The Local Government Best Practices Program of TÖOSZ is a program that has been implemented since 2008 together with the Council of Europe and based on the methodology of its Centre of Expertise for Local Government Reform. The Ministry of Interior, the Hungarian Village Association, the Association of Hungarian Local Governments, the Secretariat responsible for social integration of the Ministry of Human Capacities and the Secretariat responsible for agrarian and rural development in the Prime Minister’s Office also joined the program.
We called the attention of local governments to our call for proposal through our website, e-Newsletter, and the Local Government (ÖNkormányzat) quarterly. Similarly to previous years the call for proposal and all necessary official forms were uploaded to our website together with all the proposals:
The Call for Proposal of the Best Local Government Practices Program were announced in three themes:
All together 43 proposals arrived for our Call out of which:
Theme of public employment: 32 proposals (Ajak, Arló, Ásotthalom, Bácsszentgyörgy, Cégénydányád, Derecske, Gyulaj, Hajdúböszörmény, Hajdúdorog, Hajdúnánás, Ináncs, Jánoshida, Karakószörcsök, Karancslapujtő, Kazár, Kelevíz, Kistapolca, Kisvarsány, Lovászpatona, Nagypáli, Nagypall, Udvari, Újszilvás, Putnok, Szabadhídvég, Szalapa, Szarvas, Tetétlen, Tiszaigar, Varsány, Zalaszentmárton, Zics).
Theme of Managing local government: 7 proposals (Alsómocsolád, Cégénydányád, Garadna, Hajdúnánás, Mór, Szorgalmatos, Tunyogmatolcs).
Roma minority and local government cooperation: 4 proposals (Budapest IV. kerület, Dunaújváros, Szolnok, Varsány)
Out of the 43 proposals the Steering Committee selected 34 proposals as a short-list for visit, following the official visits, 11 projects got into the final round. Prior to the official Acknowledgment Handing over Ceremony, the representatives of the 11 finalists participated in a one-day presentation training to prepare for the final conference which was held by Mrs. Iványiné Andrea Szabó.
Venue: Ministry of Interior, Marble room; 1051 Budapest, József Attila u. 2-4.
Participants: see enclosed attendance sheet
Date: 5 November, 2015.
Tibor Pogácsás, the State-Secretary responsible for local governments in the Ministry of Interior stressed in his welcoming speech that the whole local government system profits from the local government best practices for this reason forums presenting innovations are of high importance. In connection with the Local Government Best Practice, the State Secretary emphasized that it is important for mayors to be able to present their innovations on public employment programs as well as managing activities thus those affected may learn from each other.
Jenő Schmidt, the President of the Hungarian National Association of Local Authorities (TÖOSZ), mayor of Tab thanked the participants for presenting to a wider audience their successful practices and solutions.
Leó Lőrincz, the employer of the Ministry of Interior presented the main objectives of public employment programs that are: the increase of social associations, reintegration of publicly employed persons to the open labor market thus heading towards full employment.
The speeches were followed by the presentations of the 5 local governments in public administration theme:
Hajdúdorog: „Self-care for the solution of social challenges”
Jánoshida: Operation of a “STARTMILL” with plant cultivation, animal breeding and processing at the bank of the Zagyva
Karancslapujtő: „Pearl at the valley of Karancs”
Szabadhidvég: „Gardening START Pilot Program at Szabadhidvég”
Tetétlen: ”Together for each other for our municipality!”
Zsuzsanna Kun, the representative of the Energy Club presented the results of the local government research of the Climate Answer project in the presentation titled “Changing climate, changing local governments”.
The main priorities of the integration politics were presented to the participants by Attila Sztojka, head of the Department of Integration Developments of the Ministry of Human Capacities. He spoke about the fact that in 2010, one of the main objectives set was to decrease the number of those living in poverty and support the integration of Roma minorities. Poverty is one of the main causes of social tensions. He stressed that the meaning of integration is the securing of possibilities that strengthen individual self-care built on a wide-range of partnership.
Presentations of Roma minority and local government cooperation projects:
Budapest IV. district: „The creation and institutional efforts of Hungary’s first Roma Local Historical Collection”
Dunaújváros: „Together for a common future”
Szolnok: „The integration program of Szolnok town with county rank”
Dr. Gréta Mezősi, director of the OPTEN Informatics Ltd. legal House of Edition talked about changes in legal regulation effecting local governments.
Tamás Benedek, deputy-head of Department in the State Secretariat responsible for Agrarian and Rural Development in the Prime Minister’s Office talked about the call for proposals effecting municipalities. Those present received information on the division of resources and major changes such as the simplification of procedures and reporting practices.
Alsómocsolád: „On our own bread” Local Economy Development Program
Garadna: „ Presentation of Garadna local government. “Public employment and cooperation through social association in Garadna commune”
Szorgalmatos: „Public employed persons in Szorgalmatos for a self-maintained Szorgalmatos.
Based on the decision of the Steering Committee – the members of which are – the representatives of the Hungarian National Association of Local Authorities, the Hungarian Village Association, the Hungarian Local Government Association, the Ministry of Interior, the State-Secretariat responsible social integration in the Ministry of Human Capacities, the State Secretariat responsible for agrarian and rural development in the Prime Minister’s Office – the following are those that received a prize:
Public employment theme:
1. Tetétlen – 3 000 000 HUF
2. Jánoshida – 2 000 0000 HUF
3. Hajdúdorog – 1 000 000 HUF
3. Karancslapujtő – 1 000 000 HUF
3. Szabadhídvég – 1 000 000 HUF
The above sums were sponsored by the Ministry of Interior. The prizes were handed over by Zsolt Csampa, Deputy State Secretary responsible for local government coordination in the Ministry of Interior and Jenő Schmidt, the President of TÖOSZ.
In the theme of managing municipality:
1. Alsómocsolád – 3 000 000 HUF
2. Garadna– 2000 000 HUF
3. Szorgalmatos – 1 000 0000 HUF
The above sums were sponsored by the State Secretariat responsible for Agrarian and Municipal Development within the Prime Minister’s Office. The prizes were handed over by Dr. István Benedek, deputy-head of Department in the State Secretariat responsible for Agrarian and Rural Development in the Prime Minister’s Office and Jenő Schmidt, the President of TÖOSZ.
In the theme of “the cooperation of Roma minority and municipal local government”
1. Dunaújváros – 1.200.000 HUF
2. Szolnok – 800.000 HUF
3. Budapest IV. district – 500.000 HUF
The above sums were sponsored by the Ministry of Human Capacities, The prizes were handed over by Attila Sztojka, Head of Department – Department of Integratory Developments– Ministry of Human Capacities and Jenő Schmidt, the President of TÖOSZ.
TÖOSZ published a newspaper article in the Local Government quarterly:
http://www.toosz.hu/digitalcity/servlet/PublishedFileServlet/AAARFTFI/onkormanyzat_2015_2_.pdf
The news bellow were published in connection with the program:
The articles concerning the program are continuously published in the electronic Newsletter of the Ministry of Interior, in this way the local government sphere is informed about best practices in an even wider spectrum.
A publication on the program was issued and it may be reached at the link bellow:
http://www.legjobbonkormanyzatigyakorlatok.hu/news/3/59/oesszefoglalo-kiadvany-a-program-2014-2015-oes-szakaszarol/
We developed a website and a best practice portal for Hungarian best practices that can be reached at the following link:
English version: www.bestlocalgov.hu
Hungarian version: www.legjobbonkormanyzatigyakorlatok.hu
Budapest, 25 November, 2015.
Jenő Schmidt
President of TÖOSZ
