Municipal Asset Management in China's Small Cities and Towns : Findings and Strategies Ahead

Campanaro, Alessandra ; Masic, Joanna ; Kaganova, Olga ; Fan, Hongye ; Abdelfattah, Hazem

World Bank, Washington, DC

关键词: MUNICIPAL FINANCE;    asset management;    municipal assets;    public service delivery;    urban development;   

DOI  :  10.1596/1813-9450-7997
RP-ID  :  WPS7997

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: World Bank Open Knowledge Repository

【 摘 要 】

Chinese municipalities have developed alarge stock of capital assets during a period of rapidgrowth and urbanization, but have yet to modernize assetmanagement practices. Cities face challenges such aspremature decline of fixed assets and spiking liabilitiesrelated to operating and maintaining assets. This paperevaluates the asset management practices in three selectedsmall cities and towns in China, using a benchmarkingassessment tool followed by an in-depth field assessment.The paper finds that overall performance is below half theinternational benchmark for good practice in all threecities. Management practices are considerably more advancedfor land than for buildings and infrastructure. Keydeficiencies in data availability and reporting, governance,capacity, and financial management indicate increased risksfor local government finance and the delivery of publicservices. For small cities and towns where public revenuesare often uncertain and limited, urban public services willbe at risk of deterioration unless good asset managementpractices are put in place. The paper recommends strategicactions for upper and lower levels of government, to advancelocal asset management practices and facilitate the reform agenda.