Return of medium-term budget planning: municipalities’ financial managers...

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Return of medium-term budget planning: municipalities’ financial managers received support from U-LEAD experts

finances advice local budgets

Date: 22.07.2024

Author: Oksana Stelmakh

Photo: "Freepik"

More than 660 municipal officials learned about preparation for medium-term planning of local budgets for 2025–2027 and received guidance and advice from experts. They talked about the formation of the local budget forecasts and how to organise this process using the LOGICA Information and Analytical System.

On Wednesday, July 10, U-LEAD experts held an info session on “Medium-Term Budget Planning in Municipalities”.

In 2023, medium-term planning was renewed at the state budget level. Following the principle of the unity of the budget system, this process should also be renewed at the local level. The relevant draft law, which restores medium-term planning of local budgets for 2025–2027, has been submitted to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. In June 2024, the Government approved the budget declaration, which defines the priority directions of tax, customs and social policies, policy indicators in education, healthcare, etc., as well as the relationship between the state budget and local budgets (including the amounts of interbudgetary transfers for 2025–2027).

“What can financial managers of the municipalities do now? Conduct a detailed inventory of existing target programmes and projects. Evaluate their performance, compliance with the strategic goals of the municipality and the possibility of continued funding. This will allow you to determine priorities and secure a more rational use of budget funds,” said Maryna Honcharenko, Adviser on Finance and Municipal Management of the Regional Office of U-LEAD with Europe in the Kharkiv Oblast.

She added that medium-term budget planning enables coordinating strategic and budget planning and contributes to the achievement of the municipality’s strategic goals.

Mykola Hulko, U-LEAD Adviser on Finance and Municipal Management in the Cherkasy Oblast, explained the main approaches to the calculation of forecast targets of local budget revenues and expenses for 2025–2027, including the content, structure and features of the preparation and approval of the forecast local budget.

“You must clearly understand that the forecast is not a budget but a tool for a more strategic perspective of the development of the municipality and its budget,” said the expert.

Oleksii Bluma, Director of FINTECH-CHERKASY — Information and Analytical Centre of Computer Financial Technologies — presented the updates to the LOGICA Information and Analytical System expected in connection with the restored medium-term forecasts. According to him, the software will be available for drawing up budget proposals and forecasts from July 16.

First, a software update scheduled for July 16 will provide additional features such as the auto-filling of historical figures and the calculation of forecast data based on ratios. This will greatly facilitate the planning process and reduce the risk of errors.

Secondly, the updated LOGICA system will change the process of submission and verification of budget proposals. From now on, the first form must be submitted before the second, which will ensure a more detailed verification of the data. Experts recommend using detailed forms that are automatically generated based on the submitted data.

Oleksii Bluma also pointed out the difficulties that may arise when filling out electronic forms. He talked about defining the goals of state policy, as well as the results of their achievement by the primary administrators:

“As of now, financial managers and primary administrators of funds can collect data and prepare information so that when the draft law is adopted, they can carry out mid-term budget planning in a timely manner without stressing.”

He also noted that the municipalities affected by the active hostilities or located in the temporarily occupied territories are not required to draw up a medium-term plan.

The urgency of the medium-term budgeting was emphasised by Inna Sviatna, Adviser on Municipal Finances and Management of the Regional Office of U-LEAD in the Vinnytsia Oblast:

“Medium-term budget planning improves the efficiency of the use of funds due to a systematic review of priorities, which is extremely important, especially in wartime, as local self-government bodies are forced to ensure the livelihood of municipalities while suffering from a critical shortage of resources. Since U-LEAD always responds to the priority needs of municipalities and given the lack of experience in three-year planning among municipal officials and changes in the legal framework, U-LEAD is implementing the comprehensive training programme ‘Steps for Specialists. Introduction of Medium-Term Budget Planning in Municipalities’ for 45 municipalities, as well as raising awareness about the expected changes.”

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#legislation

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#training programmes

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#lsg

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#volunteer fire brigades

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#war

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#food security

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#advice

#healthcare

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#health care

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#advice

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#legislation

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Developing a strategic environmental assessment: practical advice for municipalities

Why is a strategic environmental assessment of state planning documents such as municipal development strategies important? How has the recently-launched Unified National Environmental Impact Assessment Registry improved this procedure?

Development of a medical care quality system in municipalities

Medical care in Ukraine cannot be called the best. In this material, our experts speak frankly about the non-recognition of medical errors and the risks of treatment. If the municipality wants to seriously improve the quality of its health services, how to properly evaluate this quality and what are the important stages on the way to its improvement?

Andrii Bohdan, Mayor of Horodnia: To plan and reduce energy costs is to save budget funds

Why does the municipality need a Municipal Energy Plan? How to save on energy sources already today? How do energy-efficient innovations get adopted from the municipal infrastructure into everyday life? Find out the answers in this quick interview with Andrii Bohdan, Head of the Horodnia City Council in the Chernihiv Oblast.

On the simplified procedure for local taxes and fees for the period of martial law

The participants of the information session, held by U-LEAD in partnership with the Southern Interregional Department of the State Regulatory Service of Ukraine, learned about the peculiarities of regulatory policy during the war, the possibility for local councils to adopt acts under a simplified procedure, as well as the pitfalls of such indulgences.

Things to know about archives and the document nomenclature in 2023

The participants of the information session, held by U-LEAD in partnership with the State Archives of Mykolaiv Oblast, learned about the peculiarities of archival affairs and record keeping in municipalities.

U-LEAD helps municipalities to understand public procurement for budget funds

Read our material about public procurement for budget funds, authorised persons and municipalities' work with experts from the Institute for Budgetary and Socio-Economic Research (IBSER).

Land audit in municipalities by U-LEAD with Europe: sharing a step-by-step algorithm

Read about the audit, its meaning, importance and implementation tools in the material from U-LEAD experts.

#finances

#advice

06.07.2023

Facilitating IDP business relocation: economically empowered municipalities

This article is about the organisation of IDP business development work in municipalities and the benefits of such cooperation, opportunities for IDPs, as well as for municipal residents and war veterans to start their own businesses, as well as about government and international grant assistance in this process.

#war

#internally displaced persons

#business

#advice

04.07.2023

How to deal if a local government employee stayed in the temporarily occupied territory and was forced to obtain a Russian passport?

U-LEAD experts provided explanations on personnel issues related to the work of local self-government under occupation.

U-LEAD with Europe jointly with tax authorities explains peculiarities of taxes and fees payment under martial law to municipalities of Kharkiv Oblast

During the joint information session, the U-LEAD with Europe Regional Office and the Main Department of the State Tax Service in Kharkiv Oblast discussed changes to the tax legislation under martial law and the ability of local self-government representatives to ensure the flow of their own resources to local budgets.

What annual leave can a local self-government employee expect in 2023?

Participants of the U-LEAD information session learned about the rules for granting annual leave under martial law, restrictions, refusals, compensation and legislative regulation of this process. You can also find out!

How to build an efficient system for management and implementation of EU funds – lessons from Poland

Read analytical material about the pre-accession for joining the EU in the fields of Decentralisation, Regional Policy and Coordination of Structural Instruments.

#advice

#international cooperation

#analytics

15.06.2023

Social dormitories: How municipality may provide IDPs with housing

The participants of the informational session, organised by the U-LEAD with Europe Programme, found out about the transformation of ordinary housing into social one and the conditions for internally displaced persons to receive it.

#internally displaced persons

Role of Regional Departments of Health at the current stage of medical reform

Read our experts’ analytical article to find out more about the competencies, duties, functions, past and future of the Regional Departments of Health.

New Guidelines from U-LEAD: accounting and reporting in municipalities

Programme experts have developed Guidelines for Accounting and Reporting in Municipalities for more efficient accounting and proper display of calculations in financial reporting.

U-LEAD helps municipalities stabilise budget processes in wartime

Over the course of six weeks, 100 employees of local financial bodies will learn how to manage municipal resources more effectively, analyse and identify reserves and propose steps to stabilise local budgets, and U-LEAD experts and the experience of other municipalities will help them in this.

#local budgets

#lsg

#finances

#steps for specialists

#training programmes

31.05.2023

A U-LEAD expert answers questions about the duration of the educational process, returning students and grading them

Completion of the 2022-2023 academic year, grading students who studied in two different schools, how the final grades are calculated — read the article to find out about all this and more.

Expert: Despite the war, municipalities must release public information as per the laws

Municipalities establish cooperation with the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine with the support of U-LEAD with Europe

The Programme helped their representatives to discuss potential avenues of interaction. The key directions of the cooperation should be economic security and an increase of revenues to local budgets.

Practical advice for employers when using e-services of the Pension Fund of Ukraine

U-LEAD with Europe held an info session where the participants learned about the innovations of the e-services of the Pension Fund of Ukraine and the features of the e-sick leave service, learned about typical errors when filling out e-documents and clarified how to settle sick leave.

Municipalities can improve their energy efficiency now

Participants of the training course “Municipal Energy Security” learned about practical solutions, recommendations and trends of energy consumption.

The war affects education: What is the educational and psychological damage?

How to properly end the most difficult school year in our history, and should local self-government compensate children for lost opportunities?

U-LEAD launched a new communication format between the National Health Service of Ukraine and the founders of healthcare facilities

The participants of the “Dialogues with the National Health Service of Ukraine” discussed the further stages of the transformation of the health care system, the functioning of healthcare facilities and the provision of services in the conditions of a full-scale war.

48 municipalities are working on creating effective internal control and audit systems

With the help of U-LEAD, finance teams are preparing documents that will meet all up-to-date budget legislation requirements.

U-LEAD invites you to participate in the new Training program "Steps for Specialists. Budget stabilization plan"

Make more efficient spending of budget funds, improve your reactions to management challenges and establish cooperation with colleagues from other areas! The new U-LEAD with Europe Training Programme will help you.

#training programmes

#steps for specialists

#local budgets

26.04.2023

Evacuation of the population: municipalities must have a set of documents ready

Read an interview with a member of the U-LEAD Working Group on Civil Protection and Public Safety about the requirements to the local self-government bodies for the arrangement of evacuation measures.

Introduction of the minimum tax liability will increase revenues to municipal budgets

U-LEAD adviser explains how the new Law No. 1914 affects the Tax Code, changes for agricultural land tenants and how to pay the minimum tax liability correctly.

Accounting for humanitarian aid in relocated municipalities

Ihor Ahibalov talks about the lack of a legal framework and regulations to be followed when receiving and distributing humanitarian aid.

#legislation

#advice

#international support

05.04.2023

Organising a network of cultural centres: from the basic to the highest levels

U-LEAD taught the officials of the local self-government of the Dnipropetrovsk oblast how to establish a network of this kind of institutions, multitasking and seeking funding in wartime.

In 2022, 14 municipalities of the Zhytomyr oblast received almost EUR 1,000,000 in aid from U-LEAD

These were mainly packages with equipment and materials for stabilising the energy system and assisting in housing IDPs.

Why do municipalities need energy policies?

A series of educational and advisory events on energy security continues.

In 2022, the municipalities of the Chernihiv oblast received almost EUR 1 million in aid from U-LEAD

Equipment and materials to stabilise the energy infrastructure and assist in the housing of IDPs were the most expensive.

Protecting workers and preventing fines

These are the tasks set by the State Labour Service for municipalities in March.

How can local self-government bodies use information from electronic data posted on the website of the National Health Service of Ukraine?

This is required during strategic planning and operational decision-making in health care.

How can a municipality form its energy security policy?

U-LEAD talks about infrastructure modernisation and launching the municipality’s own energy generation.

Certification of local self-government officials under martial law

U-LEAD experts discussed its procedure.

With U-LEAD’s support, municipal officials are changing their approach to landscaping

Solidarity of residents, new jobs, ensuring comfortable and safe living in the locality. These are the results of quality management of landscaping in a municipality.

#advice

#land improvements

07.03.2023

Municipalities must work on forming food reserves in cooperation with military administrations

Creating these reserves is a new challenge of martial law, a special period for local self-government and public authorities.

#food safety

#advice

03.03.2023

Nine communication tools for working with internally displaced persons

Communication is an important aspect of the social integration of IDPs into community life. To help with building it, U-LEAD held a series of events and engaged experts for clarification.

#advice

#communications

#internally displaced persons

02.03.2023

Business Support Centres explained by U-LEAD

The Programme helps municipalities understand the main steps for setting them up.

Assessing the effectiveness of budget programmes: procedure during martial law

This topic was discussed at the event “Implementation of Passports of Budget Programmes: Reporting and Performance Assessment” held by U-LEAD for the municipalities of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv, Sumy, Poltava and Cherkasy oblasts.

A series of educational and advisory events on energy security in municipalities launched

Experts will help analyse their energy potential, determine goals for increasing the level of energy security and navigate the expediency of renewable energy projects.

About territories where you can not pay some types of taxes - a conversation with experts in the Kharkiv oblast

The regional office of the Programme, together with the Main Department of the State Tax Service in the Kharkiv oblast, organised an information session for more than 40 municipalities.

U-LEAD experts in partnership with the State Tax Service explain legislative innovations to municipalities

The U-LEAD with Europe Programme works together with partners to improve the tax culture of the population and the businesses community.

How to stabilise the municipal budget system? Tips from U-LEAD

Finance professionals of 40 municipalities from all over the country gained practical skills in developing and implementing measures to stabilise the financial situation of municipalities.

U-LEAD trains municipalities to create budget programme passports under martial law

The Programme experts are committed to providing advisory support in various areas of municipal life in wartime.

#local budgets

#news

28.12.2022

Municipality in Odesa region was able to save a quarter of a million hryvnias through participation in the U-LEAD project

Having received guidance and advice, as well as practical knowledge under the Budget Stabilisation Plan project implemented by U-LEAD with Europe, the finance professionals of the Marazliivka municipality (Odesa region) were able to cut local budget spending by UAH 250,000.

U-LEAD experts explain what to do if you lose your passport, driver’s license and other identification documents

Due to war and other extraordinary and unforeseen circumstances, everyone can lose their ID.

#document management

#advice

22.12.2022

U-LEAD experts clarified financing healthcare facilities in 2023 to municipal professionals

How to ensure the financial stability of a health care institution? What should be the financial plan and what is necessary for profitability?

#health care

#advice

20.12.2022

Organisation of the process of debris management in municipalities: first steps to be taken

U-LEAD with Europe Programme helps municipalities to overcome daily negative consequences of the aggression of the russian federation (rf). The issue of debris management requires special attention among many other consequences and challenges.

Updates in the Regulation of Land Relations — Explained by U-LEAD Experts

The new law, among other things, restores land auctions for the transfer of agricultural land plots for use and partially restores the possibility of free privatisation for real estate owners.

«Vision Zero» concept helps minimize the number of road accidents in municipalities

In this material, we explain a simple algorithm for analyzing the safety situation on the roads of your municipality. We also provide a list of means that will help improve traffic safety.

#road safety

#advice

01.12.2022

How can municipalities recover documents lost due to the war?

U-LEAD experts answer this question.

Municipal professionals from the Odesa and Zaporizhzhia oblasts learn best food security practices from their neighbours

U-LEAD experts help them develop programmes to increase resilience and self-sufficiency in wartime.

Municipalities can turn abandoned properties into business spaces

U-LEAD experts prove the necessity of such transformations and analyse successful cases.

#advice

#business

#internally displaced persons

09.11.2022

U-LEAD teaches financial autonomy to municipal educational institutions

An info session on this was held for the municipalities of the Kharkiv region. Accounting for autonomous educational institutions and the peculiarities of labour relations with employees of educational institutions under martial law were also discussed.

U-LEAD experts help municipalities draft local budgets for 2023

This was the topic of the info session that the team of the Regional Office of U-LEAD with Europe in the Cherkasy region recently organised for financial experts from the municipalities of the Cherkasy, Poltava, Sumy, Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

#local budgets

#news

31.10.2022

U-LEAD and tax service experts help the municipalities of the Dnipropetrovsk oblast to prepare for the new budget year

In wartime, it is important for municipalities to support the interaction of the local self-government and tax service bodies in the process of preparing draft local budgets for 2023.

#news

#local budgets

31.10.2022

U-LEAD experts help municipalities develop food security programmes

The U-LEAD with Europe Programme is committed to providing comprehensive help to municipalities to overcome the challenges caused by the war.

Municipalities of Zakarpattia are promoting cycling with support of U-LEAD

In recent years, municipalities have been actively developing bicycle infrastructure and promoting cycling. The U-LEAD with Europe Programme provides all the necessary methodological support for this.

#cycling infrastructure

#advice

26.10.2022

U-LEAD teaches how to restore lost documentation and set up effective document flow in municipalities

The issue of restoring document flow and retrieving the documents themselves will be relevant for municipalities that were under occupation and those that suffered from shelling.

#advice

#document management

25.10.2022

U-LEAD explains ins and outs of remote work to municipalities

Martial law introduced many changes in the activities of local self-government bodies, especially regarding labour relations.

#working issues

#advice

24.10.2022

U-LEAD experts train municipal starostas on information security and public outreach

Critical thinking and quality public outreach are important skills for a starosta (head of a village) to have in wartime.

Waste management in wartime: tips for municipalities (INFOGRAPHIC)

The war affected and changed the municipalities of Ukraine. Many Ukrainians were forced to leave their homes, which caused a change in the load on critical infrastructure in most municipalities. Municipal waste management is no exception.

#waste management

#advice

#war

#internally displaced persons

12.10.2022

U-LEAD experts explained the procedure for changing the toponyms to the municipalities of the Ukrainian South

Considering the historical situation in which Ukrainian society finds itself today, municipality representatives often face the issue of changing the names of streets, boulevards, squares and other toponyms.

#advice

#legal issues

28.09.2022

Land lease e-contract. How does the lessor — the local council — work with this tool?

A U-LEAD expert Andrii Pohorilyi examines closely the process of executing a contract of land lease from the perspective of the lessor, i.e. a local self-government body.

U-LEAD experts help local self-governments turn abandoned properties into municipal assets

Shelters and temporary housing arranged in sports facilities, schools, municipal care centres as well as dormitories give people fleeing war a roof over their heads. However, they are not suitable for long-term residence. That is why municipalities are looking for opportunities to increase their housing stock.

#advice

#accomodation

#internally displaced persons

16.09.2022

Municipalities of the Dnipropetrovsk region were presented with a road map for work with IDPs

The road map for internally displaced persons is one of the tools to help integrate this population category into the municipality.

#advice

#internally displaced persons

09.09.2022

Safe educational environment: students can change the education format during the school year

Learning during wartime is a challenge for teachers and students. However, creating a safe educational environment is one of the main tasks for those involved in organising the educational process as well as local self-government bodies.

Project management for municipalities during the war: terms and conditions of applications for international support have been changed

U-LEAD continues to provide expert support to municipalities regarding the use of international technical assistance tools. This includes attracting additional resources for infrastructure reconstruction and population support during the war.

#advice

#international support

#project management

12.09.2022

Wartime energy security: municipalities must meet four main targets as they prepare for the heating season

In addition to helping the population prepare for winter and developing a plan to find future resources for heating, there should be actions in place aimed at maximally reducing heat consumption in municipal facilities at minimal costs and providing buildings with alternative energy sources in case of emergencies.

#advice

#heating season

16.11.2021

Surviving Crises at Community Level – U-LEAD Experts’ Tips

Kirovohrad and Dnipropetrovsk oblast community leaders have participated in a workshop Managing Crises at a Community Level held at the facilities of the U-LEAD with Europe Programme Kirovohrad Oblast Regional Office.

Organizing Community Development – Zaporizhia Oblast Starosta’s Experience

Organizing the work of starosta and the areas of his or her responsibility were among the issues Iryna Nedobuha, starosta of the Komysh-Zoria Village Council, Zaporizhia oblast, told about at a workshop Organizing the Performance of Oversight Functions by the Starosta, which took place within the framework of a U-LEAD with Europe Programme training course entitled Steps for Starostas 2021.

#tips

#starostas

26.10.2021

Vinnytsia oblast communities to pay national budget uah353 mln in reverse subsidies in 2022

Next year the communities that exist in the region will pay UAH353 million worth of reverse subsidies to the national budget. The base subsidies, however, will be twice as big, exceeding UAH539 million.

#local budgets

#reverse subsidies

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