“Landscaping is one of the directions in local self-government activities that have not been put on hold even for a moment since February 2022. Despite the power outages, shelling and problems with the Treasury Service, every one of the municipalities of the Dnipropetrovsk oblast did their best to dispose of garbage, move grass, maintain flower beds and green spaces,” said Olena Tertyshna, Head of the Regional Office of U-LEAD with Europe in the Dnipropetrovsk oblast.
Her team held an info session “Organisation of Urban Landscaping” so that the local self-government bodies could learn more about the issues of its financial support and understand the algorithm for developing rules of public order in the municipality and the existing models of its establishment.
Mykhailo Lysykanych, Advisor on Decentralisation and Local Self-Government at the Regional Office of U-LEAD in the Ternopil oblast, focused on the basic concepts provided on this issue in the applicable legislation and explained the differences between the powers of local councils and executive bodies.
Andrii Muzhevskyi described the current models of funding for managing landscaping. According to him, the municipalities of the Dnipropetrovsk oblast use a number of practices. Some assign full-time employees, some have formed utility companies and entered into contracts with them, and others have a utility company in the network of the budgetary funds administrator.
“The priority direction is the involvement of individual entrepreneurs in these activities. This allows for creating additional jobs in the municipality and engaging the local population and IDPs. Another effective direction is building inter-municipal cooperation,” he said.
The participants were introduced to the algorithm for developing the landscaping rules. Among the advantages of such a document is maintaining order at the public sites, setting standards for the arrangement of playgrounds, green areas, etc., improving the quality and comfort of living in the municipality.
U-LEAD’s activities are not limited to expert and methodical support. In 2022, 333 Ukrainian municipalities received immediate technical assistance. One of the packages included the equipment to support the landscaping and clearing of the territory from the consequences of destruction caused by shelling and missile strikes. The municipalities received mini-excavators, loaders, chainsaws, generators and other equipment.