Territorial Public Self-Administration as the Basis for Local Growth

Irina Andriyevskaya, the head of Voldino settlement, took part in a civil forum “Territorial public self-administration as the basis for local growth”, which was held last week in Koryazhma, Arkhangelsk region.

Nikolai Anufriyev, the delegate from Izhma district and the part-time student of Komi Academy of Public Administration and Management, also took part in the forum together with Irina Andriyevskaya. The trip was organized within the framework of the Forest Village project to develop the recommendations that were reached at the Forests Dialogue in October 2009, Syktyvkar, devoted to self-government problem. The participants of the Dialogue mentioned that such promising and necessary form of administration as territorial public self-administration (TPSA) isn’t used in Komi at all. Meanwhile, the real improvement of village life is impossible without advanced local self-administration, first of all at the bottom-up level. Lack of self-administration, initiative, and cooperation within local community (village or small settlement) is the reason for many local problems which are not solved for

Water of Life project in Irta village

At the same time territorial public self-administration exists in other Russian regions, including the neighbouring Arkhangelsk region. Why don’t we study their experience and adapt it to our “forest villages” for not discovering the continents again?

According to Irina Andriyevskaya, such questions as “The role of TPSA in solving social problems of the territory”, “The peculiarities of TPSA development and progress in rural area”, “TPSA as means of people’s participation in territory management” urgent for the settlements of the Forest Village project were discussed during the forum in Koryazhma. The head of the settlement admitted, that these questions are also urgent for Voldino including its three villages. In one of the villages, Puzla, there is an informal public self-administration – village committee that involves the population into discussion of the most vital topics. However, the public committee in Puzla is unofficial and can’t be called TPSA because of the fact, that TPSA has no support for development in Komi.

Meanwhile, this form of self-administration is legislated in federal law №131, as well as its financing. Therefore, TPSA could help to solve many problems with village accomplishment, creating new vacancies, organization of children leisure time, etc.

Bridge (Water crossing) project in Yarenga village

This is the way it goes in Arkhangelsk region, where TPSA is supported by the government, incentive and stimulating system of TPSA is developed, and annual TPSA developing activities and social project contests are held. In 2006 56 TPSA projects took part in the contest and 35 of them were financed. This year there are 182 projects already, and 123 of them were supported by financing. The priority TPSA activities are the village accomplishment, preservation and exploitation of local historical and cultural heritage, development of domestic and incoming tourism, creation of fitness and sports grounds and facilities.

In the coming 2011-2013 years 42 million rubles from region budget will be spent on supporting TPSA in settlements and the same sum – for TPSA in urban districts. This is only for realization of people’s initiatives. Besides, the region budget will provide money for conferences between TPSA for experience interchange, training TPSA members, and stimulating TPSA activities.

As we see, it would be good to learn from our neighbours.

Conference in Koryazhma, work at sections “TPSA Legal Foundation”, “Innovation-based Development of Small Territories”, and “Organization and conduction of social project contests” provide insight into practical part of TPSA work in the settlements of Arkhangelsk region. The received information is useful for village deputies and activists of “forest villages”, and for adaptation of neighbouring region experience in Komi.