The Constitution of the Republic of Croatia, the European Charter of Local Self-Government and the Act on Local Self-Government and Administration (1992) constitute the legal framework for the development of local and regional self-government and their greater independence.

Ustavom Republike Hrvatske, prihvaćanjem načela Europske povelje o lokalnoj samoupravi i Zakonom o lokalnoj samoupravi i upravi iz 1992. godine stvoren je pravni okvir za razvoj lokalne i područne (regionalne) samouprave i njezinu veću neovisnost.

There are 21 units of regional self-government (20 counties and the City of Zagreb, that has both city and county status) and 555 units of local self-government (126 towns and 429 municipalities) in Croatia. In accordance with the process of decentralisation, the new Act on Local and Regional Self Government entered into force in July 2001, aimed at providing local government bodies with enhanced responsibilities.

U Hrvatskoj postoji 21 jedinica regionalne samouprave (20 županija i Grad Zagreb, koji ima status grada i županije) i 555 jedinica lokalne samouprave (126 gradova i 429 općina). Sukladno procesu decentralizacije, novi Zakon o lokalnoj i područnoj (regionalnoj) samoupravi, koji je stupio na snagu u srpnju 2001., ima za cilj osigurati jedinicama lokalne samouprave više odgovornosti.

central, elections, bodies, responsibilities, ballot

Both regional and local representative ______ are elected by secret _______, and the executive bodies are established in accordance with the results of the _________. According to the principle of subsidiarity, the _______ Government is not entitled to interfere in the ___________ of local and regional authorities.

Both regional and local representative bodies are elected by secret ballot, and the executive bodies are established in accordance with the results of the elections. According to the principle of subsidiarity, the central Government is not entitled to interfere in the responsibilities of local and regional authorities.

Jedinice lokalne i područne samouprave imaju pravo na vlastite prihode. Država je dužna pomagati financijski slabije jedinice lokalne samouprave. U RH postoji određeni broj nerazvijenih ili manjih lokalnih zajednica, koji, zbog nedostatka sredstava, imaju problema u normalnom funkcioniranju lokalnih tijela i institucija.

Local and regional self-government units have the right to their own revenue. The state is under the obligation to assist the financially weaker units of local self-government. In Croatia there are some underdeveloped or smaller local communities where the normal functioning of local bodies and institutions is hampered by the lack of funds.

Local government is in particular concerned with the affairs related to e_______, h______ service, urban p_______, economic d_________, e__________ protection, t__________ infrastructure and c_________.

This concerns in particular the affairs related to education, health service, area and urban planning, economic development, environmental protection, traffic infrastructure and culture.

Revision

When was the Charter adopted? What is the constitutional and legal

foundation for local self-government? What does local self-government denote?

1985 That the principle of local self-government

shall be recognised in domestic legislation, and where practicable in the constitution

The right and ability of local authorities to regulate and manage a substantial share of public affairs under their responsibility and in the interest of the local population

Appropriate administrative structures and resources for the tasks of local authoritiesWithout prejudice to more general statutory provisions, local authorities shall be able to determine their own internal administrative structures in order to adapt them to local needs and ensure effective management. The conditions of service of local government employees shall be such as to permit the recruitment of high-quality staff on the basis of merit and competence; to this end adequate training opportunities, remuneration and career prospects shall be provided.

Prilagođavanje upravnog ustroja i sredstava zadaćama lokalnih jedinica

1. Ukoliko to nije u suprotnosti s općim odredbama utvrđenim zakonom, lokalne jedinice same određuju svoj unutarnji upravni ustroj, kako bi ga prilagodile svojim specifičnim potrebama i učinile upravljanje što učinkovitijim.

2. Položaj zaposlenih u tijelima lokalnih jedinica treba omogućiti zapošljavanjem osoblja polazeći od načela kakvoće, sposobnosti i stručnosti. U tu svrhu osigurat će se odgovarajući uvjeti za njihovo obrazovanje, nagrađivanje i napredovanje.

The subdivisions of England consist of up to four levels of subnational division controlled through a variety of types of administrative entities created for the purposes of local government: regions, counties, districts and parishes

The highest tier of local government are the nine regions of England: North East, North West, Yorkshire and the Humber, East Midlands, West Midlands, East, South East, South West, and London

There are no elected bodies at this level except in London

Below the regional level, all of England is divided into 48 ceremonial counties.

These are used primarily as a geographical frame of reference and have developed gradually since the Middle Ages, with some established as recently as 1974

Outside Greater London, England is divided into 83 metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties; these correspond to areas used for the purposes of local government and may consist of a single district or be divided into several.

Non-metropolitan counties have a county council and are divided into districts, each with a district council. They are typically, though not always, found in more rural areas

The remaining non-metropolitan counties are of a single district and usually correspond to large towns or sparsely populated counties; they are known as unitary authorities

There are six metropolitan counties based on the most heavily urbanised areas, which do not have county councils

There are two basic models of local government in the UK – two-tier and single-tier. Across most of England, local government is organised on two tiers: there is a county council and a district council.

In most large towns and cities, local government is organised on a single-tier (unitary authorities).

All the districts and the counties have locally elected councils with separate functions:

1. County councils2. District councils

Greater London is divided into 32 boroughs, each of which has a council (London Borough Council) responsible for services in their area, and the City of London governed by the City of London Corporation

At the most localised level, much of England is divided into civil parishes with councils; they do not exist in Greater London

Local authorities provide many public services: housing, education, personal social services, the police and fire services

Such services are provided by democratically elected local authorities throughout Britain

Local authorities derive their power from legislation

Local authorities set the local rates (property taxes) at the level high enough to provide for the local services

Local government is organized both by county and by town

Every city has a ceremonial Lord Mayor who appears at official functions

Consist of elected councillors, elected on a similar basis to parliamentary elections

Term of office is four years Councillors are paid basic allowance,

additional allowances and expenses for attending meetings or taking on special responsibilities

County councils provide large-scale services District councils provide local services London is divided into boroughs, each of

which has a council In the metropolitan counties there are no

county councils, only district councils

County councils are responsible for strategic planning, transport planning, traffic regulation, education, police, the fire services, libraries and personal social services

District councils are responsible for environmental health, housing, local planning and refuse collection

Over 2 million people are employed by local authorities

Administrative, professional and technical staff, teachers, firefighters, policemen and manual workers

The largest service is education (40 % of all government workers)

Local government expenditure – 25 % of public spending

The Government can limit local authority budgets by setting a maximum amount

Local authorities raise revenue from central government grants, non-domestic rates (a tax on the occupiers of non-domestic property), the council tax and fees and charges

Citizens may complain to Commissions for Local Administration

Three ‘local government ombudsmen’ for England and one each for Scotland and Wales