GPG’s Guide to Decentralisation series explores the practicalities of designing, implementing and managing the process of decentralisation. The Guides explore key areas affecting the planning and delivery of an effective decentralised system, drawing on international experience and best practice.
In this Guide, written for GPG by Sir Paul Silk, we consider some key principles and models of decentralisation, and seek to answer the following questions:
- What is decentralisation?
- What advantages and pitfalls can it bring?
- What forms can decentralisation take?
- What principles should be followed when allocating powers between tiers?
- What financial, behavioural and cultural changes need to accompany the necessary legal and structural reforms?
This paper is available in English and Arabic.