Experience of Ukrainian elections demonstrates that candidates do not always remember their promises.

According to the results of the sociological group “Rating,” 56% of respondents are going to participate in local elections on October 25. Some will choose on the basis of their own preferences, others — by slogans on billboards, some will focus on the recognizability of candidates. However, there are some voters who study programs of candidates in depth and of their own free will. But is it advisable to rely on programs as a real action plan?

What is the problem?

Experience of Ukrainian elections demonstrates that candidates do not always remember their promises. Moreover, political programs are rarely similar to managers' work plans. Due to decentralization, the local authorities have received many powers. That's why it would be important for the voter to pay attention to the candidates who can manage and who will rationally use budget resources on behalf of the community and show real results.

Candidates' programs may include political items about “the fight against monopoly,” “oligarchic monopolies,” “hostilities in Donbas,” or “illegal deforestation.” However, how often do candidates mention clear steps from the first days of their appointment?

In practice, the level of fulfillment of “politicized” promises is difficult or almost impossible to track, record, and control. They are too general and can be achieved in very different ways. Another part of the declared items is beyond the influence of mayors, such as the issue of geopolitics. There are also promises to cancel or ignore government reforms, or to exercise powers that local governments do not have.

In contrast to the policy approach, the managerial approach focuses on economic development and the weakening/removal of barriers along the way. In particular, this also applies to the issue of corruption. Its integral elements are an outlined time frame, clear steps, and a specific result. Performance indicators are also recorded, which are determined in advance.

At one time, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine made an attempt to define performance indicators for heads of regional state administrations. In particular, criteria were developed that were directly influenced by the officials. For example, the level of land inventory in the region of public and municipal ownership, the implementation of the budget program, the level of personal income tax revenues per person of the existing population, the level of land fee revenues, the cost of procurement in the electronic procurement system, etc.

Some of them are also relevant for mayors of cities and clear for the communities. So, how can a program of a candidate for mayor be improved considering this approach?

First of all, there is a need to focus on the real steps that a candidate can implement after winning a local election. Ideas for qualitative change should be sought in the perimeter of transparency.

An example. The World Bank Group is investigating the effectiveness of financial resources management, in particular how open budgeting information is. On this basis, a credit rating is formed, according to which the prospects for cooperation with local authorities can be assessed. Due to transparency and accountability of local authorities, cities often attract cheap international loans to purchase public transport. Mariupol, which is one of the leaders in the TI Ukraine's Transparency Ranking of the 100 largest cities of Ukraine, attracted EUR 12.5 mln for the upgrade of rolling stock.

Complementing political programs with “managerial” items on the transparency of power, the candidate signals their readiness to work according to the plan and to be responsible for the result or its absence. These most important steps in the issue of transparency of local authorities are already collected in the Local Government Transparency Code.

The Code contains 11 important points that can be a significant complement to the strategies of future mayors:

To ensure transparent management of municipal enterprises;
To create and develop a geoinformation system;
To organize efficient use of land resources;
To create a transparent system of work with investment offers;
To engage the community in the development of local regulatory policy;
To publish relevant data on municipal real estate;
To implement transparent preparation and decision-making processes on a systemic basis;
To ensure implementation of anti-corruption processes;
To implement transparent practices of working with infrastructure projects;
To introduce local open data policy;
To inform and report on local government activity regularly.

Such points will significantly refresh the work plans of local authorities, and it will become easier for citizens to control the work of those they elected.

The Local Government Transparency Code has already been supported by dozens of candidates for mayor and several political parties and their chapters. From Monday, a new life will begin for cities and a chance to change something.

We would like to believe that these new transparent rules of the game will be applied not only by the mentioned candidate signatories, but also by the majority of newly elected heads of cities. After all, it is easier to be effective and useful when you have a clear plan of action and understand the result expected of you.

Source: liga.net