as
Government policies and standards. The following points will assist you in performing
your duties in a gender proper fashion :-

 Overcome personal prejudices – men and women are different but equal when it
comes the law and to accessing services and resources.
 Never make jokes about gender issues.
 Seek advice from women on matters that affect them. Do not assume you know.
 Encourage the participation of women and girls in all aspects of ward and Council
life.
 Be politically correct in language and action.
 Avoid gender stereotyping.
 Listen for gender discrimination and stand up against it.
 Remember that women are the majority of local authority service users and so their
needs should be catered for in all circumstances.
 Ensure that any policies, resolution or programmes pays attention to the domestic
responsibilities of women and girls and plan to ensure they are able to participate
without interfering or adding to the roles expected of them.
 Never look upon or threaten a colleague, staff member or client in a sexual manner.
 Publicly denounce all forms of gender based violence
 Be an agent for gender mainstreaming in your ward, your Committee/s and the
Council.
 Become a gender champion.

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CHAPTER 10
PLANNING AND BUDGETING IN COUNCILS

Planning
A plan is an outline of what you intend to do within a specific period using specific
resources. It involves setting priorities for the local authorities given that resources are
less than demands.

Councils are planning authorities for the areas under their jurisdiction in terms of the
law. They need to plan in order to provide efficient and effective service delivery, and to
guide and control the development process of council. Planning is structured in such a
way that it follows a cycle starting from the village, ward, district, province up to the
national level. This process allows for the planning to be participatory, all-inclusive, so
as to achieve local ownership.

The councillor is a very key player in the planning process. He/she initiates planning at
the local level and transmits the local plans to council for processing and consolidation.

It is important to note that there are different levels and types of plans namely;
integrated performance framework, ward plans, land use plans, council/district plans,
strategic plans, and budgets. All these plans must have a true reflection of the needs of
all the clients and stakeholders of council.
National

Provincial council

District

Council

Ward

Village

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Budgeting
What is a budget?
They are estimates of Income and Expenditure of a financial year, or a financial plan
which Council draws up, showing how much money Council expects to receive (revenue
and income) and what the sources of the money are, and how much money Council
expects to spend (expenditure) and what it is going to be spent on.

Why do we budget?
A budget provides a guide that: -
 gives Council limits on how much it can spend on any particular item
 makes sure that there will be enough income to cover expenditure
 tells the public how Council is going to collect and spend its money in trying to achieve
its goals.
It is a statutory requirement.

How do we budget?
1. Council obtains budget policy guidelines from the Ministry. The Ministry regularly
issues out circulars providing the format and deadlines of submission of budgets,
percentages and ratios of expenditure items e.g. Percentage increases, Ratio
between Recurrent Expenditure and Capital Development Expenditure, Expenditure
on workers’ salaries/wages/allowances versus the total budget.
2. Council reviews its strategic plan
3. Council evaluates previous budget performance
4. Committees produce draft budgets of their respective areas and staff produce draft
budgets on administration costs
5. Council holds consultative meetings with stakeholders. This entails meetings
intended to sell the Council’s main Goals and Mission to various interest groups and
justify why you are proposing those budget estimates. Stakeholders include
ratepayers, trade unions, ordinary residents, religious groups, women and youth
empowerment advocacy groups, political parties, etc
6. Finance Committee consolidates draft estimates
7. Full Council discusses budget and advertise
8. Council considers objections and make adjustments where necessary
9. Council sends copies of the budget to the Minister of Local Government for approval
and Minister of Finance for his/her information

What should be in the budget?

 Budgeted income and expenditure for the previous year
 Actual income and expenditure for the previous year as indicators to show Council
whether there was a match between revenue and expenditure, and guide Council in
arriving at reasonable estimates in the budget year. Council is not allowed to
prepare a budget that has more expenditure than income. This is called “budget
deficit”. It is always a good idea to have some savings left over at the end of the
year.
 Budgeted income and expenditure for the new year
 A list of the number of staff employed by the Council in each department, to
eliminate redundant and ghost workers

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 Notes to explain big changes or other unclear issues.

Supplementary Budget
What is a Supplementary Budget?
A Supplementary Budget is made when:
 When a Council sees that it needs to spend extra money that it had not had not
budgeted for.
 Where the Council finds a new source of income that it wants to collect.

Sources of Income for Councils

Grants – This is money received from Government for specific projects or activities, e.g.
health grant to pay nurses salaries. A Council does no t need to pay this money back, but
it must be used for exactly what government says it is for. When other people or
organisations give money to Council, it is not grant, it is called a donation.

Rates – This is money raised by residents of a Council area and is often attached to land
or building

Levies – This is money raised against a specific group of people e.g. development levies

Special Rates – This is money raised for a specific purpose from the people who will
benefit from it e.g. special levy to build a new classroom, or special levy on growth point
residents to tar their roads

Fees and Service Charges – This is money charged for a service offered by Council e.g.
bus parking fees for using the terminus, refuse removal fees.

Rent and Hire Charges – This is money raised by Council from payment made for using
Council buildings or equipment, e.g. using a Council hall for a meeting or wedding.

Licences and Permits – This is money paid to Council for being allowed to do certain
business or activities within Council area, e.g. trading licence, vendor permits.

Loans – This is money that Council borrows from Government or a registered financial
institution.

Profits – This is money from Council’s income-generating projects e.g. beerhalls, farms
etc.

Donations – This is money received from any organisation for us by the Council in the
delivery of services or for capital development. Council should always be careful that

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the donation does not come with “conditions” which are contrary to the Council’s
Mission Statement.

Utilisation of Natural Resources – This is money that Council gets from using its
natural resources or from allowing others to exploit the resources and paying Council
for doing so e.g. pit and river sand extraction, hunting and photographic safaris and
timber exploitation. These are sometimes called Royalties.

Interest – This is money received from investing Council funds in registered financial
institutions. All Council funds are to be kept at the bank and you must make sure that it
is kept in accounts that pay the best interest

Sale of Council Assets – This is money received from selling council property e.g. old
vehicles, broken equipment.

All sources of revenue/income must be identified in the budget.

All budgets are just a waste of paper if they are not implemented.

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CHAPTER 11.
FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT.

Introduction
The purpose of this booklet is to help you understand what you, as a councillor, are
supposed to do and why you are doing it! All Council operatio ns are funded by public
funds. Because of this, Council is expected to establish proper accounting systems for
the control and use of these funds. Council must be able to show that the money is being
used wisely for the intended purpose. This is called accountability.

The legal provision governing financial operations of rural district councils are
contained in the:
1. Zimbabwe Constitution, section 298.
2. Public Finance Management Act [Chapter 22:19] as read with Public Finance
Management Regulations of 2011.
3. Urban Councils Act [Chapter 29:15]

While all the Acts of Parliament are subsidiary to the Constitution, where there is any
contradiction of the Acts, the Public Finance Management Act shall take precedence.

The Public Finance Management Act outlines the roles of council and those of the
accounting officer who in this case is the Town Clerk/ Secretary. Council shall have the
following responsibilities:

a) Ensuring public resources are used in accordance with budget strategy paper,
annual budget and requirements in Acts, regulations and instructions issued under
lawful authority;
b) Ensuring that the management and other staff deal with public resources in a
transparent , accountable, efficient and effective manner;
c) Reviewing and approving the local authority’s budget ; and
d) Reviewing the annual audited accounts and performance reports including reports
of the Auditor General.

The Town Clerk/ Secretary shall have the following powers:

a) Incur expenditure according to the annual budget and other legal authorisation s;
b) Make reallocations of expenditure in accordance with these regulations;
c) Manage resources under his control in accordance with appropriations, law and the
accountability documents for the public entity, Ministry or Constitutional Entity;
d) Contract for goods and services in accordance with –
(i) The annual budget;
(ii) Procurement law, rules, manuals, directives, decrees, instructions or
notifications; and

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 (iii) Other laws including regulations, rules, manuals, directives, decrees,
instructions or notifications issued under law; and
e) Earn revenue from the sale of goods and services to people or organisations outside
the Government or the sale of goods or services.
f) Operate bank accounts in accordance with instructions from the Ministry of Finance;
g) Manage the assets in accordance with the law, regulations, rules, manuals,
directives, decrees, instructions or notifications on the procurement and disposal of
assets issued by the Ministry of Finance;
h) Manage staff in accordance with the law, regulations, rules, manuals, directive s,
decrees, instructions or notifications from the Government body responsible for
labour law policy; and
i) Obtain information on the performance of a Public Entity, Constitutional entity or
the Town Clerk/ Secretary is required under law or by the responsib le Minister to
monitor provided that the power to obtain information shall be limited to
information necessary to fulfil the monitoring function.

It is clear from the above that the law clearly provides for the separation of roles,
powers or responsibilities. Council’s role is more of exercising oversight whilst the
Town Clerk/ Secretary do the actual financial management.

While the finance committee and the finance department form the workshop or
processing plants, accountability rests with council in terms of oversight and Town
Clerk/ Secretary in terms of operations.

Councils are expected to dually report to MLGURD and that of Finance

SOME IMPORTANT INFORMATION IN FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

1. Accounting Officer – This is the head of the executive in council (Town Clerk/
Secretary)

2. Signing of Cheques – Signing of cheques is an executive function since it is a clear

case of implementation. This is directed by the Public Finance Management Act.

3. Disposal of Assets
If Council no longer needs one of its assets, it may dispose of it. If an asset is lost,
stolen or damaged, a Board of Inquiry must be held. This is a small committee made
up of people not involved with the asset who do an investigation and write a report
so that Council can decide who is responsible and what to do about it. When an
asset is stolen, lost or damaged beyond repair, it must be “written off.” Written off
means the asset is cancelled from the Asset Register because they are no longer
there. The responsibility of writing off assets lies with the Council.

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4. Virements
What is a virement?
This is when Council moves funds from one item (a heading in a budget) to another.

When should a Virement be done?

Council can make virements when the following happens: -
 Where there is going to be a greater amount of money spent on one item at the same
time as there is a saving somewhere else
 Where there is more money raised than expected.

A virement can only be done where the service provided is really necessary and this
should not be abused.

How is a virement done?

When the Finance Committee sees that there is going to be a problem with an item, it
should prepare a supplementary estimate. This is presented to the Full Council for
resolution before the problem arrives. Virements should not be done a t the end of the
year to make the books balance. Virements are a sign that an oversight was made in
budgeting and lessons should be learnt from this for the next budget.

5. Loans
What is a loan?
A loan is either when the Council borrows money from the Go vernment or a financial
institution, or when it lends its money to someone else.

When can a Council borrow money?

A Council can borrow money for the following purposes: -
 for buying or building permanent works e.g. sewerage ponds or roads
 for buying immovable/fixed assets e.g. land
 to provide relief in case of a disaster
 to buy major assets, e.g. equipment and vehicles, and
 to repay other loans, but not interests on other loans.

Council can only borrow money if it has done the following things: -
 the expenditure is included in the budget
 the project is in the annual plan
 the Council has passed a resolution without the chairperson using his or her casting
vote
 the Council has advertised the intention to borrow money and the Minister has
approved
 the Council has applied to the Minister for borrowing powers and the Minister has
approved
 the Council only uses the money for the purpose it said it would use it for, and
 the Council uses any change from the loan to pay the loan back.

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Remember that whenever the Council takes a loan, it has to be paid back with interest.
This has to be budgeted for in the coming years.

Who can borrow money from the Council?

Council is allowed to guarantee, or lend money, with interest, to its staff, but only for
buying a house or a stand or for the purchase of a motor vehicle necessary for the
performance of duty. Council is not allowed to lend money to councillors. It is therefore
a good idea to check whether the property is worth the loan or whether the staff
member’s pension contributions are enough to repay the loan.

Financial Statements
Every month, councils must produce financial statements. These are useful to you as a
councillor because they show how much has been collected and how funds would have
been utilised during the month in question.

AUDIT
What is Audit?
An examination of books of accounts and systems, processes, procedures to ensure that
council resources are used efficiently.

There are two types of audit;

Internal audit which carried out by the council auditor
External audit which is carried out by the Auditor General

Council is required in terms the Public Finance Management Act [Chapter 22:19] and
the Urban Councils Act [Chapter 29:15] to have an internal audit section. Council has a
duty to put in place financial regulations and procedures and ensure adherence to same.

The Role of Council in Audit

 Council approves the audit and audit charters
 The audit committee exercises an oversight on the operations of council
 Council has a legal obligation to consider audit reports and appropriate action
 Council has to answer before Parliament.

The Internal Auditor

Council in terms of the Public Finance Management Act [Chapter 22:19], should appoint
an internal auditor and allow him or her to operate without hindrance.

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CHAPTER 12
PROCUREMENT

What is procurement?
It is the process of acquiring goods and services

Procurement is the process of acquiring goods and services.

In terms of Statutory Instrument (SI) 160 of 2012 all local authorities are now
procurement entities in terms of the Procurement Act [Chapter 22:14] as guided by
Circular No. 82 of 2013.

Procurement Committee
Every council must have a procurement committee which is set up by the Town Clerk/
Secretary which meets, deliberates and resolve tender matters.

The committees decision on procurement should be submitted should be reported to

council through the finance committee for information by the Town Clerk/ Secretary.

Procurement Methods
The procurement methods are now prescribed by the Procurement Act which is
administered by the State Procurement Board (SPB).

Purchase that not requiring tender

 Items valued at less than $10 000
 Purchase of Second Hand Goods; and
 Where the SPB approves e.g. in case of an emergency or

Purchases Requiring Tender

 Informal tender: between $10 000 - $300 000
 Formal tender – over $300, 000
 Special formal tenders where normal tender procedure is not followed but with the
permission of SPB.

Role of Council in Procurement

 It approves items to be purchased as provided for in the budget
 Receives reports from the accounting officer who is the Chief Executive Officer
through the finance committee
 It monitors procurement procedures through audit committee

NOTE: It is an offence for councillors to sell goods or services to the Council

Roles of the Town Clerk/ Secretary in Procurement

 S/he selects the procurement committee chaired by him/her or his/her appointee.

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 Advises the board composition of procurement committee and furnish them with
their specimen signatures
 Shall oversee the adjudication of all tenders of Council as per the specific
requirements of each procurement category.
 Reports to Council through the Finance Committee
 Authorises the purchase of second hand goods by private treaty or at public auction
sales
 Liaises with the State Procurement Board for both formal and informal special
tenders before making purchases
 Signs the contract documents and sends copy to the State Procurement Board

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CHAPTER 13
HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

What is Human Resources Management?

Human resources are the employees who implement council resolutions. Therefore
when we are talking of human resources management, we are talking about managing
council employees. It includes the following areas;
 Recruitment and selection
 Retention
 Remuneration and condition of service
 Employee welfare
 Performance management
 Human Resources development
 Promotion
 Separation
 Supervision
 Discipline

The council’s human resources manager is the Town Clerk/ Secretary. Whilst council
makes human resources policies, it is the Town Clerk/ Secretary who does the day to
day management of human resources.

Recruitment and Selection

This is the process of filling vacant posts with persons who qualify for those posts;

Senior employees of council as from deputy heads of departments, heads of

departments, Town Clerk/Secretary are appointed by the Local Government Board. This
means that council will advertise (there is a ministry circular on the qualifications
required for various posts), shortlist and hold the interviews first round of interviews
for candidates before recommending three successful candidates to the Local
Government Board. The Local Government Board may accept or reject the council’s
recommendation. Junior employees below the grade of deputy head of department are
appointed by council upon the recommendation of the Town Clerk/Secretary. Such
appointment is through a council resolution.

Retention
It is important to motivate employees so that they have no desire to leave council. The
best way to retain staff is:
 Providing a good and safe environment
 Providing for personal growth
 Providing constructive feedback

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Remuneration
Every employee has the right to be compensated for the time spent doing the work for
the local authority. Compensation comes in the form of:
 Pay
 Allowances
 Leave
 Pension
 Medical benefits
 Perks

These are known as employment costs. Government policy is that employment costs in
local authorities should not amount to more than 30% of the annual budget.

One of the problems that councils have faced over the past few years is that they have
awarded salaries beyond their capacity. It is therefore wise for councils to award
salaries, allowances and other benefits which they can afford and which are in line with
the local economy. Negotiations regarding conditions of service for employees are done
through a Works Council established in terms of the Labour Act.

Works Council/ Workers Committee

A Workers’ Committee is a workplace body representing the interests of junior
employees of council established in terms of Section 23 of the Labour Act. Some councils
have a number of Workers’ Committees depending on the areas of operation and
specialty.

A Works Council is a committee comprising of equal representation of employer a nd

employees to look into employees welfare and other issues that affect productivity at
the workplace. It is established in terms of the Labour Act.

It is important that Council ensures the existence of a Workers Committee and Works
Council. Councillors do not sit in the Works Council but are represented by
management. It is also crucial that councillors trust management as they negotiate on
their behalf after getting the mandated from the councillors. Agreements reached at
Works Council are binding and councillors have no right to change or redefine them.

Supervision and Discipline

The head of council is the Town Clerk/Town Secretary. He/She therefore is, responsible
for the discipline and supervision of all council employees. Councillors may be
concerned about the discipline or performance and they can raise these issues through
the Town Clerk/Town Secretary. Disciplinary matters which concern any council
employee are governed by a code of conduct or in its absence, Statutory Instrument 15
of 2006. Labour laws have to be observed. Any matters that relate to employee conduct

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or behaviour, offences, disciplinary action and dismissal should be handled through the
code of conduct or Statutory Instrument 15 of 2006.
Council code of conduct must be periodically updated.

Human resources is a complex and valuable asset which needs balanced management.

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CHAPTER 14
PROTOCOL AND ETIQUETTE

Introduction
Grooming and etiquette is about the way you dress and behave. There are set standards
for both which are internationally accepted and adopted by the Department of Protocol
in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Lets start off by looking at definitions:

Protocol - The ceremonial system of fixed rules and accepted behaviour used especially
by representatives of government on official occasions.“

Etiquette - An internationally accepted set of practises and forms that are followed in a
variety of situations.

Order of Precedence
The order of precedence is the official rank structure o f a society. In Zimbabwe, the
order of precedence is contained in Statutory Instrument 316 of 1990.
Where a number of persons of the same rank are present then their order can be based
on affiliation to the event [at the opening of a dam, the Minister of Water would be
senior to the Minister of Roads] or alphabetically.

Forms of address
Your Excellency is only applicable to a Head of State. An acting head of State is not
referred to as Your Excellency.

Ambassadors of other countries serving in Zimbabwe are afforded the title of Your
Excellency because they are representing the Head of State of their countries. A retired
ambassador or a Zimbabwe Ambassador on a visit home is not called Your Excellency.
They also use the title Ambassador instead of Mrs/Mr

All Members of Parliament are addressed as the Honourable Mr/Mrs/Cde/Dr and their
name. The use of the word Honourable by itself is not proper. Honourable is a title given
– it is not supposed to be used by the person who is entitled to be called Honourable.
The term Honourable is also used when addressing the Vice Presidents, the Speakers of
both Houses, Ministers and Deputy Ministers. To distinguish one Honourable person
from another you can add their title and name such as Honourable Vice President Name
or Honourable Minister Name.

Mayors are called Your Worship and the title applies to men and women. Technically
the spouse of a Mayor is called the Mayoress but men do not like to be given that title.

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Uniformed personnel are called by their rank. It is important that ranks are learned as
calling someone by the wrong rank is offensive. Retired officers above the rank of Major
retain their rank and should be addressed accordingly.

Councillors are addressed as Councillor and their name. Chiefs and Headmen ar e
addressed by the designation followed by the name of the Chieftainship/Headmanship.
The titles Chief and Headman are gender neutral.

The title “sir” or “madam” can be used for any person above you on the table of
precedence.

Seating
The seating at a function is organised by the host and you should always wait to be
seated and not seat yourself. Remember that if attending a function with your spouse,
s/he may not necessarily be seated with you. If you host has not followed protocol, do
not make a public fuss about it. Either leave it as it is so as not to embarrass the host or
correct it privately and early.

Seating should be based on the Table of Precedence with the highest ranking in the
middle and then dignitaries sitting in order first right and then left.

The National Anthem

The national anthem is a song that is played at official functions and it represents
Zimbabwe. You should know all the words and should sing it if required to do so.
Whenever the anthem is played at a function you should stand erect with your hands by
your sides. Gentlemen should remove their hats. If you attend with your children or
spouse you should tell them of this beforehand. You are also required to stand erect for
the anthems of other countries although you are not expected to sing them.

Dress
These are the general rules on types of clothing :-
 Dress appropriately for the occasion – an agricultural field day and a formal dinner
are different.
 Men should always wear long trousers, a collared shirt and have a jacket
 Ties should be evenly knotted and the knot should be over the top button which
should be done up
 Women’s outfits should not outshine the other guests, particularly those of the host
or those above you on the table of precedence
 Men should stick to dark colours for suits
 Choose colours that suit your complexion and age and the outfit
 Avoid shiny materials and synthetics as they contain static electricity and may lead
to body odour
 Smell nice but not overpowering
 Evening wear is generally black suit and longer dresses
 African attire is only acceptable for women

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 Avoid sexy clothes and exposing too much
 Men should wear closed shoes
 Women should wear shoe that they can be graceful in.

Make sure your spouse dresses for the function to these standards

There are also some do and don’ts for dress

 Do not adjust clothing, particularly underwear, in public
 Don’t wear clothes for more than one day
 Rotate clothes so you are not always seen in the same clothes and clothes wear
 evenly
 Prepare your outfit in advance so that repairs, pressing etc can be done it time

Dining and Table Manners

Different events require different etiquette but the basic rules are as follows :-
 Always chew with your mouth closed
 Do not talk with food in your mouth
 Do not slurp or eat loudly
 Limit your alcohol intake
 Take small manageable mouthfuls
 Do not move from your seat during eating but if you have to excuse yourself from
the people surrounding you.
 Do not place your handbag/portfolio/brief case on the table
 Switch your cellphone off
 Do not pick your teeth at the table
 Do not eat with your hands unless it is a finger meal in which case always use two
fingers on one hand
 Do not lean across the table to get something; ask your neighbour to pass it.
 Wash your hands before coming to the table and do not demand a dish
 Place your serviette in your lap and do not fold it after the meal
 Put your utensils together when you have finished, as it is a signal to waiters to
remove the plate.
 Do not overload your plate it gives the appearance of greed and leaving food is
deemed rude and wasteful
 Be careful of experimentation as you may not spit food out
 Bread rolls should be gently torn open and taken one at a time
 Do not bend over your plate – bring the food up to your mouth
 Avoid overloading utensils to avoid spills
 Do not scrap up the last bits of food or mop up food
 If you do not wish to take a course, either food or drink simply and gently tell the
waiter “no thank you”. Do not turn your glass upside down or cover it with your
hand.
 Do not shout, hiss or click fingers to attract the waiter – wait for them to look at you
then signal with your finger that require service

 Utensils can be confusing at a formal meal the following are the basic rules :-
 Forks to the left, knives to the right and desert utensils above the place setting.

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 There is a set of utensils for each course so pick up accordingly and leave those
where you skip a course – the waiter may well remove them.
 Drinks glasses to the top right – different glasses for different liquids – the waiters
will use the correct one

Common courtesies
Surprisingly these are not as common as they used to be and as such we may need to be
reminded and be able to remind those we are providing in service training to :-
 Please and thank you and excuse me
 Holding the door for women and the elderly or disabled
 Being on time
 Do not interrupt someone when they are speaking
 Put you cellphone off or on silent and ignore it. If you take a call you are saying that
the caller is more important than the event you are attending.
 Have several conversation topics so you can make polite small talk. Avoid
controversial matters. Do not maintain silences; start discussions
 Be careful not to get over friendly at an official occasion and be careful not to reveal
confidential material in conversation.
 Maintaining eye contact when speaking
 Do not crowd the host or any VIP
 Learn the art of mingling – do not spend the whole function talking to one person.
 Avoid personal grooming in public
 Ensure you are pleasant to be near. Clean, nice smelling neat body, teeth, hair,
fingernails, hands, feet and health]
 Sneeze and cough into a tissue and turn your head away from others
 If you see something wrong try and correct it privately. Do not leave someone to be
embarrassed because nobody told them they had egg on the tie or toilet paper on
their shoe.

Thank yous
You will be remembered by people if you show your appreciation for something they
do. Thank you notes are of great value and should be sent out as soon as p ossible. This
can be done with a pen and paper or by email although email is less personal. Try and
be specific in your thanks rather than general.

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CHAPTER 15
FROM PROMISES TO RESULTS

During an election campaign a councillor will make various pro mises to the electorate
in order to gain their support. What happens to those promises once the councillor
comes into office? If you do not fulfil you election promises you will lose the confidence
of your constituents. So let’s look at the process of getting promises made transformed
into actual results.

What is a promise?
A promise is a commitment or undertaking to do certain things. In order to maintain
your integrity, that promise needs to be fulfilled.

What is a result?
A result is the fulfilment of a commitment or undertaking. It is seen in development
projects and service delivery.

Some notes on promises

In future whenever you make a promise you need to remember the following :-
 a promise must be realistic or achievable
 you will have to convince the full council to take up your promise and implement it
 a promise costs money to implement and Council will have to raise it
 an unfulfilled promise is the same as a lie
 the electorate have long memories and they will not forget the promises made to
them even if you forget them.

Process of getting your promise to an actual result

In order to get your promise to be a reality you will have to take the following steps :
1. You will need to get your promise onto the Council agenda and in order to do this
you will need to undertake your research and then submit a motion containing the
necessary information and justification to the relevant committee.
2. You will need to prepare to defend your promise in the full Council meeting when it
comes up for resolution
3. Your project will have to get budgetary allocations
4. Your project will have to be implemented by the executive
5. During implementation you may have to mobilise community support for the
project, depending on the nature of the project.

You will see from this that the promises you have made that are wild or unlawful have
no chance of becoming results. You need to learn lessons from this.

Councillor Expectation

Councillors are entitled to the following:

 Monthly allowances approved by the Minister based on affordability and revenue

inflows

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 Travel and subsistence allowance where a councillor travels on authorised council
business outside council area.
 Other allowances such as sitting allowance and cellphone allowance may only be
paid where the Minister approves.
 A council vehicle may only be used by a councillor on authorised council business
and with a council driver.
 Council services and amenities may be used by councillors but they are not
exempted from the payment of the full fees and charges.
 One stand for residential purposes are allocated to a councillor in the same way as
they are allocated to members of the public and must be paid for.

Now that you have read and understand this handbook, you are ready to serve your
community as their councillor.

WE WISH YOU THE BEST IN YOUR TENURE AS COUNCILLOR.

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