In accordance with the Local Government Act No. 281 of the Laws of Zambia and the various statutes. Section 61 of the Local Government Act list functions of Local Authorities. The following are the overall functions of Local Authorities:

• Maintaining street lighting
• Trimming hedges and trees
• Drainage
• Fire service
• Collecting domestic waste
• Issuing dog licenses
• enforcing laws on noise pollution.
• Register of electors
• Liquor licenses
• Borehole and Borehole maintenance
• Corpse disposal

Services to Citizens

1.Physical Planning

Administration of land

To ensure orderly development of human settlements in the district.

Responsible for processing applications for land use development and/or change

Control of spatial development in the district

2.Social Economic Planning

Coordination of developmental programmes, projects and activities in the district.

Facilitate administration and utilization of Constituency Development Fund (CDF) and Ward Development Fund (WDF).

Facilitates the formulation of district development plans.

Provision of secretarial support to the District Development Coordinating Committee (DDCC).

Promote decentralized planning systems in the district.

Develop and manage the district database

Monitoring and evaluation of developmental projects

3.Public Health Management

Enforcement of the Public Health and other related Acts in order to ensure compliance

Inspection of premises and monitoring of pollution levels in order to ensure adherence and compliance to the relevant environmental laws.

Inspections and sampling of meat and other foods in order to ensure that they are safe for public consumption.

scrutiny of building plans and issuance of occupational certificates in order to ensure that building developments are habitable and safe

Disease prevention, mitigation and control activities in order to minimize the prevalence of communicable diseases in the Town.

Certification of the preservation and preparation of human remains for transportation in order to reduce the risk of communicable diseases

4.Community Development

Provision of preschool and adult education programs in order to promote early childhood and adult literacy

Delivery of skills training programs in order to empower members of the community

Provision of sports and recreation facilities in order to improve the wellbeing of the community

Development and promotion of sports and related recreation inorder to improve the well being of the community

5.District HIV/AIDS Coordination

Co-ordinate the local response in line with the priorities of the national HIV and AIDS Strategic Framework

Co-ordinates and supervises the activities of the decentralized HIV multi-sectoral response at District and Sub-district level

Undertaking of HIV and AIDS research activities at the sub national level and participate in the generation of evidence based plans based on the research findings

Collection, storage, retrieval and analysis of the local data on HIV and AIDS for planning and decision making at various levels of the Local Authority

Provide expertise and technical assistance to implementing partners of HIV/AIDS programmes at District and Sub-district levels

6.Environmental Planning

Review of environmental assessment documents in order to recommend appropriate measures.

Environmental education in order to solicit for community participation in environmental management and conservation

Implementation of environmental mitigation measures in order to ensure compliance with statutory and legally set standards.

7.Issuance of Licences

This involves inspection of business to certify their compliance with set requirements ,this involves inspection of businesses and buildings.

Development and maintenance of public infrastructure

Development and maintenance of council buildings and machinery

Enforcement of building regulations and provision of fire services

improve access to water supply and sanitation

The Ministry of Local Government through the Local Authorities deals with the following;

Pollution control -the Public Health Unit ensures compliance to health standards and reduction of environmental pollution .

Building regulations– The Planning and Buildings Departments enures that buidings conform to planning standards and that all building plans are approved.

Child-care facilities- facilities that include anti-natal, post-natal,under-five and pre-school education are provided through the departments of health and community development.

Fire-fighting services- The department of works through the Fire Brigade units provide fire fighting and prevention services and emergency rescue facilities to the general public.

Local tourism -the ministry of tourism and the community development department provide local tourism social amenities like play parks,zoo’s and cultural /heritage promotion.

Pontoons, ferries, jetties, piers and harbors, excluding the regulation of international and national shipping and matters related thereto

Storm water management systems through providing adequate drainage facilities  in built-up areas

Trading– through the provision of various trading levies and licenses.

Water and sanitation services limited to potable water supply systems and domestic waste-water and sewage disposal systems

Veterinary services including dog licensing and vaccinations and vet services for other animals and livestock.

Abattoirs – to facilitate hygienically controlled slaughter and management of animal carcasses.

Ambulance services-through the health ministry and department to ease evacuation of the sick to health institutions.

Sport- through the provision of stadiums in local communities

Roads and traffic automation and maintenance

Billboards – through the provision of space for the display of advertisements in public places.

Cemeteries, funeral parlors and crematoria

Control of public nuisances

Control of undertakings that sell liquor to the public

Facilities for the accommodation, care and burial of animals

Licensing and control of undertakings that sell food to the public

Refuse removal, refuse dumps and solid waste disposal

Registration of births, marriages and deaths

How the Services can be obtained

The services can be obtained through written communication addressed to the Council Secretary or by visiting the offices at Civic Centre