Comparative Study on Budgetary Processes of Local Authorities in Britain and Japan

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In 1993-94 I had prepared the research for the following two years and collected materials for making the questionnaire which would be sent to local authorities in Japan in 1994. My paper on budget making of local authorities and the role of councillors in Kagawa Prefecture was published, though this reserach was not carried out by the grant-in-aid for scientific research, but the contents of my paper are closely related with the present research.In 1994-95 the questionnaires which have 35 questions on budgetary processes on local authorities in Japan were sent to 1,074 municipalities (shi, chou and son) and response rate is 92.4%, which is of quite high percentage and has reflected the exact profile of all local authorities from judging any standards. I would like to mention only two points which seem to be the new discovery in my research. First, I asked whether the long-term plan or the yearly plan which would underline the budget were made by the local authorities. The 73.4% of all … More municipalities had made those ones and it was found that 80% of municipalities in eastern part of Japan had made those two plans, but below 70% of municipalities in western part of Japan made those plans. Second, I asked how they had consulted the residents when they were making budget. 66.2% of all answers is that they had considered carefully the petitions from residents towards the budget.The two papers on my research were published in 1995In 1995-96 I made the questionnaire which has 33 questions and in autumn 1995, those questionnaires were sent to 444 local authorities in England and Wales. I asked to have the answers sent by 29th December, 1995. On 16th January, 1996 and 28th February, 1996 the reminding letters were sent out to the local authorities which did not respond yet. By 27th March, 1996, the response rate is 60.1%, and the estimated response rate will be ultimately 65%. I think my research will be the successful one thanks to the diligent local government officers in England and Wales.The paper on my research on British local authorities will be published in 1997. Less