Newsletter I-st EDITION

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I-st EDITION JANNUARY - MARCH 2015

Decentralisation and local development programme Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation (HSI) with many years of experience in local government in northern Albania has contributed through the program for Local D e ve l o p m e n t a n d Decentralization (dldp), but also thanks to the support of the Swiss government through the SDC with significant results at the local, regional and nationally. Practices and models developed in cooperation with local partners distributed nationally, as improved capacity to attract funds from alternative sources.

Nevertheless, further consolidation and thematic validation of the different capacity building

packages/curricula is necessary.

Ownership of the experts at local level and line ministries at central level needs to be enhanced. The dissemination of the practices shall be open to all LGUs, whereas institutional and delivery mechanisms shall be consolidated and anchored in the system. A grant fund will be available to selected LGUs based on the fulfilment of criteria and on performance. Dldp has gradually expanded its project area from Shkodra and Lezha Qark to three more Qarks for phase 3 (Dibër, Durrës and Kukës). This will allow selecting new LGUs and disseminate/upscale best

Prof. Asoc. Dr. Valbona Karakaçi National Programme Manager

practices horizontally. The project area (direct implementation) will cover 5 of the 12 Qarks - or 30 % of the population of Albania. In the remaining 7 Qarks, dldp will work through national actors and institutions to facilitate and assure the dissemination of its proven tools and manuals.

Functional areas: Methodology and Projects CONTENT 1

Decentralisation and local development programme

1

Functional areas: Methodology and Projects

2

The Integrated System of One Stop Shops

3

Local finances

3

DLDP contribution in the new Organic Law and the new law on local finances

3

Women in Politics Network

4

Benchmarking methodology and service standards

Address: dldp - decentralization and local development programme 1. Tirana Office: Rr. "Ibrahim Rugova", godina e PLUS, kati II, Nr.3, Tiranë, Albania, Tel.+355 42269225 2. Shkodra Office: Rr. Oso Kuka Nr.11,Shkodër, Albania Tel.+355 22250999 / +355 22250247

www.dldp.al

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In January-March, 2015,the project for drafting the strategic documents of Functional Areas passed its most intensive phase.

Functional Areas Programme included 5 Qarks: Shkodra, Lezha, Kukës, Dibra and Durrës and more specifically these local units: Malësi e Madhe, Lezha, Tropojë, Kukës, Dibra, Mat, Durrës and Shijak.

The methodology developed by dldp experts, aims to provide some solutions to the sensitive identified problems in the territory that would belong to new municipalities and will provide the preconditions for sustainable development, were the issues discussed at workshops with service providers and various experts.

The Methodology consists in economic analysis, analysis of services, organizational analysis and functional area projects that were consulted in relevant forums.

There were organised an average of 3 forums for each functional area, composed of all stakeholders in the area, participating businesses, civil society, local administration units from all units that are integral part of the Functional Area (FA), of Qarks and decentralized directories. A major contribution came from the young people of the areas that were very active in identifying problems in the forums. During the forums there were presented to the local experts and stakeholders the drawn up documents by experts at various stages. Forums have been consulted and received opinions on the accuracy of the data and information obtained from interviews carried out in the field.

From these forums opinions and suggestions of the participants are reflected from time to time in documents of FAP reaching a

document that provides an analysis of the situation, identify problems and competitive advantages and provides recommendations for their solution. In the upcoming months we will work on the preparation of projects and their discussion forums and also on their selection by area experts.

Next Steps There will be completed in April the documents of Functional Areas and three groups will identify projects for each functional area program about economic development, service delivery and quick start projects.

At the end of April there will be organized the platform for selecting the best project for each functional area.

On May 11, in Tirana, this activity will be finalized with the organization of the national conference: "Consolidation of Administrative - Territorial Reform: Practices and Learning's", which will be awarded the two best programs for Functional Areas.

The Integrated System of One Stop Shops DLDP has published the first report on the study of the Integrated System of One Stop Shops. ICT Solution firm, which is preparing the study, has presented the process used in data gathering as well as results achieved at the end of the first phase of the study. Integrated Systems of One Stop Shops are identified by DLDP as a suitable means of responding to the need to offer services to citizens in the new municipalities to be established after the implementation of the Administrative Territorial Reform and local elections to be held on June 21st, 2015.

This report concludes the first phase of activities with the documenting of the list of services actually being provided in local government units, which served as a sample of this study.

This list of services will serve as a basis for other phases of the work to be done to prepare the model of Integrated One Stop Shops.

Study sample For the purpose of this study, a sample of eight local government units was selected, divided into two groups of four units, which under the new territorial reform will belong to the same local government unit. One of the local units will be the future local unitcentre, while the other will

Gathering of the services files To identify the list of services a close cooperation was established with the Centre for Competence set up by DLDP. In this framework, specialists of local government working in this centre with the local units under the study became an important part to identify beforehand the list of services.

be its subordinate administrative one.

Each of the local government units that are to be the administrative centre of other units was paired with another unit to be a subordinate one when the new law on administrative territorial reform will enter into force.

Service files The service filecontains the basic information for the identification of a service: *Name *Short description *Legal basis *Beneficiary categories (citizen, company, NGO, other) *Level of competency (direct, common, delegated function)

Consolidation of services list Firstly there were evidenced 375 services in eight local units under the study. This preliminary list was analysed by evidencing the same services in different local units, resulting in a list with 123 different services.

To evidence similar services in the beginning as a criterion was used the name of the service, which for a part of services was the same or very close in all units reporting that unit. To avoid mistakes after evidencing similar

services by name, other information found in theservices filewas consulted: *description of the service *beneficiaries of the service *legal basis In this phases were identified as one only those services that left no room for interpretation after the verification of information found in theservice file.

Future steps

Consulting the list comprising 123 services with Competency Centre specialists

*Documenting the flow of work for the identified services according to the legal basis for offering services and field inter views in four local gover nmental units. This documented work will be analysed further by a team of local government experts, IT, and legal consultants. This team will recommend a new organization of work processes for offering services having in mind the new organization of local govern-mental units. This analysis will result in the “Operational guide of work flow for offering services to citizens through Integrated One Stop Shops”.

The list of 123 services was consulted with the Competency Centre specialists and after a one day analysis, based on practices of their local units, it was agreed that the list could be consolidated, resulting ultimately in a list of 67 services, accepted as comprehensive for all eight local units under the study. This list belongs to direct, or joint, functions of the local governmental unit. There were also identified 37 services belonging to the delegated functions of the LGU. These services are offered on behalf of Civil Register and National Registration Centre.

* Testing of the model through implementing the IT system to offer public services in a couple of local governmental units that tomorrow will be part of the same unit. One of the selected units will be the centre of the future LGU, while the other will be a subordinate one.

represents the number of identified services according to the function type of the local governmental unit.

Figure 1: Services identified according to functions represents the number of identified services according to the function type of the local governmental unit.

Division of services between main units and subordinate units In the beginning of the study it was expected that the number of services in municipalities and communes to be different due to the different dimension and typology of the unit. This fact is important to the study, bearing in mind the fact that municipalities will be the centres of future administrative units, while communes will subordinate to them. The study certified this expectancy resulting not only in a number of different services, but also highlighting 3 different groups of services: *Services being offered in both units *Services offered in the municipality but not in the commune *Services offered in the commune but not in the municipality Figure 2: Division of services between main units and subordinate units represents the number of services according to the three above-mentioned groupings in the eight local governmental units.

Address: dldp - decentralization and local development programme 1. Tirana Office: Rr. "Ibrahim Rugova", godina e PLUS, kati II, Nr.3, Tiranë, Albania, Tel.+355 42269225 2. Shkodra Office: Rr. Oso Kuka Nr.11,Shkodër, Albania Tel.+355 22250999 / +355 22250247

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Local finances An important development as regards local finances has been the analysing of the financial performance of Shkodra Municipality in light of the PEFA instrument, as well as implications of forthcoming reforms in the Organic Law and local finances.

An event organized in Shkodra with members of the public administration of the municipality, members of the Competence Centre, representatives of national institutions (Finance Ministry) and field experts (members of the work group for the review of the Organic Law), as well as representatives of different programs engaged in local government issues (PLGP/USAID and their partner LGUs), who validated the findings on the financial performance of Shkodra Municipality and discussed in relation with the forthcoming changes of the legal framework that regulates the financing of local government.

The findings and preliminary results of the draft-report were shared with Shkodra Municipality and Competency Centre experts, who expressed their opinions. A detailed report where PEFA-inspired standards and the result of the evaluation of each of indicators would be presented will be shared with Shkodra Municipality experts for further comments. The findings of the report can be used for the review of the legal framework.

Also were presented some preliminary findings of the report on the regulation of functions' allocation, possibilities and challenges for local governmental units. PEFA is an instrument of the World Bank to measure governmental performance in managing public finances and accounting. Such a report is used in measuring the performance of the Albanian Government in 2006 and 2011, and it is the first time it is

being prepared for the local level in Albania.

Dldp contribution made possible that PEFA draft in local level became part of the strategy for Public Finance Management.

Next Steps Findings will be used in order to review the law on local finances and the organic law.

DLDP contribution in the new Organic Law and the new law on local finances In order to support local governance in Albania, DLDP is contributing in the process of setting up the new Organic Law through a continuous cooperation with PLGP/USAID program that is leading this process. A working group comprising the State Minister on Local Affairs and other important national institutions and organisms will have the responsibility to carry out this task and presenting the final product.

In the framework of this support, DLDP conducted

a round table on the new law named “On the organization and functioning of local governance”. This activity put together in a consultative table chairmen of local governmental units from the whole country and made it possible to present the process initiated by the group of experts as regard the preparation of the new Organic Law and an action plan related to the main steps to undertake until the final approval of the new Organic Law on local governance.

After presenting identified problems related to the implementation of the current law on organization and functioning of the local government, participants focused their discussions on the need to incorporate a number of issues in the new law. Among the issues discussed by participants were - The issue of financial resources of local governmental units, which must be in accordance with the functions local governance, has.

Decentralization has as objective strengthening local governance, but from the other hand the

central government must foresee the necessary instruments so that local government can raise sufficient money to exercise its functions; - The way how functions are established was another issue discussed at the meeting. It was deemed necessary that the law must foresee a clear path on how these functions are created.

The participants included chairmen of local partner units of PLGP/USAID and DLDP programs, representatives from the State Ministry on Local Affairs, representatives from local governance associations (AMA, ACA, ALA), USAID representatives, as well as the working group established to carry out the work on the new law.

Next steps An important element through which DLDP aims to contribute to the process will be the “Open Parliament” project, which will aim to consult the new Organic Law with the local level, including Parliament Members, local actors as well as local and national media.

Dldp support for Women in Politics Network DLDP has launched this year its support for the Women in Politics Network through a friendly meeting in Shkodra, where it also presented its action plan and support for the Network during 2015. The meeting was attended by activists of the Women in Politics Network from Shkodra and Lezha Qarks that participated in activities of the second phase of the program (2011-2013), women that have been supported by DLDP to attend the Academy of Political Studies, local experts on social integration, DLDP3 staff members, as well as the wife of the Swiss ambassador in Albania, Mrs. Nicole Graf. The later expressed her interest to be more informed about problems and new challenges that women engaged in politics face in their activity.

In continuity of activities of the first trimester of 2015, the DLDP program has established

Address: dldp - decentralization and local development programme 1. Tirana Office: Rr. "Ibrahim Rugova", godina e PLUS, kati II, Nr.3, Tiranë, Albania, Tel.+355 42269225 2. Shkodra Office: Rr. Oso Kuka Nr.11,Shkodër, Albania Tel.+355 22250999 / +355 22250247

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the database of Women in Politics Network, which includes women and girls councilors of the municipal councils of main municipalities of the five Qarks: Shkodër, Lezhë, Kukës, Dibër and Durrës.

Empowering capacities of women involved in politics in the field of political studies through support for 5 women councilors to attend the Academy of Political Studies, is the primary support initiated this year by DLDP. Through meetings carried out in five main Qarks with women councilors from different political parties, DLDP managed to identify the main objectives of women in local level for 2015 local elections. Among them there is the increase of women representation in local decision-making processes, competing not only for city councils but also for mayor.

Among problems facing women involved in

politics there is the level of representation in rural areas and the development of transparent and democratic processes inside party structures.

Future steps During the second trimester, DLDP plans to hold about 8 meeting in the main centers of the functional areas: Shkodër, Lezhë, Durrës, Kukës, Bajram Curri, Peshkopi, Burrel, and Koplik. Through these meetings it is aimed to identify the needs and real problems that women have with their representation in the next city councils, and to find proper solutions.

In the end of these meetings, a report will be compiled that will include the main findings and recommendations identified during open discussions. Further on, DLDP will establish activities in local and national level in order to promote women and girls during the local elections.

Name of project

Decentralization and Local Development Programme (dldp) in Northern Albania Donor: SDC/SECO Swiss Cooperation Office c/o Embassy of Switzerland

Partners At Local Level: Municipalities and Communes in Shkodër, Lezhë, Dibër, Kukës, Durrës

Duration (Phase III) 01.01.2014 -31.12.2017

Partners at National Level: Ministry of State for Local Issues, Ministry of Finance, Minister of State for Innovation and Public Administration, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of European Integration, Ministry of Urban Development and Tourism, Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure and other national state Agencies

Country: Albania Area of Intervention: •Northern Albania (local) •National level

Staff: Other programmes/organizations in partnership: National Programme Manager (Valbona Karakaçi) CoE, USAID/PLGP, UNDP/STAR 11 staff members

Address: Str. "Ibrahim Rugova", PLUS Building, 2nd Floor / No. 3.

Tirana | Albania T. +355 42269225 OsoKuka, No.11 4001 | Shkodër | Albania T. +355 (222) 50 247 Websites: dldp.al km.dldp.al youtube.com/dldpalbania facebook.com/dldp.al twitter.com/dldpalbania

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ONE STOP SHOP ntegrATED SySTEM

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fap functional area programme

Benchmarking methodology and service standards Dldp Program with an activity of more than 8 years, mainly in the northern areas of the country and not only, has already become an important partner in the waste sector in Albania. This program through the financial and technical assistance among others has aimed at improving the quality of service delivery by the LGU. So in terms of urban waste management the program has assisted the LGUs in planning and implementing the waste management plans in order to achieve the national objectives.

During November 2014 – February 2015, dldp supported the initiative to develop a benchmarking methodology for performance measurement in the waste sector services relying on his long experience of its activity in several Qarks.

However in the urban sector of the waste management there are no indicators of service delivery performance, which should be clearly defined, measured and reported in the past. Consequently, planning and implementation of local plans of waste management is not sufficient to improve the performance of local authorities in waste management. The design and assignment of several measurable and comparable indicators would be a favourable orientation

Address: dldp - decentralization and local development programme 1. Tirana Office: Rr. "Ibrahim Rugova", godina e PLUS, kati II, Nr.3, Tiranë, Albania, Tel.+355 42269225 2. Shkodra Office: Rr. Oso Kuka Nr.11,Shkodër, Albania Tel.+355 22250999 / +355 22250247

www.dldp.al

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in terms of improving the quality of waste management and monitoring of this service.

The process of drafting the benchmark system is based on an approach with the participation of stakeholders (representatives from line ministries, LGUs, "service providers", representatives from civil society and national and international experts). It is based entirely on the current state of the service level offered today in the LGU and it is led by the principles and policies designed at national level.

Some of the major reasons for designing a benchmarks system are summarized as below: · to make it possible for each LGU to judge its performance in Solid Waste Management (SWM) service delivery; · to provide the necessary information for decision-making authorities on priorities for improving the SWM service in the current conditions with limited funds available; · to enable the identification of strengths (local circumstances) on the basis of which it can be built further and identify the weaknesses that need to be handled with care; · to monitor changes in the quality of SWM service over time Definition of the aspects to be evaluated is realized through estimation of the best experience in the region and through Swiss experts' suggestions, consulted with specific literature and with experts of the Water Regulatory Authority, which have a five-year experience in monitoring and reporting the performance of water supply and sewerage companies. Eventually the aspects of SWM service offered in each LGU to be evaluated are summarized as follows: Existing infrastructure; quality of service; financial sustainability; environmental sustainability;

institutional aspects.

This methodology proposes the use of 10 qualitative and quantitative indicators, which measure the performance of service quality, environmental and economic sustainability, and its institutional and governance aspects.

Benchmarking experience sharing with Kosova colleagues DLDP in cooperation with the Environment Ministry organized on March 26-27th a study visit in Kosova for DLDP's Competence Centre staff, for experience sharing on the field of urban waste management. The visit aimed the exploration and comparison of experiences between two countries in one of the most priority sectors of public services. In this trip participated representatives of DLDP partner LGUs, line ministries and experts helping in the implementation of DLDP support packages for local units in relation to the model of cost calculation and benchmarking methodology. The group from Albania was headed by the Vice-minister of the Environment Ministry, Mrs Olijana Ifti.

During workshop sessions held there were presented DLDP experiences on cost calculation and benchmarking methodology. It was also presented the DEMOS experience for the work conducted in partner communes on service organization and recycling, as well as the application of the cost calculation model in Peja commune. DEMOS is the p r o j e c t i m p l e m e n t e d by H e l v e t a s f o r Decentralization and Municipal Support in Kosova.

Among different areas of DEMOS support, it is also the improvement of public services delivery in public spaces, municipal traffic and waste management.

Next steps Dldp will continue in the future the cooperation with the Ministry of Environment and regional bodies such as NALAS (NALAS is a network of associations of local authorities in Eastern Europe) in developing tools for designing the service standards. Besides the presentation of the benchmarking methodology on various platforms, dldp aims the practical application of the developed models.