Good Governance in Norway:\u000bA View from the Grassroots

$: Good Governance in Norway:\u000bA View from the Grassroots$
Good Governance in Norway:

A View from the Grassroots

Harald Koht

Oslo and Akershus University College

Professor, PhD

Norwegian Neighborhood Federation

Chairman 1997-1999 and 2010

Training session for good governance monitors

Rozmarin Hotel, Predeal, Romania

28 August 2015

28.08.2015

From my parents:

Romanian heirlooms 1938-39

Good Governance in Norway 28.08.2015

Haystack near Băile Tușnad Plate by Bucarest potter

Governance – an academic definition

—The interplay between government and

society, specifically civil society

Presentasjonens tittel 02.10.2015

Good governance:

A prescriptive or ideal definition

Good, effective public governance helps to strengthen

democracy and human rights, promote economic

prosperity and social cohesion, reduce poverty,

enhance environmental protection and the sustainable

use of natural resources, and deepen confidence in

government and public administration.

OECD 2008


Governance and civil society

The idea of “Good Governance” provides for the

opening of a broader debate about the role of

voluntary organizations in politics, including the rise of

networks that allow for decision-making by negotiation.


Two types of people’s organizations 1


• Membership – Active membership with its

own practical and social

activities

– Fixed annual dues

– Elected leadership

– Accountability to general

meetings of members

Two types of people’s organizations 2


• Campaign organizations – Short term action groups

– Foundations

– Self-recruited leadership and no fixed membership

– Voluntary contributions

Norwegian neighbourhood clubs - 1


• Traditional membership

organizations

• Democratic, elected

leadership

• Based on territorial

principles: Anyone living

within a defined area can

become a member

• No national authority that

defines goals and duties

Norwegian neighbourhood clubs - 2


• Early founding years: 1870-1880s

• Rapid growth: From 4 000 (1982) to 8 000 (2012)

• Strong in suburban and recently urbanized areas with owner-occupied housing

• Includes both men and women

• A huge variety of activities

Typical membership activities

Voluntary work Percentages

Outdoors maintenance and tidying 87

Playgrounds 64

Commons care 24

Street lights 23

Ball parks (handball etc.) 15

Social events

Christmas celebration 55

Midsummer eve, June 23 47

Community party 45


What’s the point of raking leaves?


Here were citizens reaffirming a small measure of control of their shared physical surroundings, and demonstrating a sense of community, which is part of what cities are about – or should be.

– Witold Rybczynski City Life: Urban Expectations in

a New World , New York 1995

Cooperation with the municipality:

one-way or two-way partnerships?

Area of cooperation Relationship Percentages

Playgrounds Cooperation 63

Outdoor tidying and cleaning Cooperation 60

Traffic safety Lobbying 58

Planning Deliberation 29

Cultural activities Coproduction 23

Community meeting house Subsidies 15

Activities for the elderly Cooperation, subsidies 8


Source: Koht 2013

Contributing to Good Governance:

a case study from Oslo


Case: New housing near metro, railway, and

major 4-lane highway


Actions taken by the local neighborhood association:

— Respond to published planning application by written demands for lower building heights and measures to reduce risk of noise pollution.

— Meet with responsible elected official at highest level in city government.

— Form local alliances

— Participate at open meetings.

— Participate in noise level measurements.

— Results: Reduced building heights; noise level controls.

Participation in local planning activities


0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Traffic plans and traffic safety

Zoning and building plans

Road plans

City planning

Construction

Transportation plans

Pollution issues

2011 2007

Source: Koht 2013

How to communicate – part 1

Traditional Percentages

Written hearings 62

Oral hearings (meetings) 43

Deputations 4


Source: Koht 2013

How to communicate – part 2

Modern – deliberate Percentages

”The open half hour” 12

Local committees 11

Conferences 9

Committee membership 8

Electronic networks 7

User committees 4

Interviews 4

Participation in budgeting 2


Source: Koht 2013

Satisfaction with partnership with local

government: not an ideal situation

1991 2013

Very high 17 13

Satisfactory 61 48

Poor 15 27

Non-existent 4 12

No answer 3 0


Source: Koht 2013

Challenges for activists

— Know the steps in decision-making: Always too late?

— Gain transparency

— Speak the language of decision makers


What can be done by citizens to win

influence?

— Initiate co-production

— Seek publicity

— Secure timeliness

— Persist

— Accept incrementalism: One small step at a time


The future

The future of the cities, whatever form it takes, will

depend on the goodwill of its citizens for its well-being.

— Witold Rybczynski

City Life: Urban Expectations in a New World

New York 1995


Questions for discussion

— What are the qualities required for cooperation between civil society and government? Discuss in relation to trust, openness, timeliness, decision-making process, and other requirements that you think are important.

— What would be effective meeting places for government officials and civil society people for discussing issues of common concern? What should be the role of one-way communication? What should be the role of multi-way communication?


References

— Harald Koht. 2013. Dugnadsånd og samstyring i

lokalsamfunnet [Community volunteering and

governance]. Oslo: HiOA Report 2013: 2

— Witold Rybczynski. 1995.: City Life: Urban

Expectations in a New World, Scribner: New York

1995

— Photos by Paul Koht (1938) and Harald Koht (2014-

15)


Thank you for your attention


Source: VFO home page 2015

Good Governance in Norway:\u000bA View from the Grassroots

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