MARTIN MAWAYA
Gweru Residents and Ratepayers Association (GRRA) yesterday sought for input from residents on service delivery charter to be used as a benchmark to monitor the City Council performance.
The framework is in line with corporate governance practices and is aimed at empowering residents by setting standards that enhance service provision, including pathways for complains handling.
GRRA programs officer, Fadzai Karenyi said the service delivery charter is a social contract between residents and the local authority, whose aim is to give residents a voice on what they expect from their local authority.
She said the service tool empowers residents to report service shortfalls and suggest ways to improve delivery of services to the community.
Karenyi was speaking to The Midweek Watch on the sidelines of the consultation meeting with the residents held yesterday.
“Today we gathered residents to get their input into the service delivery charter and clearly spelt out what they expect from their local authority.
“So, this is a social contract between the residents and the local authority in terms of the relationship that we have, which is strictly around service delivery issues. This service delivery charter will speak to the needs of residents. Precisely what the residents want for them to be able to appreciate the work that the local authority will be doing.
“Most importantly, this Charter is going to guide us as residents, to have a clearly outlined work plan on what we want to do as far as service delivery is concerned,” added Karenyi.
She said timeous quality service delivery, collective engagement and effective communication to the residents were major issues that came out during data collection meeting.
“We need residents at the grassroots level to access and have information on what is happening at the local authority timeously,” she said.
The proposed service benchmark contains residents’ value proposition anchored on efficiency, customer relations and effective communication.
The charter outlined priorities and key areas of focus on the issues between the residents and the Midlands Province capital that includes customer rights and responsibilities as well as expedite the feedback.
Residents also wanted “all programs and activities at the local authority level to be highly monitored and periodically reviewed to determine efficiency”.
Former Gweru Urban Member of Parliament and prominent lawyer, Brian Dube will consolidate residents views into a final applicable document.
