MA N6 - Module 5

THE ROLE OF THE
MUNICIPAL MANAGER
AND PERSONNEL
ADMINISTRATION

MODULE 5

INTRODUCTION

The Municipal Manager is the official in the management of a city or town.

The six administrative processes that a municipal manager is responsible for are:

• Policy making;

• Organising;

• Financing;

• Human resources/personnel;

• Methods and procedures; and

• Control.

THE MUNICIPAL MANAGER AND SIX
ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESSES

The Municipal Manager is the administrative, executive and Accounting Officer of the city or town. As public manager, the Municipal Manager has to apply the six generic administrative processes and other functional activities of personnel administration.

POLICY MAKING

The Municipal Manager is the official Policy is an action plan to achieve institutional objectives. All municipalities need policies on issues such
as rates and service fee collections, special development, debt collection, etc.

Eight steps can be identified in policy making, which are:

•Identification of the problem

•Policy analysis

•Development of policy instruments

•Consultation with all stakeholders

•Co ordination

•Deciding on a plan

•Implementation

•Evaluation and monitoring

POLICY MAKING

To fulfil this policy making duty, the Municipal Manager has to:

• Attend council and committee meetings.

• Consult regularly with the executive mayor.

• Meet with interest groups and ward committees.

• Consult with officials from higher authorities.

• Meet with chief officials of the different departments.

• Advice subordinates on how to prepare policy documents.

• Check policy proposals drafted by chief officials (HODs).

Multiple Choice

Which one of the following is NOT one of the eight steps of policy making?

• Co-ordination

• Implementation

• Consultation

• Arbitration

ORGANISING FUNCTION OF THE MUNICIPAL
MANAGER

To fulfil this policy making duty, the Municipal Manager has to:

• Attend council and committee meetings.

• Consult regularly with the executive mayor.

• Meet with interest groups and ward committees.

• Consult with officials from higher authorities.

• Meet with chief officials of the different departments.

• Advice subordinates on how to prepare policy documents.

• Check policy proposals drafted by chief officials (HODs).

ORGANISING FUNCTION OF THE MUNICIPAL
MANAGER

If the Municipal Manager aims to have an economical, effective, efficient and accountable
administration, his/her organising role is to:

• Revise the hierarchy of the different departments.

• Analyse the proposals of the chief officials about their units.

• Consult with officials from provincial government.

• Co ordinate the activities of the different departments.

• Revise the process of delegation continuously.

FINANCING ROLE OF THE MUNICIPAL MANAGER

The financial role of the Municipal Manager is as follows:

• Prepare and submit the annual budget.

• Implement the approved budget by consulting with HODs.

• Revenue management in consultation with the CFO.

• Manage the assets and liabilities.

• Consult with outside parties on the provision of services.

THE MUNICIPAL MANAGER’S ROLE IN PERSONNEL
MATTERS

The Municipal Manager should aim to have a motivated personnel workforce and to improve the quality of his/her workforce by:

• Considering and analysing proposals for salary increases.

• Attending conferences and seminars in order to be updated.

• Implementing knowledge and skills obtained from conferences.

• Introducing training programmes if finances are available.

• Introducing and maintaining a performance appraisal system.

• Introducing ways for development of staff in the form of conferences, seminars or further studies.

Multiple Choice

Municipal managers need to stay up to date on the latest labour relations policies

• True

• False

THE MUNICIPAL MANAGER’S CONTRIBUTION IN
WORK METHODS AND PROCEDURES

Municipal Managers must ensure that the correct methods and procedures are followed by:

• Conducting regular surveys on the latest technology.

• Motivate the HODs to use the latest technology.

• Evaluating proposals for better work methods.

• Attending conferences and seminars on the latest work methods.

THE CONTROL MEASURES APPLIED BY THE
MUNICIPAL MANAGER

Officials have to act in such a way that account can be given of all their actions and
activities, and to manage this the Municipal Manager will have to:

• Introducing control measures to ensure accountability.

• Do regular inspections to reveal any irregularities.

• Report to the Council and committees.

• Report to the higher authorities.

• Give feedback to the Council and committees.

THE MUNICIPAL MANAGER AND THE FUNCTIONAL
ACTIVITIES

The Municipal Systems Act spells out the functional personnel activities of Municipal
Managers as follows:

• The appointment of staff other than those senior managers accountable to him or her.

• The management, effective utilisation and training of staff.

• The maintenance of discipline of staff.

Multiple Choice

Which act deals with the different parts of the functional activities?

• Municipal Systems Act

• Municipal Structures Act

• Skills Development Act

• Labour Relations Act

PERSONNEL PROVISION

Municipal Manager is involved in the following manner:

• Ensure that personnel provision is handled accordingly.

• Make final decision if officials fail to reach an agreement.

• Decide on the compensation of the newly appointed candidate.

• Ensure that line functionaries have the delegated authority to carry out duties.

• Ensure that line functionaries reward achievement and discipline workers.

PERSONNEL MAINTENANCE

The role of the Municipal Manager is limited and he/she will:

• Advise and give guidance to chief officials.

• Convince the council to introduce programmes to ensure job satisfaction

• Motivate that fair and suitable remuneration packages are offered.

• Resolve grievances if officials appeal to him/her.

PERSONNEL UTILISATION

The Municipal Manager as CFO will be responsible for:

• Ensure that subordinates are utilised productively.

• Ensure that workers are utilised according to their skills.

• Leading by setting an example and giving guidance.

• Motivate chief officials to utilise their subordinates in the best way.

• Keeping up to date with disciplinary procedures and actions

PERSONNEL TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

The Municipal Manager is not directly involved with training and development, but it is
his/her responsibility to:

• Ensure that training officials are qualified and equipped.

• Offer guidance and advice on the training programmes .

• Make it possible for subordinates to acquire the required skills.

• Motivate chief officials to have a positive attitude towards training and development.

• Ensure that chief officials receive training and development.

Multiple Choice

The roles of the municipal manager in municipal and personnel administration can be summarised into two groups namely administrative processes and functional activities

• True

• False

Categorize

Options (5)

policy-making

organising

financing

personnel provision

training and development

Organize these options into the right categories

Administrative processes

Functional activities

Multiple Choice

Which act requires the municipality to make provision in their budget for the development and implementation of training programmes

• Skills Development Act

• Municipal Structures Act

• Labour Relations Act

• The Constitution of South Africa