THIS SERIES OF 13 handbooks, focused on training for local government officials or councillors, has been produced by the UN–Habitat in response to an urgent need for capacity building in many municipalities.

The package as a whole offers an overview and a trainer's guide as well as guidance on 11 specific roles performed by local councillors. They cover the councillor as policy maker, decision maker, communicator, facilitator, enabler, negotiator, financier, overseer, power broker, institution builder and leader. Part I of each of these guides includes a section describing the complexities of the role in question in some detail. Part II contains a number of practical exercises for training purposes, including warm-ups, role playing, relationship mapping, case studies, problem identification and self assessments. The package as a whole is clearly written and laid out, and covers a wealth of detail about the responsibilities and challenges of local government officials.