#31: Coordinating bodies between central government and local authorities

Co-ordinating bodies between central government and local authorities are useful mechanisms to foster vertical co-ordination, build capacity and share good practices at the sub-national level.

They can take the form of committees, commissions or agencies and can sometimes be leading actors in fiscal capacity-building by representing the interests of the local or regional level to national-level decision makers. Working groups are an alternative form of co-ordinating body, and tend to focus on a specific topic, including representatives from the central, provincial and local levels.

In Ireland, the Local Authority Water Programme is allows to design and develop strategies for the management of river basins with the contribution of local authorities and State agencies. The body aims to achieve coordination between public and private actors to achieve the objectives of the river basin management plan, activate local communities to bring an integrated character to the river basin management and ultimately provide a solid foundation for the long-term development of such management plans.