MCL-16(2009)8

                  Council of Europe Conference

of Ministers responsible

for Local and Regional Government

                “Good local and regional governance in

             turbulent times: the challenge of change”

                16th Session, Utrecht, 16 - 17 November 2009

Priority-setting through ministers’ vote

                       

Introduction

On the occasion of the 16th Session of their Council of Europe Conference, the European ministers responsible for local and regional government will adopt the Utrecht Agenda for the work of the Council of Europe in support of their common objective of delivering good local and regional governance to all citizens.

The Utrecht Agenda (document MCL-16(2009)12, pages 14-17) envisages the identification of major “challenges” to local and regional democracy in member states as the starting point for the development of the appropriate actions at intergovernmental level in the framework of the European Committee on Local and Regional Democracy.

Drawing on the information provided by member states themselves, the CDLR has established a list of “challenges” that the Ministers are invited to consider and prioritise by means of a vote.

This document contains the voting bulletin.

The vote will be exercised by electronic means in a single round. Ministers are invited to select only five challenges and give them a priority from 1 - highest to 5 - lowest.

The list of challenges as it will result from the vote (minus the challenges that will receive 0 votes) will be included in the Utrecht Declaration, as part of the Utrecht Agenda (MCL-16(2009)12, p. 16).

VOTING BULLETIN

LIST OF CHALLENGES

The five biggest challenges that the current system of local and regional democracy and good governance in my country faces are, in order of priority:

Attribution of priority to five challenges only (1: highest;

5: lowest)

1.

Addressing the impact of demographic/migration trends

2.

Managing the impact of the current financial/economic crisis

3.

Addressing the low level of democratic participation in public life at local and regional level

 

4.

Reducing the complexity and cost of the current system of local and regional government and enhancing its efficiency

5.

Addressing the growing divide between rural and urban areas

6.

Addressing territorial inequalities between and within local and regional authorities

7.

Enhancing the capacity for and quality of governance in local and regional communities or authorities

 

8.

Making it easier for local and regional authorities to co-operate across frontiers

 

9.

Addressing the expansion of big conurbations at the expense of medium/small sized cities and villages

10.

Strengthening social cohesion and acting against the increase of political and religious radicalisation

11.

Fighting corruption in local and regional authorities

12.

Addressing the growing impact of the digital divide on citizen participation

13.   

Improving access to public services delivered at local and regional level