Promotion of voluntary amalgamation of hromadas. Coordination between donors

1. Promotion of voluntary
amalgamation of hromadas.
Coordination between donors
Serhii Sharshov
General Director of Directorate of Local Self Government
MINISTRY OF REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT, BUILDING AND HOUSING
AND COMMUNAL SERVISES OF UKRAINE

2. ➢ The Directorate together with the Department has developed and Government has adopted:
▪ Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine Resolution on April 4, 2018, No. 242 On Amendments to the
Procedure and Provisions for the Subvention from the State Budget to Local Budgets for the
Formation of AH’s Infrastructure;
▪ Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine Resolution on April 4, 2018, No. 201-р On Approving the Distribution
of the Subvention from the State Budget to Local Budgets for the Formation of AH’s Infrastructure in
2018;
▪ 10 orders to amend the prospective plans for the formation of the territories of the regions in
accordance with the decisions of regional councils, regional state administrations;
➢ For consideration of the Parliament of Ukraine:
▪ Draft Law of Ukraine "On the Principles of the Administrative-Territorial Order of Ukraine" (Reg. No.
8051 dated February 22, 2018);
▪ Draft Law of Ukraine "On Amendments to the Article 10 of the Law of Ukraine" On Voluntary
Amalgamation of Territorial Communities “ regarding the financial support of the state to voluntary
amalgamation of territorial communities of villages, settlements, cities."
In accordance with the Strategic Plan of the Ministry of
Regional Development for 2018, regulatory and
legislative support:

3. ▪ Weekly meetings with key stakeholders on cu
▪ rrent issues of reform implementation and voluntary association of territorial communities;
▪ Selection meetings under the chairmanship of Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine - Minister of the
Minregion Mr. Zubko and the First Deputy Minister Mr. Nehoda with the participation of the deputies
of the Regional State Administrations and the LGDCs;
▪ Together with the Central Reform Office, the formation of a schedule of measures, aimed to
accelerate the amalgamation (in the areas where the voluntary amalgamation needs to be
intensified);
▪ Trips to the regions in order to provide practical assistance to voluntary amalgamation of local
communities;
▪ Support to the programs/projects of the international technical assistance (letters of support to
the regional state administrations ect), ensuring that appropriate measures are taken in districts and
regions to support the volunteer amalgamation of territorial communities;
▪ other measures to improve coordination of the programs/projects of the international
technical assistance
▪ 2 competitions are organized: "Best practices of local self-government in 2018" and the best
journalistic work on relevant issues of reform and voluntary amalgamation of territorial communities.
ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT TO THE
DECENTRALISATION REFORM

4. POTENTIAL AHs WHICH ARE PLANNING TO
AMALGAMATE IN 2018
Name of the oblast
Total number of AHs
Area of the oblast Population Rayons
Potential AHs
CEC has
set
elections
for
29.04.18
Total Total area
(sq. km)
Covered by AHs
Total in the
oblast
(thous.
persons)
In established AHs
Total
number
Rayons
where
amalgamati
on hasn’t
started (as
of 01.04.18)
Potential AHs in
2018 (without
election on
29.04.18)
Including AHs
waiting for
CEC decision
on setting first
elections (as
of 30.03.18)
(thous. persons)
(% of the
total)
(sq. km) (% of the
total area)
Vinnytsia 13 - 1 14 26513 3995,33 15,1 1574,38 262,2 16,65 27 8
Volyn 12 - 1 13 20144 9045,17 45 1038,17 378,88 36,49 16 2
Dnipropetrovsk 4 1 4 8 31914 17091,29 53,6 3228,87 476,05 14,74 22 1
Donetsk 13 5 1 14 26517 6025,94 22,7 4197,97 136,39 3,25 18 12
Zhytomyr 12 1 - 12 29832 16652,89 55,8 1230,35 450,38 36,61 23 1
Zakarpattia 14 - - 14 12777 616,12 4,8 1258,06 71,19 5,66 13 8
Zaporizhzhia 9 2 7 16 27180 15115 55,6 1721,7 331,85 19,27 20 2
Ivano-Frankivsk 9 - 2 11 13900 2418,3 17,4 1377,15 223,18 16,21 14 2
Kyiv 16 3 - 16 28131 2614,14 9,3 1754,91 154,35 8,80 25 19
Kirovohrad 9 1 3 12 24588 3571,35 14,5 955,28 126,64 13,26 21 12
Luhansk 13 3 1 14 26684 5631,87 21,1 2166,71 139,4 6,43 18 10
Lviv 19 - - 19 21833 3832,18 17,6 2528,53 281,65 11,14 20 7
Mykolaiv 20 1 - 20 24598 8815,68 35,8 1140,4 228,93 20,07 19 6
Odesa 7 - 3 10 33310 9352,5 28,1 2383,11 314,21 13,18 26 11
Poltava 9 2 2 11 28748 8002,38 27,8 1412,82 285,25 20,19 25 5
Rivne 13 - 3 16 20047 5011,61 25 1160,43 192,12 16,56 16 6
Sumy 6 1 1 7 23834 8741,38 36,7 1093,26 238,62 21,83 18 3
Ternopil 9 - 2 11 13823 5477,2 39,6 1051,77 336,03 31,95 17 1
Kharkiv 14 - 4 18 31415 4500,18 14,3 2692,27 200,82 7,46 27 16
Kherson 16 1 1 17 28461 8214,58 28,9 1046,1 202,13 19,32 18 7
Khmelnytskyi 9 - 2 11 20645 11043,63 53,5 1273,55 467,64 36,72 20 4
Cherkasy 21 1 - 21 20900 3901,11 18,7 1219,12 172,97 14,19 20 6
Chernivtsi 3 1 2 5 8097 3186 39,3 906,67 281,15 31,01 11 1
Chernihiv 14 - - 14 31865 16395,98 51,5 1018,97 360,4 35,37 22 1
TOTAL 284 23 40 324 575756 179251,81 31,1 39430,55 6312,43 16,01 476 151

5. ПЕРСПЕКТИВНИЙ ПЛАН ТА УТВОРЕНІ ОТГ.
ЖИТОМИРСЬКА ОБЛАСТЬ

6. ACTION PLAN ON AH ESTABLISHMENT.
ZHYTOMYR OBLAST
Information about potential AHs where voluntary amalgamation process has started
April 2018
(to specify in respective column format, venue and date of the
event)
May 2018
(to specify in respective column format, venue and date of the
event)
#
Name of the
rayon
Name of AH
AH
population
List of hromadas which will
compose AH
Population
Week 1.
1-8.04
Week 2.
9-15.04
Week 3.
16-22.04
Week 4.
23-30.04
Week 1.
1-6.05
Week 2.
7-13.05
Week 3.
14-20.05
Week 4.
21-31.05
1 2 3 4 6 7 1 2 3 1 2 3 4
ZHYTOMYR OBLAST
1
Andrushivka
rayon
Andrushivka city
AH
27 130
Andrushivka city council 9100
Public hearings
Trainings for
local councilors,
Zhytomyr RC.
24-25.04
Study visit.
Korostyshiv AH.
Volytsia village council 800
Volosiv village council 500
Halchyn village council 2 300
Horodkivka village council 1 100
Zarubyntsi village council 900
Ivankiv village council 800
Ivnytsia village council 1 650
Lebedyntsi village council 450
Liubymiv village council 500
Mala Piatyhirka village council 400
Minkivtsi village council 700
Mostove village council 550
Nekhvoroscha village council 1 300
Nova Kotelnia village council 400
Novoivnytske village council 2 000
Pavelky village council 600
Stara Kotelnia village council 1 300
Stepkivka village council 680
Yaropovychi village council 1 100

7. LGDC KEY TOOLS OF COOPERATION WITH POTENTIAL
AMALGAMATED HROMADAS
№ Tool # 1 GENERAL ASSEMBLY (before the procedure)
1. Purpose of the event (tool) Population awareness-raising
2. At what stage of AH formation it is held (applied) Initial
3. Target group (who is involved) Residents of AH, local councilors, public officials, activists
4. How are they involved
- announcement;
- social networks;
- activists;
- local media.
5.
Event agenda (key blocks/structure)
- Presentation about decentralisation in Ukraine;
- video (about amalgamation benefits, if available);
- Mini-film about AH functioning.
1. Speech of the head of hromada which initiates amalgamation
2. Regional centre – film presentation
3. Expert
4. Opinion, hromada leaders
5. Q&A
6. Practices
6.
Supporting materials
- presentation;
- video;
- leaflets, booklets;
- newspaper.
7. What is to be taken into account in the budget/logistics (risks)

8. LGDC KEY TOOLS OF COOPERATION WITH POTENTIAL
AMALGAMATED HROMADAS
№ Tool # 1 PUBLIC HEARINGS
1. Purpose of the event (tool) Adoption of a positive decision on amalgamation
2.
At what stage of AH formation it is held
(applied)
Discussion of the initiative/ draft decisions of the joint working group
3. Target group (who is involved) Residents (activists)
4. How are they involved
- through initiative group (local activists, councilors);
- announcement;
- social networks
- Informal leaders;
- outreach to the heads of enterprises located on the territory of jurisdiction of hromadas which are
planning to amalgamate.
5.
Event agenda (key blocks/structure)
- procedure of the event (according to the procedure + presentation of the RC (advocacy)
6.
Supporting materials
- good practices of already established ahs in Zhytomyr and other oblasts;
- advocacy materials;
- advantages of individual AH in terms of budget and received powers –possibilities
- newspapers.
7.
What is to be taken into account in the
budget/logistics (risks)
- to ensure attendance of the event participants
- the form of registration lists is simple, sufficient number of people at registration desk is 5-8
- to specify in the announcement availability of the passport or other personal ID
- to prepare a speech on amalgamation advantages (participants – heads of established AHs or residents)
- (concert? – to arrange a hall)

9. LGDC KEY TOOLS OF COOPERATION WITH POTENTIAL
AMALGAMATED HROMADAS
# Tool # 2 WORKING COORDINATION MEETINGS (3-20 persons)
1. Purpose of the event (tool) To elaborate a “road map” of amalgamation
2. At what stage of AH formation it is held (applied) Before initiation – initial – periodic
3. Target group (who is involved)
 Heads and public officials of LSG + local councilors of hromadas which are amalgamating;
 Civic activists;
 Business representatives;
 Local executive power representatives;
 Opinion leaders (change agents).
4. How are they involved Personal invitation (individual approach)
5.
Event agenda (key blocks/structure)
 RC presentation + Agenda;
 Presentation of the status of reform implementation in Ukraine + oblast;
 Discussion of financial and economic development of potential AHs (or variants of AHs);
 Summing up, further steps (feedback)
 Report
6.
Supporting materials
 Financial and economic calculations (hromada budgets before and after amalgamation)
 Prospective plan
 The map showing coverage of the oblast with prospective plan and hromadas
 Presentation materials: RC + Agenda
7.
What is to be taken into account in the
budget/logistics (risks)
 Venue,
 Coffee-break,
 Conflict of interests of certain members of hromadas which are amalgamating – identification of the
role of every stakeholder in the process of amalgamation
 Delegation members
 Media involvement
 Possible provocations
 Budget: handouts, stationery, transport, printing, office equipment
8.
What additional support is needed
OSA, MPs, local councilors – opinion leaders, oblast councils, farmers

10. LGDC CKEY TOOLS OF COOPERATION WITH POTENTIAL
AMALGAMATED HROMADAS
№ Tool # 3 TRAININGS FOR LOCAL COUNCILLORS
1. Purpose of the event (tool) Improving support of decentralisation process and awareness-raising of local councilors on the reform
2.
At what stage of AH formation it is
held (applied)
At all stages of AH formation
3. Target group (who is involved) Members of the oblast council Members of the rayon council Members of the local council
4. How are they involved
1. By the head of the oblast council/ council
staff
2. Through factions
3. Personal invitations
4. Standing parliamentary commissions
5. Through local offices of political parties
1. By the head of the rayon council/ council
staff
2. Through factions
3. Personal invitations
4. Standing parliamentary commissions
5. Through local offices of political parties
1. By the head of hromada
/secretary of the council
2. Personal invitations
5.
Event agenda (key blocks/structure)
1. Status, functions, rights and powers of the local councilors
2. Local self-government reform and decentralisation of power. Prospective plan and methodology for establishing capable
hromadas
3. Role of the local councilors in implementation of local self-government reform and sector reforms at the local level
4. State support of the regions and hromadas (including subventions). Role of the local councilors
5. Modelling sector reforms at the local level (healthcare, education, safety centres)
6. Calculation of financial capacity of amalgamated hromada
6.
Supporting materials
1. Information materials about decentralisation and local self-government reform
2. Guidelines on the status, functions, rights and powers of the local councilors
3. Clarification regarding state support of the regions and hromadas
4. Primary healthcare model
5. Education, safety districts
7. Role of starosta
7.
What is to be taken into account in
the budget/logistics (risks)
1. Low participation in the seminar
2. No contribution to preparation of the heads of the councils/ hromadas
3. No information about and contacts of the local councilors
4. No guidance materials
8. What additional support is needed
1. Handouts
2. Video-presentations
3. Involvement of additional experts into the trainings

11. LGDC CKEY TOOLS OF COOPERATION WITH POTENTIAL
AMALGAMATED HROMADAS
№ Tool # 4 AWARENESS-RAISING AND STUDY VISITS
1. Purpose of the event (tool) To introduce practical advantages and outcomes of decentralisation
2. At what stage of AH formation it is held (applied) Initiation
3. Target group (who is involved)
Heads of the local councils, local councilors, public sector workers, LSG officials, opinion leaders,
media (which support decentralisation)
4. How are they involved
Initial info-sessions, FB groups, by the heads, through local LSG associations, rayon state
administrations
5.
Event agenda (key blocks/structure)
- visit: AH council,
- hub school,
- communal enterprise, ASC,
- starosta district,
- local business,
- implemented projects (at own expenses, using infrastructure subvention, SFRD, donors)
6.
Supporting materials
- good practice booklets;
- information about decentralisation;
- important phone numbers (in OSA, RC);
- local myths and their denial.
7.
What is to be taken into account in the budget/logistics
(risks)
- interest for certain topics
- feedback (identification of speakers)
- close location of hromadas
8. What additional support is needed
- video;
- suggestion regarding intermunicipal cooperation agreements
- handouts

12. LGDC CKEY TOOLS OF COOPERATION WITH POTENTIAL
AMALGAMATED HROMADAS
№ Tool # 5 AWARENESS-RAISING MEETINGS IN POTENTIAL HROMADAS
1. Purpose of the event (tool) Establishment of new AHs
2.
At what stage of AH formation it is held
(applied)
Population awareness-raising (before initiation) (including LSG officials)
3. Target group (who is involved) Residents of all categories
4. How are they involved
- Announcement (FB);
- Media announcement;
- Notice boards, postmen;
- Through LSG;
- Through budget-funded institutions;
5.
Event agenda (key blocks/structure)
- Welcoming speech (local leader) (general information about the status of decentralisation in Ukraine, oblast, rayon, village)
- Film presentation
- Speakers’ presentations
Hromada representatives:
1. Head of the best AH;
2. Starostra;
3. Director of ASC;
4. School principal, head of PHC, safety centre;
5. Deputy.
Who is involved: decentralisation advisers and experts
6.
Supporting materials
- good practice booklets;
- information about decentralisation;
- important phone numbers;
- myths and their denial.
7.
What is to be taken into account in the
budget/logistics (risks)
- If participants didn’t attend, go across the village with a microphone;
- If a car has broken down, hitch-hike;
- The visits are to be planned in March – April – May;
- Human resources: to prepare the speakers;
- Safety risks: inform the police and LSG (officially);
- The risk of LSG opposition: it is important to record opposition of respective public officials
8. What additional support is needed
- Fact sheets (general, sectoral);
- Good practices (publication of materials, brochures);
- Decentralisation myths (brochures);
- Video products (films, video).

13. ACCELERATION OF THE PROCESS OF AH ESTABLISHMENT.
COORDINATION BETWEEN DONORS
I. Coordination of support of already established AHs
 Presentation of the activities of ITS projects in the regions regarding support of existing AHs – joint
action plan (to specify the region, rayon, hromada, topics and tentative dates of the activities); their
consolidation and analysis – Donor Board Secretariat; identification of overlaps and taking a decision on
distribution of work between projects (a possibility to distribute the regions or topics)
 Sharing respective guidance materials and generation on their basis of a single information space (for
example, if DESPRO or GIZ have good elaborations in intermunicipal cooperation, a unified format is to be
determined and the materials spread among all donors; if DOBRE or other project have consistent
practices of the methodology of assessment of AH capacity, these practices are to be used).
 all practices are to be published in respective sections of Decentralisation web-site. The logos of
the project which developed respective materials are to be used.
ІІ. Coordination of activities focused on acceleration of amalgamation
 Generation of a joint action plan of the projects on the basis of identified lists of:
• the rayons where voluntary amalgamation hasn’t started
• Hromadas which can potentially amalgamate until the end of 2018
 Application of the formats of the events and respective information-analytical materials developed by the
projects
ІІІ. Donor coordination and combining their resources, efforts, materials at the regional level.

14. ➢ To coordinate stakeholder’s working plans with the objectives of the Strategic Plan of the Minregion
2018, approved by the relevant order of the Ministry.
➢ To implement a monthly monitoring of the results of each oblast's rating by the criterion of the status
of the voluntary amalgamation of territorial communities (ratings) and its dynamics.
➢ In order to coordinate joint activities on implementation of the decentralization reform in the region,to
create under the chairmanship of the deputy head of the regional state administration, whose powers
include the coordination of decentralization in the region, the interdepartmental group with the
participation of representatives of regional departments of all-Ukrainian associations of local self-
government, regional centers of development of local self-government, relevant projects/programs of
international technical assistance and experts.
➢ International technical assistance programs (that have divisions in the regions) to differentiate their
areas of activity on a specific topic, for example:
▪ promoting the hromadas amalgamation in areas where no AHs has been established;
▪ to facilitate the amalgamation of territorial communities (hromadas) with already amalgamated
communities, including joining to the cities of oblast significance;
➢ To accelerate the work to assist the voluntary amalgamation proсeses of territorial communities in 130
districts where no AHs is established and those communities where the process of voluntary
amalgamation has been just started.
ACCELERATION OF THE PROCESS OF AH
ESTABLISHMENT

15. THANK YOU!