E-participation & Online services in Czech municipalities

Union of Towns and Municipalities of the Czech Republic (SMO CR)

Jaroslav Šolc

2

Content

1. Facts about the CR and municipalities

2. About the Union of Towns and Municipalities of the CR - SMO CR

3. KISMO – also ICT for eCitizen / eParticipation

4. Examples

5. Conclusions, challenges

3

1.

Facts about the Czech Republic and municipalities

4

Czech Republic

• Population: 10.5 mil.

• Area: 79 000 sq. km.

• Capital city: Prague

• Rich history, culture ...

• Democracy since 1918 (interrupted 1938 ... 1989)

• Since 2004 member of the EU

5

Public administration in the CR

• Territorial self-government - 2 levels

• 14 regions

• 6.2 thousand municipalities

• Municipalities

• Self-government (all 6.2 thous.), Capital City of Prague 57 MDelected bodies (Council, - Board*, - Mayor)local administration (offices)independent competence

• State administration – executed by authorities (municipal offices), 3 categories

• With delegated powers (205 municipalities, Category III)• With authorised municipal office (other 388

municipalities, Category II)• Other municipalities (Category I, in some cases with

registry office, building authority)

6

Delegated Powers and Categorisation of Municipalities

Stipulated by special laws Competencies (and territory)

Number

Category III205 municipalities with

delegated powers: - Competencies of CI + CII and:- driving licences, registration of

vehicles, road mgmt. (2,3), identity cards, trade licensing, social alowances, environmental mgmt. (forests, nature, air) etc.

Category II388 municipalities with

authorised office: - Competencies of CI and:- registry office, building

authority, elections, selected agendas on environment, etc.

Category IAll municipalities- Municipal ordinances, offences,

water mgmt etc.- Some of them registry office,

building authority

III

III

205

388

Total 6249

7

Independent competence of municipalities

Based on Act on municipalities and special laws*

Self-government (decisions by Council), e.g.:

• Management of the municipality

• Budget and financial issues

• Legal persons, organisations

• Local regulations

• Local referendum

• Development plan and its implementation

• Investments, infrastructure

• Local fees*

• Fire prevention *

• Establishment of schools*

• Basic healthcare, socialcare*

8

Municipalities

• Towns (559) and municipalities (5690)

• Specific status: chartered cities (24 incl. Prague) – can establish municipal districts, lead by Lord Mayor

• Size - statistics:

• Max. 1,18 mil. inhabitants (Prague), area 496 km2

• Min. 20 inhabitans area 0.42 km2

• Average 1 646 inhabitants area 12.7 km2

9

Size – number of municipalities

Number of municipalities

1 591

2 019

1 307

685

375

140

69

42

16

5

0 500 1 000 1 500 2 000 2 500

<200

200-499

500-1000

1000-1999

2000-4999

5000-9999

10000-19999

20000-49999

50000-99999

>100000

Categories by number of inhabitants

10

Size – number of inhabitants

Categories by number of inhabitants

Number of inhabitants

194 563

656 020

913 985

950 291

1 135 272

947 225

962 930

1 242 789

1 156 650

2 127 464

0 500 000 1 000 000 1 500 000 2 000 000 2 500 000

<200

200-499

500-1000

1000-1999

2000-4999

5000-9999

10000-19999

20000-49999

50000-99999

>100000

11

2.

About the Union of Towns and Municipalities

of the Czech Republic (SMO ČR)

12

What is SMO ČR

• National association of towns and municipalities

• Voluntary

• Non-political

• Non-governmental

• History – over 100 years

• Roots: October 1907

• Modern restoration: January 1990 – constituent congress (restoration of democratic authonomy after 1989)

• Members

• Approx. 2 500 municipalities(42% of municipalities in the CR, represents 75% of the citizens)

13

Mission and objectives of SMO ČR

• Advocate and promote interests of local governments at national and European level through unified and coordinated approach

Main objectives:

• Promotion of local democracy in the Czech Republic and the EU

• Partner of the government, Parliament of the CR and the EU institutions in the legislative process

• Promotion of the interests and rights of local authorities

• Strengthening of the economic independence of LG

• Experience sharing, best practices

• Promotion of training of elected representatives and employees of LG

14

Bodies of the Union

• The Assembly – the supreme body (each 2 years)

• The Council (101 embers)– control and supervision (2 per year)

• The Audit Committee

• The Executive Board (11 members)- ensures operative activity (4-5 per year)- professional committees (finance, legislative, social, public safety, housing, energy, transport, environment, information society, education, international relations …)

• 3 Chambers- chartered cities, towns, municipalities

• Office of the Union

ChairmanOldřich VlasákCity of Hradec KrálovéMEP

Executive vice-chairJaromír JechHead of the Office

15

SMO ČR = relevant partner

CR: National Government

• Government is obliged to consult legislation that has impact on municipalities

• Agreement on co-operation between national government and SMO (signed in July 2005)

• European Charter of LG are a part of Czech legislation

• A number of MPs, MEPs and Senators have a municipal background

Association of Regions of the CR (AKČR)

Association of Secrtetaries of Towns and Municipalities (STMOÚ)

Association of Local Governments (SMS)

EU: active member of Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR)

16

Communication, analyses, publications

www.smocr.cz

17

3.

KISMO – also ICT for eCitizen / eParticipation

1818

Expert Committee for Information Society of the SMOCR (KISMO)

• Structure of personnel: representatives of local governments based on SMO CR bodies (3 x 3, each chamber, 1 from municipal districts) other experts (advisory role)

• Now ca 20 regular participants

• Chairman now Cyril Čapka

• Topic: Information society and eGovernment. Including economic development and competitiveness of cities and municipalities based on accessible ICT infrastructure, digital data, effective processes, electronic services – for all citizens.

• Local interests in central/national activities and ICT projects

Chair of the KISMOCyril ČapkaPraha 2

1919

Activities of the KISMO – National Government

• Observations to new strategic documents (Smart Amdinistration, Programming docs for SF)

• Comments and positions legislation (eGovernment Act, Basic Registers,)

• Impacts of central projects (infrastracture, Czech POINT, Basic Registers, Digital map of PA, Technology centers, Cash Register)

• New duties x financing, interoperability, standards etc.

• Communication with national government (MV CR and other ministries and authorities)

• ICT use in self-government competencies (with/without financial support)

• Projects funded from EU funds (Structural funds, IOP/OPLZZ, Community Programmes)

• 2010: Memorandum on eGovernment Development (roles of state x selfgovernment/LRG)

2020

ICT topics: national x local govs

Infrastructure Broadband for all (municipalities, citizens?). Innovative services (mobility). PPP and other models.

Data and systemsAccess to national registers, data warehouses. Elektronic documents and communication. Geographic data and GIS. Interoperability. Shared data and services.

Processes, standards, methodologyAnalyses (before implementation). Standards (open, recommended by state). Pilot/model solutions. Support of mamagement (strategies, projects).

UsersCapacity building, training (public administration, citizens). eInclusion. eParticipation/eDemocracy.

Supporting activitiesKnowledge and experience sharing. Best practices. Benchmarking/benchlearning. Awarding. Partnerships (LRG, universities, private companies – living labs, clustering.

2121

Experience sharing – CR

Conferences

• ISSS/LORIS/V4DIS Hradec Králové

• MRI/KRI, ePraha

• Workshop of CIO from Cities (category III)

• EEEGov Days

• Benchmarking

• Cities Towards Information Society

• Analyses

• Competitions, awards

• Zlatý erb (Golden Crest), Eurocrest, JuniorErb

• The Best (practices)

2222

Experience sharing – EU

• CEMR – Policy Group for Information Society and eGovernment

• ELANET - conference EISCO – Digital Local Agenda

Digital Local Agenda: eParticipation, eInclusion, Broadband access for all, Secure digital local networks, Advanced local services

• EUROCITIES - Knowledge Society Forum

eRights Charter: Right to access, education and training, information and services on-line, participation on-line

Broadband Manifesto, Green Digital Charter, SMART CITIES

• Other networks – GCD, Eris@, .... projects

22

23

4.

Examples

24

Act No. 106/1999 Code „Free Access to information“

• Anti-corruption measures Set of available information from public authorities (e.g. websites)

• Name, constitution(Bank acccount, ID number)

• Organisational structureContacts

• Guide for remedies, complaints

• Guide further info requirements

• Terms, charges

• Regulation, directives (strategy, budget ...)

• Report on providing info

• Evaluation criterion of the Golden Crest competition

25

Project INFOLIGA• NGO – Otevřená společnost

(Open society), www.otevrete.cz

• Evaluation of transparency, benchmarking

• Availability on websites of local & regional governments

• decision making (docs)budget, strategies, notice board, public tenders

• structurelegislationlocal authority meetingsvotingcourse of meetingannoucementsconsultation, inquiry

• 179 participants

26

Project OTEVŘENO / ZAVŘENO(OPEN / CLOSED)

• NGO – Otevřená společnost (Open society), www.otevrete.cz

• Award (2011, 11th annual volume)

• Good practoce x Bad practice

• Public nominations

• Features

• Access to information

• Transparent public tenders

• Free and balanced informing

• Participation of citizens

• 2010 OPEN: Lanškroun (city council info), Brno (newsletter), Most (public tenders)

CLOSED: Prague (Opencard project), Lesy ČR (delayed info), Znojmo (pressure on complaining person)

27

Documentation of local authority meeting (City Council/Aseembly)

• Terms, programme

• Decisions, background documents(search tools)

• Written record, voting

• Discussion

• Interpellation (written answers)

• On-line broadcasting

28

Discussuion, Questions / Answers

• Discussion Forum on website

• On homepage? Topics

• Management? Experince with vulgar and abusive comments

• Preferred QACombination with info line (phone),

29

Public consultations, inquiry

• In some case required by legislatione.g. Land-use plan, Strategic noise map

• Voluntary: Local Agenda 214 regions, ca 120 municipalitiescategories:beginners, D – B (A)

• Often: Inquiry, questionnaire (feedback)

30

Public control, participation

• eServices, complaints - feedback

• Public space – clean municipality

• Praha 6 – Local MMS-inglocal system - MMS to authorityAwarded by Zaty Erb 2007

• Prague 2 – Čistá Dvojka (Clean 2)messages from map

31

Community building• Schools, social care/seniors

culture facilities/centres

• Mostly indirect support

• Co-organisation of events (culture, sport, environment ...)

• Promotion, advertising

• Granting programmes, financial support (NGO, cit.assoc.)

• Social networks(municipality on facebook)

32

5.

Conclusions, challenges

3333

Conclusions

• Infrastructure, local governments websites

• Citizens use ICT also in contact with local governments

• Existing legislation framework and political will for transparency (competition)

• Benchmarking, competition, awards, best practices

• Channels for experience sharing

• Prevailing bottom-up approach (unsufficient support from central government/sources)

• Reserves in citizens´ activity (self-government role)

3434

Challenges

• Infrastructure – broadband, mobility, integrated multichannel approach

• eServices – standard channel, attractive, flexible, trusted

• Legislation – enables to improve services (not defines)

• More active approach from local authorities

• More publicity

• International experience sharing

• Support form national government (analyses, benchmarking, best practices)

• Activation of citizens (individual, organized)

35

Thank you for attention!

Jaroslav Šolc

jaroslav.solc@siks.cz+ 420 724112525

SMO ČR: www.smocr.cz