Governance of local public service provision: between policy, efficiency and sustainability

What is it about?

Envirormental services like waste and water management must be efficiently delivered possibly under a public governance. This is increasingly difficult as regulations and circular economy goals require higher investments and better coordination. This study looks at how municipalities can organise these services in a more integrated way, by cooperating through publicly owned utilities. Using an analytical framework, the paper explains how combining services can improve efficiency and coordination, while also creating new governance challenges. The analysis shows that larger, integrated service arrangements can reduce costs and improve planning, but may also make public control more complex. Shared public ownership and coordinated governance mechanisms can help manage these trade-offs and support circular economy objectives. Cooperation between municipalities and public utilities can strengthen both efficiency and governanceoffering useful insights for policymakers and practitioners facing similar challenges.

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