Development cooperation of local communities (inter-municipal cooperation – IMC) under the implementation of local government reform

Abstract

The hereby article has analyzed the issue of the territorial communities’ cooperation (intermunicipal cooperation – IMC), in particular in the framework of the on-going local self-government reform in Ukraine.It is proved justification of the researches of the notion «territorial community» as an object of the public administration science. It is also defined the main characteristics of the territorial communities’ cooperation (intermunicipal cooperation – IMC), in particular taking into account the concepts of «new public management» and «good governance». It is pointed out the particularities of the current status and further IMC evolution in Ukraine. The experience of other countries in the field of local self-government reform implementation and IMC development have been studied and systematized. It has been also analyzed the possibilities of the implementation in Ukraine of the best national and international practices in this field.The main directions of further IMC development are examined in order to ensure the implementation of the provisions of the European Charter of Local Self-Government. It is also noted that IMC represents an innovative tool for local sustainable development and municipal consolidation in Ukraine and other European countries.The benefit of the article is to highlight the main stages of IMC projects realization. The article also provides a deep analysis of key advantages and possible difficulties in IMC projects realization. It shows that IMC gives the opportunity for local authorities to unite their resources (financial, economic, perssonel etc.) for increasing the efficiency of their work and improving the quality of the municipal services to be provided for the citizens. Consequently, provision of the high quality services to the citizens became a main mission of all local public authorities in the framework of the implementation of the new public management and good governance standards on all levels. It reflects also the main European tendencies in the field of public administration reform which are fixed in the different documents of the international organizations and European institutions. By analysis of the current status of local self-government reform, the best national and international practices, the proposals on further IMC development in Ukraine are presented. Thus, the author proposed to set up more valuable and effective cooperation between the respective local public authorities, organization of the special training programmes in order to ensure further IMC development.