Active citizenship in auxiliary units of local government in Kujawsko-Pomorskie province

Cities/towns – in the light of the regulation related to commune self-government – are not obliged to establish service entities in the form of district council, or neighbourhood or local ones etc. However, the majority of large cities established the afore-mentioned entities. In the mid-sized cities (50–100 thousand citizens) such “socialization” is at the level of 38%. In the cities which beforehand decided on such citizens’ share in public management, their influence on the local development is on the increase. The examples of such cities counting on such a development encompass – among others – Kraków, Poznań, Wrocław, Gdynia, Sopot, Bydgoszcz. In the voivodeship of Kuiavia and Pomerania, out of 22 cities with the population amounting to over 10 000 people in 10 of them such entities were established, including a couple of small towns. Even in small towns such as Mogilno, the examples of civic initiatives and the real influence on local development are numerous. Even more then one should claim the necessity of introducing the statutory duty to establish the service entities in each city/town. The active citizenship manifesting itself through district councils could possibly bring the additional profits if district councils allocated more financial means from local budgets or if – statutorily, their own sources of profits were granted – for example from neighbourhood car park fees, the fees issuing from selling alcoholic beverages as well as fine and penalties and alike.

Cities/towns – in the light of the regulation related to commune self-government – are not obliged to establish service entities in the form of district council, or neighbourhood or local ones etc. However, the majority of large cities established the afore-mentioned entities. In the mid-sized cities (50–100 thousand citizens) such “socialization” is at the level of 38%. In the cities which beforehand decided on such citizens’ share in public management, their influence on the local development is on the increase. The examples of such cities counting on such a development encompass – among others – Kraków, Poznań, Wrocław, Gdynia, Sopot, Bydgoszcz. In the voivodeship of Kuiavia and Pomerania, out of 22 cities with the population amounting to over 10 000 people in 10 of them such entities were established, including a couple of small towns. Even in small towns such as Mogilno, the examples of civic initiatives and the real influence on local development are numerous. Even more then one should claim the necessity of introducing the statutory duty to establish the service entities in each city/town. The active citizenship manifesting itself through district councils could possibly bring the additional profits if district councils allocated more financial means from local budgets or if – statutorily, their own sources of profits were granted – for example from neighbourhood car park fees, the fees issuing from selling alcoholic beverages as well as fine and penalties and alike.