Improvement in Local Public Service Delivery (MK0133)

Public service improvement by institutional cooperation between LSGUs and CSOs
Start and end date of the commitment: August 2018 – December 2019
Lead implementing agency
Ministry of Local Self-Government
Description of commitment
Status quo or problem addressed by the commitment
In most of the municipalities, there are no institutionalized mechanisms and tools for cooperation between local self-government units (LSGUs) and civil society organizations (CSOs). This results in insufficiently developed cooperation, especially in the areas for which CSOs have particular interest in – service provision under municipal competence by CSOs.
Main objective
Establishing mechanisms for cooperation between LSGUs and CSOs, especially in the area of service provision, which will ensure greater financial sustainability of CSOs.
Brief description of the commitment
Developing a mechanism and tools for transparent allocation of funds from municipal budgets for financing CSO projects, designing grant schemes, strengthening the capacities of LSGUs and CSOs for execution and use of funds, process monitoring.
OGP challenge addressed by the commitment
Enabling transparent distribution of budget funds for CSOs, improving the financial sustainability of CSOs, providing more quality and cost-effective services to citizens in an innovative manner.
Additional information
Reference to Global Sustainable Development Goals - Objective 16 "Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions", Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels
The measures under this commitment contribute to promoting transparency and accountability in the public finances management at local level
Milestone
5.2.1 Preparation of a methodology and tools for financing CSOs from the municipal budgets and for process moniotoring of execution of funds.
5.2.2 Developing the capacities of the local administration and CSOs in municipalities (Kumanovo, Strumica, Gostivar, Kavadarci and Resen) for transparent financing, monitoring and implementation of municipal projects with CSOs.
5.2.3 Providing social services by civil society organizations in the municipalities of Kumanovo, Strumica, Gostivar, Kavadarci and Resen
Contact information
Name of responsible person from implementing agency
Eli Chakar, coordinator
Title, Department
State Advisor
Phone and e-mail
elicakar@gmail.com, 071 226 415
Other actors involved
Ministry of local self-government
UNDP, LSGUs

Theme V: Transparency at Local Level

5.2. Public service improvement by institutional cooperation between LSGUs and CSOs

Language of the commitment as it appears in the action plan: [69]

“Developing a mechanism and tools for transparent allocation of funds from municipal budgets for financing CSO projects, designing grant schemes, strengthening the capacities of LSGUs and CSOs for execution and use of funds, process monitoring.”

Milestones:

5.2.1 Preparation of a methodology and tools for financing CSOs from the municipal budgets and for process moniotoring of execution of funds.

5.2.2 Developing the capacities of the local administration and CSOs in municipalities (Kumanovo, Strumica, Gostivar, Kavadarci and Resen) for transparent financing, monitoring and implementation of municipal projects with CSOs.

5.2.3 Providing social services by civil society organizations in the municipalities of Kumanovo, Strumica, Gostivar, Kavadarci and Resen

Start Date: August 2018

End Date: August 2020

Context and Objectives

This commitment partially continues from Commitment 6.3 in North Macedonia’s third action plan (2016-2018), which aimed to improve institutional mechanisms for civil society and citizens to participate in decision making at the local level. [70] The current commitment focuses specifically on one of the incomplete activities of the previous commitment, namely providing financial support to certain municipalities (through a grant scheme) in order to utilize the new institutional mechanism for civil society participation. The current commitment specifically calls for the preparation of a methodology and tools for financing CSOs from municipal budgets, as well as monitoring the spending of the allocated funds. The commitment also covers developing the capacities of local governments and CSOs in implementing projects and providing social services in five municipalities (Gostivar, Kavadarci, Kumanovo, Resen, and Sturmica). Finally, it calls for CSOs to provide social services in the same five municipalities. By the end of the previous action plan period, of these five municipalities, only Kavadarci and Sturmica were able to move forward with implementing their respective grant projects.

This commitment is relevant to the OGP value of civic participation because it aims to improve the capacity of civil society to better provide social services at the local level. The implementation of this commitment is verifiable overall, but some of the activities are vague in terms of the development of CSOs’ capacities to implement transparent municipal projects and provide social services to the public.

The clarification of rules for granting funds to CSOs by local self-governments (LSGUs) is a welcome step toward increasing transparency around allocation of public funds. LSUs in North Macedonia generally lack institutional mechanisms for cooperation between the LSU and local CSOs on social services. As previously noted in the IRM Progress Report (2016-2018), this lack of mechanisms often leads to inefficient utilization of funds granted to LSGUs and CSOs. [71] Therefore, the implementation of this commitment could lead to better collaboration between LSGUs and local CSOs in delivering social services in the five participating municipalities, as well as more cost-effective delivery of social services by CSOs. However, the commitment lacks important details on what specific social services will be provided by CSOs, and how CSOs and LSGUs will improve their collaboration in implementing local projects. The lack of detail and the limited scope make it difficult to assess the potential impact beyond minor.

Next steps

The IRM recommends the following to the Ministry of Local Self-Government:

• Articulate a plan regarding the effective engagement of CSOs in providing social services in the municipalities.
• Consult CSOs on the terms for the allocation of funds and types of services provided by municipalities.

[69] The texts for all the commitments are an abridged version of the commitment texts. For the full commitment texts, see the Republic of North Macedonia 2018-2020 National Action Plan, https://www.opengovpartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Macedonia_Action-Plan_2018-2020_EN.pdf

[70] IRM, Republic of Macedonia End-of-Term Report 2016-2018, p 61, https://www.opengovpartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Macedonia_End-of-Term_Report_2016-2018_EN.pdf

[71] IRM, Republic of Macedonia Mid-Term Report 2016-2018, p 61, https://www.opengovpartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Macedonia_Mid-Term_IRM-Report_2016-2018_EN.pdf, p 73.

Commitment 5.2 Institutional cooperation between LSGUs and CSOs

Complete:

The Ministry of Finance [75] provided five municipalities (Kumanovo, Strumica, Gostivar, Kavadarci, and Resen) with methodologies for transparent and accountable distribution of funds for CSOs from municipal budgets. [76] In cooperation with these municipalities, the ministry organized five trainings to familiarize municipal employees with the methodologies. They also organized five trainings (one in each municipality) in 2018 and five in 2019 for CSOs to improve knowledge and skills regarding project proposal preparation and application for projects under the Regional Program for Local Democracy in the Western Balkans. [77] The municipalities posted public calls for CSOs for social service projects and selected 22 proposals, which were all completed. Several projects focused on supporting citizens during COVID-19. [78]