Inter-municipal cooperation as a tool for increasing development inclusivity of the united territorial communes of Ukraine

Abstract

The article presents the results of research on the problems of cooperation between territorial communities in the regions of Ukraine in the context of activation of inclusive development. The author’s conceptual vision of theoretical basis for the study of the inclusiveness of the development of territorial communities is presented. The processes of concluding of agreements on cooperation of communities in the regions of Ukraine from the moment of its beginning till today are analyzed. The problems and challenges of the development of inter-municipal cooperation of united territorial communities of regions are identified, and on this basis recommendations for improving the efficiency of development of inter-municipal cooperation at the basic level are formulated and substantiated. In particular, it is necessary to conduct a consistent state policy to stimulate the development of inter-municipal cooperation. The main directions of such a policy should be: development and adoption by regional authorities of all regions of Ukraine of financial support and incentives for cooperation of territorial communities as well as identification of potential territories in regions where cooperation could be developing; inclusion of mechanisms of inter-municipal cooperation in regional programs of socio-economic and cultural development of regions; explanatory work among representatives of local self-government bodies on the practical use of inter-municipal cooperation; organization of trainings, seminars, round tables and other events, dissemination of scientific literature, invitations of leading foreign and Ukrainian scholars, experts and analysts; dissemination of positive experience of cooperation, public support and promotion of best practices of cooperation, conducting public competitions of projects with winners and supporting the implementation of their experience in other communities as well as forming of networks for experience exchange on issues of development of inter-municipal cooperation between local governments from different regions of Ukraine; organization of informal effective control by the public for the promotion of projects, implementation of events and obtaining results. Consequently, the cooperation of territorial communities not only creates problems, but also creates opportunities for them to be solved by activating entrepreneurial activity, expanding the possibilities of self-government and civic creativity at the basic level. In this regard, inter-municipal cooperation should become an effective instrument for completing the decentralization reform in Ukraine.