Training Programme
DESCRIPTION OF THE TRAINING PROGRAM FOR MEMBERS OF REPRESENTATIVE BODIES OF
I. LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT SYSTEM
The purpose of this module is to introduce the members of representative bodies to basic documents of the Council of Europe which govern the civil right to local self-government, as well as with the basic organization of local self-government in Croatia. In that context this module introduces the attendants with the European Charter on local self-government and the Croatian legal frame that regulates local self-government; local self-government concept and the citizens’ right on local self-government; the position of local self-government within the whole of Croatian government system; it provides explanation of specific types of local self-government units (municipality, town, county) and work field of the local self-government units. This module especially concentrates on clarifying:
- European Charter on local self-government,
- local self-government within the Croatian Constitution,
- review of the legal frame that regulates the local self-government in Croatia,
- legal content on local self-government,
- concept of municipality, town and county, and
- self-governing and direct rights of local self-government
Duration: 60 min.
II. CONSTITUTION OF LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT UNITS
This module clarifies the rules of the inner constitution of local self-government units. To the training attendants it introduces the governing bodies within the local self-government unit, their composition and jurisdiction, basics of local self-government monitoring system; the meaning of the term municipal self-government . This training module especially concentrates on clarifying:
- composition and jurisdiction of the representative body (municipal and town council),
- composition and jurisdiction of the governing body,
- head of municipality/mayor’s authority and his/her relationship with representative and executive body,
- the function and establishing of governing departments, as well as single administrative office,
- the manner in which central government conducts monitoring of local self-governments activity,
- reasons for dismissal of representative body, and
- terms and conditions for establishing a municipal self-government.
Duration: 120 min.
III. WORK OF THE REPRESENTATIVE BODY
Within this training module the attendants will be introduced to details on functioning of representative body. Content of this module will include: clarification of representative body’s activities; relationship between representative body and other bodies and officials; clarification of the procedure of adoption of most important acts of the representative body (statutes, budgets, and documents referring to spatial planning); rights and obligation of councilors. This training module especially concentrates on clarifying:
- detailed responsibilities of the representative body (council),
- representative body and local government relationship,
- clarification of the meaning of statute and the procedure of its delivering,
- clarification of town/municipality spatial plan, general spatial planning scheme, town-planning scheme and detail town spatial plan,
- clarification of other acts delivered by the council and
- role of representative body in the process of making and adoption of the budget
Duration: 90 min.
IV. RULES OF PROCEDURE
The purpose of this module is to introduce the training attendants to the meaning of representative body’s rules of procedure as well as with the practical consequences of well made rules of procedure and its proper understanding. This module provides a review of possible contents of rules of procedure and will process some of its parts in detail. This training module especially concentrates on clarifying:
- basic rules of procedure,
- regulations on constituting the representative body,
- regulations on rights and duties of representative body members,
- regulations on election of governing bodies and working bodies of the representative body,
- regulations on convening conferences, and
- regulations on decision making.
Duration: 60 min.
V. LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT FINANCING SYSTEM
This training module presents to its attendants the legal frame and a way in which local self-government units are financed. Within the frame of this content regulations that make the financial frame of local self-government are presented as well as income types of local self-government units; clarification of the term „own resources“; central state help system; mergering possibilities. This training module especially concentrates on clarifying:
- local self-government own resources,
- tax and non-tax income, financial assistance and capital income,
- typology of own tax and tax-sharing arrangements,
- conditions for receiving financial assistance from the central state budget,
- ways of price formation for communal services and communal infrastructure construction,
- conditions and available means of local self-government units
to receive loans and other forms of indebtedness.
Duration: 120min.
IV. RESPONSIBLE ADVOCATING OF PUBLIC INTERESTS
Primary goal of this training module is to remind the members of representative bodies that in their daily work they should represent the interests of their citizens – voters. In that context rights and obligations that come with councilors function are stated; the term of advocacy is clarified, possible ways of including citizens in the process of budget making are pointed out. This training module especially concentrates on clarifying:
- councilors’ mandate,
- conflict of interest and substitution possibilities,
- responsibility and immunity,
- ethics (common good, conflict of interests),
- term and description of public advocacy means and tools,
- elements and dynamics of public advocacy process,
- goals of including citizens in budgetary process, and
- practical ways in which citizens can be included in the budgetary process.
Duration: 90 min.
VII. ROLE OF LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT IN THE AREA OF EDUCATION, SOCIAL WELFARE, MEDICAL CARE, ENVIROMENTAL PROTECTION, AND SAFETY AND RESCUE
This module gives information on the role that local government plays in ensuring the quality of the most important services provided to citizens on local level. It presents basics of educational system, social welfare system and medical care system and sets obligations and responsibilities of local self-government; it clarifies the responsibility range of central government in relation to these services; it points out to local self-government responsibilities towards environment protection. This training module especially concentrates on clarifying:
- participation of local self-government in preschool education,
- participation of local self-government in primary, secondary and higher education,
- local self-government jurisdiction in social welfare area,
- local self-government influence range on quality of medical care in its area,
- local self-government influence range on environmental protection in its area, and
- method of organizing safety and rescue on local level.
Duration: 120 min.
NOTE: Duration and order of specific modules in this program description is provisionary only and it depends on the number of training attendants and their specific needs.
Download the Training Programme here.