Greater Amman Municipality Urban Governance Best Practices

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Greater Amman Municipality Urban Governance Best
Practices

• Mediterranean Development Forum 5 (MDF5)
• Urban Governance Session
• Governance Reforms for Better City Performance in
  MENA
• Beirut, 8th April 2006

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Amman

• Amman, which now boasts a population of 2
  million, has undergone an exceptional expansion
  and population growth within a relatively short
  period of time, thus placing greater demands on
  city planners and services in all areas.
• Amman has been deeply impacted by the exceptional
  circumstances that dominated the region during
  the past few decades, which overwhelmed city
  planners and gave rise to haphazard and rapid
  construction.

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In 1987, the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) was
created
Current Area 700Km2 (20
Districts) Population 2.2 million 38 of
Jordans population
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GAM Vision

• We seek, in partnership with Amman citizens, to
  provide exceptional municipal services that far
  exceed the expectations of service-recipients
  while keeping up with modern conveniences and
  preserving the citys heritage and spirit

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GAM Mission

• To provide services to the citizens of Amman,
  with their participation and that of the staff of
  GAM, in a simplified way with transparency and
  in a fair manner, while maintaining the cultural
  values, architectural infrastructure and ancient
  heritage of the city, so as to keep the city
  safe, convenient and lively to service-recipients
  

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GAM Management

• City council comprises 40 members including the
  Mayor (Council President).
• 20 members are appointed and 20 members are
  elected by citizens as representatives of the 20
  Districts
• Executive Management
• Centralized in GAM with Participatory Committees
• Decentralized in the GAM Districts

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GAM Definition
Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) is a
financially independent private corporation. It
is a Municipality in all aspects, the functions
of which are administered by GAM Council. The
Council is the Municipalitys highest governing
body.
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GAM main tasks and responsibilities

• City planning
• Building permits
• Professionals licenses
• Health control and environmental protection
• Desertification control, public parks
  entertainment facilities.
• Roads, traffic and transportation
• Cultural, humanitarian athletic activities

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Executive Management
1. Centralized (Broad geographical context)
Functions planning, supervision, evaluation,
budgeting, and facilitating the work of relevant
government agencies and corporations.
2. Decentralized (District Level)
Functions building licenses, zoning, collection
and disposal of solid waste, health inspection,
road maintenance, collection of fees and taxes
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Good Governance through organizational clarity

• The organizational breakdown of responsibilities
  stems from the Mission of GAM
• Providing better services is the basis of all
  activities in GAM, including planning, execution
  and monitoring
• The Participatory role of GAM Council members in
  committees ensures the transformation from a
  centralized decision to a decentralized action

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GAM Initiatives For Better Governance

• Strategic planning
• City Development Strategy (CDS)
• Ensuring Citizens Satisfaction.

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Strategic Planning

• Modeled in response to National Objectives, which
  were developed in a national consultative
  process.
• Implementing the plans and activities within a
  specified timeline to achieve positive results
  and citizens satisfaction.
• Continuous monitoring and updating of the
  executive plan to ensure fulfilling the vision,
  goals and objectives

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CDS Why we need a new strategy?

• The 2002-2006 Development Plan for Amman has,
  after two years of implementation, faced serious
  limitations in certain areas that traditional
  urban planning cannot overcome.

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CDS Main Domains

• GAM CDS represents a framework to achieve equal
  growth in the city in order to enhance the
  lifestyle of all citizens sustained through the
  participation of all stakeholders by developing
• The CDS focuses on Urban Governance, Municipal
  Reform and a citywide Slum Upgrading plan.

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CDS Project Objectives

• To improve the mechanisms of urban governance in
  Greater Amman
• To enhance the performance of the municipal urban
  development department in initiating urban
  upgrading of squatter settlements, updating the
  Amman Master Plan, as well as in improving the
  documentation of urban land use and data
• To adopt city-wide upgrading of squatter
  settlements and refugee camps, building on the
  successful experience of upgrading four
  settlements.

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Expected Impact Results

• Improved overall performance and efficiency of
  municipal departments
• Improved urban planning practices
• Improved policies/mechanisms for upgrading the
  living conditions of squatters and refugees.

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Citizens Satisfaction
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An organizational structure in touch with
citizens

• Development of a high Quality complaint system
• Building on the current GAM Public complaint
  system (80-90 response rate)
• To anticipate problems and to deal with them
  proactively
• Reaching out to citizens and being part of their
  daily routine through district PR employees
• Neighborhood committees

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Citizens Awareness

• GAM publishes Guidelines for procedures for
  citizens which clarifies what is expected and
  streamlines the processes
• Publishing bulletins
• Press and TV advertising
• Answer machine services
• SMS services
• Advertising on the GAM web page
• Direct communication with concerned individuals

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In other words , our main focus at GAM is to
continue improving the services we render to
Amman citizens, tourists, investors and visitors.