Territorial Self-government Units Research Articles

HPV Vaccinations in Lublin Region, Poland

Secondary prophylaxis of cervical cancer consisting in cytology screening tests, despite its effectiveness, does not achieve the desired results. For several years, primary prophylaxis has been available in the form of protective vaccinations. At present, two vaccine preparations are available on the market, and studies conducted on these preparations confirm their almost 100% effectiveness in the prevention of types of HPV present in the vaccine. Analysis of the programmes of protective vaccinations against HPV carried out during the period 2008-2013 in the Lublin Region. The material used in the study was data obtained from the relevant organs of the territorial self-government concerning programmes of vaccinations against HPV, demographic data pertaining to girls aged 10-18 living in the Lublin Region, as well as data published by the National Institute of Public Health - National Institute of Hygiene (NIZP-PZH). The method applied in the study was analysis of records. During the period 2008-2013, in the Lublin Region a total of 5,496 girls were vaccinated within the health programmes. The mean immunization coverage in Lublin is 50%, and in Radzyń Podlaski 59%. The percentage contribution of vaccinations guaranteed free by the local authorities, with relation to the total number of vaccinations performed in the Lublin Region, was from 60 to 77%. The units of territorial self-government allocated the amount of PLN 5,125,359 for the performance of projects associated with execution of free vaccinations. Among the total number of girls vaccinated against HPV, a considerable percentage were those vaccinated within the prophylactic programmes carried out by the units of territorial self-government. The programmes of free protective vaccinations against HPV began in 4 cities in the Lublin Region, and are continued only in two (Lublin and Radzyń Podlaski). Long-term observation of girls subjected to vaccinations from the aspect of maintenance of the immune response after vaccination should become an important element of performance of health programmes concerning vaccinations against HPV. Among the total number of girls vaccinated against HPV, those vaccinated within prophylactic programmes carried out by territorial self-government units made up a considerable percentage. Programmes of free preventive vaccinations against HPV began in 4 cities in the Lublin Region, but are continued in only 2. Long-term observation of girls subjected to vaccinations from the aspect of duration of maintaining immunity after vaccination should become an important element of the performance of health programmes concerning vaccinations against HPV.

Łódź Metropolitan Area: Delimitation, planning and development

In the last 25 years, Łódź and the region surrounding the city have undergone significant transformations in respect of both the socio-economic structure and spatial development. In consequence of radical restructuring carried out after 1990, the traditional manufacturing branches disappeared and have been replaced by dynamically growing new types of business activity, especially in the services sector, which has enhanced the metropolitan character of Łódź and strengthened the functions belonging to IV sector of the economy. The purpose of this article is identification of the actual extent of Łódź Metropolitan Area in terms of the functions performed and its delimitation for management purposes, as well as analysis of conditions for further development of this area in the context of metropolisation processes. Future development largely depends on making good use of the favourable location in European space, European funds, cultural heritage and social potential. A serious challenge is coordination of activities of territorial self-government units and revision of the policies of the communes so as to create a consistent conception of the development of the metropolitan area. Łódź Metropolitan Area, despite certain barriers, has a potential strong enough to become an advanced, creative node in the sphere of culture, science and innovative economy, and a major element of the European settlement system.

Regional Tourist Organisation of the Łódź Voivodeship and its role in the processes of tourism-based local production systems’ development

Whether we call them local production systems, clusters or industrial districts, all of these co-opetition arrangements can be considered stimuli in developing and implementing innovations as well as local and regional growth. The complexity of a tourist product and specific requirements connected with it make the particularly prone to the forming of clusters and cluster initiatives. In 2012 tourism industry ranked second in Poland with 27 cluster initiatives and a stable growth dynamics. Tourism is dominated by top-down initiatives, contrary to other industries, where bottom up arrangements prevail. Regional cluster initiatives may be built on regional tourist organisations. The Regional Tourist Organisation of the Lodz Voivodeship (RTO LV) was established, inter alia, to create the image of the voivodeship as an attractive tourist region, to promote tourism in the region and to improve the quality of a tourist product. Since networking of the regional economy is required, the organisation joins entities representing different industries, territorial self-government units, associations, foundations, etc. According to the Board of the RTO LV, the organisation has reached an optimum representation of various industries. The RTO LV also creates smaller clusters, which flexibly enhance its potential. Focus on networking makes the organisation closer to the network cluster idea of the OECD rather than to Porter’s co-opetition relationships. As formally, the RTO LV has not got the status of a cluster, it seems justified to use the term cluster initiative or quasi-cluster structure.

Libertarian Paternalism and Self-Government Housing Policy in Poland

The article pertains to the issue of libertarian paternalism in relation to public housing policy in Poland. Libertarian paternalism is an idea developing on behavioral grounds, the main task of which is ensuring paternalistic protection and social care by the government and local self-government administrative organs, while at the same time maintaining the society's freedom of choice and increasing social-economic well-being. In the article, the issue of libertarian paternalism is described, a set of instruments of the described concept is implemented for purposes of working out solutions to problems connected with the housing policy of territorial self-government units in Poland (communes), and the proposed solutions validated in a post-socialist country. The work is of a conceptual-remedial character. Within it, selected tools in the scope of behaviorally informed interventions, serving to implement solutions that increase the effectiveness, efficiency and economy of operations of public organizations under conditions of dynamic decentralizing changes, have been indicated. The most important conclusions arising from the deliberations carried out make it possible to look at housing policy in Poland through a prism of a modern market economy.

Scope of income independence of local self-governments situation of Western Pomeranian local self-government units in the nationwide comparison

Scope and importance of income independence of territorial self-government units  determines to a large extent their opportunities of development, as well as their real  possibilities to meet existing challenges. Income independence of local governments should, by definition, denote independence of local communities in establishing income sources for the local budget. Assessing the level of income independence is crucial in order to measure the actual scope of financial decisions which can be taken by self-government units. The aim of the paper is to assess the scope of income independence of local self-governments in Western Pomerania and to compare it with local self-governments in the other regions of Poland.

Target costing and participatory budget in Territorial Self-Government Units

Target costing and participatory budget in Territorial Self-Government Units

Characteristics of local development planning from the perspective of planning documents referring to selected tourist communes

Characteristics of local development planning from the perspective of planning documents referring to selected tourist communes Local development planning (including the preparation of planning documents) as well as undertaking initiatives and tasks supporting local development (resulting from planning documents) play the key role in local development steering process. The objective of the hereby paper is to analyze planning documents prepared for the selected territorial self-government units (four tourism oriented communes located in Lower Silesia region) in relation to strategic planning qualities identification in particular communes and referring these qualities to the conditions of effective strategic planning (discussed in literature on public management). The conducted research results confirm that many strategic planning qualities, in the selected communes, may be responsible for lowering its effectiveness. The ones, which are mainly responsible for counteracting effective planning, are as follow: reducing SWOT analysis to just the method for listing strengths and weaknesses of communal development potential, as well as presenting only the opportunities and threats; the absence of new management tools and techniques application, including the scenario oriented method; uncritical transfer of patterns from strategies prepared for other communes and referring to planning documents more as the condition for obtaining external financing sources rather than an actual programme facilitating the accomplishment of developmental goals. In spite of the above, the improvement of planning process has been observed in communes, which in consequence should result in higher level of local development programmes practical usefulness.

Attempts at Determining Regional Finances in International Conventions

Until recently regions were considered to be territorial self-government units governed in accordance with the rules of European Charter of Local SelfGovernment1. For some time now the relevance of such an approach has been questioned. Legislative changes in some countries are the instances of this, Poland being the exemplifi cation. In 2006 the Polish translation of the Charter’s name was changed from the European Charter of Territorial Self-Government (it relates to all territorial self-government units, also to regions) to the European Charter of Local Self-Government, leaving regions beyond this Charter. Hence, the international defi nition of the status of regions, including their fi nancial position, has become an important issue.

Securitization as an Instrument of Administration of Territorial Self-Government Units’ Finances

The administration of assets by self-government units is one of their most important activities. This activity refers to fi nancing of all the fi xed and current assets as well as fi nancing the needs of the members of a particular self-government community. In order to make appropriate decisions about the administration of assets, a self-government unit has to make use of instruments such as shaping strategies for fi nancing assets, administering debts within limits defi ned in Articles 169 and 170 of the Act of 30 June 2005 on Public Finance1 (Public Finance Act 2005), predicting debts and monitoring the costs of debts2.