ORGANIZATIONAL FORM OF SELF-GOVERNMENT “CITY COUNCIL – MAYOR”

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to analyze the organizational forms used for urban self-government. It is stated that the system of municipal self-government is only a list of relevant bodies. In characterizing the relationship between them, we should talk about the “organizational form of urban self-government”. As an intermediate conclusion, it should be emphasized that sometimes in the Ukrainian legal literature it is called a set of bodies that exercise local self-government in a particular administrative-territorial unit, including in a particular locality. But local officials should also be taken into account, including urban, self-government – primarily those elected by the population through direct elections. The conclusion about the organizational form of city self-government can be formulated on the basis of acquaintance with provisions of the Law “About local self-government in Ukraine”. It was found that most Ukrainian cities, which do not have a district division, exercise local self-government in the same way, regardless of the population of this city. It is suggested to hold the opinion that this form is “council – a strong mayor”. Specifying its name to the needs of the characteristics of city self-government, it is necessary to suggest the name “city council – a strong mayor”. When studying the regulations on organizational forms of urban self-government, it is recommended to pay attention to the articles of Section I of the Law “On Local Self-Government in Ukraine”, which determine the organizational form of urban self-government. It is emphasized that an interesting fact – the next section of this Law – Section II – is entitled “Organizational and legal basis of local self-government”. Based on the title of Section II, it should contain all the provisions relating to the peculiarities of the organizational forms of local self-government in general and urban self-government in particular. This is another argument in favor of changing the location of Articles 10–12 in the analyzed Law. As for the provisions of Section II, they will also be useful in arguing the approach according to which the organizational forms of municipal self-government in Ukraine are the classic form of “council – a strong mayor” and its variant for cities with district division.