Local self-government development programming: regional experience and modern challenges

Abstract

The article examines the "Program for the development of local government in the Dnipropetrovsk region for 2012 –2021" prerequisites for development, phases of the life cycle and components’ content. Periodization was carried out with the definition of three Program stages, key events, achievements and challenges of the regional Program implementation. It is established that during the first two operational stages (2008–2011) significant results were obtained, which ensured further "breakthrough" movement of region local self-government in the decentralization processes. It is shown that Dnipropetrovsk region is a leader in decentralization processes: as of the beginning of 2020, 71 amalgamated territorial communities have been formed. The volumes of funding of the "Local self-government development projects and programs regional award" are analysed and it is determined that it is necessary to continue the practice of annual Regional award. It is emphasized that the process of decentralization has caused new challenges to be met by local governments in the implementation of fundamentally new tasks during the implementation of the next stage of the Program in 2016–2021. In particular, it is determined that in 2020–2021 the following additional challenges are relevant: territorial communities voluntary amalgamation processes’ completion & joining affluent communities’ intensification; the critical need to strengthen programs for mono-industry settlements’ economy diversification; regional vital activity’s organization in the conditions of the COVID 19 pandemic. Taking into account the results of modern scientific research, seven adjusted priority goals of the Program current stage are proposed. An updated system of the Regional Local Government Development Program’s key principles and values is presented, which formalizes key principles (openness; active internal dialogue; continuity of experience; design of local development processes at strategic and operational levels; systematic support for local development projects; local communities’ project-targeted financing; reasonable distribution of the budgetary resources and values involved) and values (proactive; productive; promising) that will ensure the success of the local self-government development programming at the regional level in today's challenges.