13 February 2008, 18:19
Taking part in this event were Olexander Omelchenko, Chairman of the State Building and Local Self-Government Committee, Valentyn Zaichuk, Head of the Office and Administrative Department of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, and Valeriy Borysov, Deputy Chairman of the Budget Committee.
Chairmen of Regional and District Councils raised the issues of strategic planning of the development of territories and communities, a more active involvement of territorial community members in planning and implementation of Local and Regional Development programmes, financial support of Local Council Authorities and the Budget process, election of Village, Community and City Mayors, tackling housing and utility problems, and funding of educational programmes at local level.
The Delegates also formulated their comments and criticisms of Bills on amendments to the Laws ‘On Local Self-Government in Ukraine´, ‘On Local State Administrations´, and others. They also gave some thought to the formation of Local Budgets 2008.
The majority of Delegates felt that an integrated approach in drafting Laws on Local and Regional Development Control is required, so as to exclude poor coordination of legislative provisions and rules.
The speakers upheld a more comprehensive Legal regulation of the issues concerning territorial communities and involvement of the public in Local Self-Government, etc, in the revised version of the Law ‘On Local Self-Government in Ukraine´. They also called for establishing a procedure for resolving competence debates within the Local Self-Government system, and in relations between Local Governments and Administrations.
Regional Policy improvements must produce an efficient tool for consultations with local powers, and the circles of the wider community, on all vital issues of Local and Regional Development, the Delegates from Regional and District Councils agreed. They should also implement public discussion of Bills, restore the system of Public Advisory and Consultative Councils attached to the State Authorities and Local Governments.
The present system of Power territorial organisation in Ukraine requires improvements. The proposals offered by the Delegates included launching a system and mechanism of mutual representation of Central and Regional Authorities, delineation and balancing of authorities and responsibilities of Central and Local Authorities and Governments in the field of State and Public Service provision, and the avoidance of any overlapping of these functions.
The speakers stressed that the problem today of common property owned by territorial communities of different levels is a cornerstone. The matters of managing, using and disposing of facilities in communal property are increasingly important, and are the exclusive right of councils.
A clear-cut scope of communal property facilities in different Local Self-Government sectors should be defined, and the limits of object competence of their bodies regulated.
Resulting from these discussions, those taking part in this event concluded that the proposals offered during the meeting should be taken into account in drafting Bills related to the further development of the State Regional Policy.