Communicating with Public – the First Step towards Meeting Inhabitants Needs
by Local Governments. An Experience from Slovakia.
NISPAcee Working Group on Better Quality Administration for the Public
Prepared for the NISPAcee Annual Conference 13-15 April 2000, Budapest
by
Magdaléna Bernátová, PhD.
Institute for Municipal and Regional Development (IROMAR)
Faculty of Economics, Matej Bel University
Kyjevské nám. 6
974 01 Banská Bystrica
Slovakia
Tel./fax: + 421 88 413 93 98
E-mail: [email protected]
Introduction
A process of assessing public needs should include two activities: asking and informing.
Public can be asked about its needs by means of marketing research, public opinion survey,
public hearing, handling complaints, and other ways of asking people for comments and
suggestions. In the process of informing, public should be informed about results of “asking”,
about services provided by local government and about quality criteria, as it educates public
about facilities, possibilities and rights to get local government services, so they can better
know their own needs.
The aim of this paper is to discuss an importance of these two activities – asking and
informing - in order to improve local government services. It is focused on communication
with public as the first step towards better service provision.
In the first chapter, a brief information on initiatives and legislative and institutional
framework are presented. In the second chapter, a current practice of meeting citizens needs
by local governments in Slovakia is discussed. Results of the “Communicating Town Project”
surveys relevant to the topic of the paper and investigation of activities following the surveys
are presented in the third chapter. Conclusions and recommendations for public policies based
on previous analyses are presented in the Chapter 4.
1.
Country profile
In this chapter, a brief review of the basic information regarding recent initiatives to improve
the quality of public administration in Slovakia in terms of communicating with the public
and a legislative and institutional framework for local government communication with public
is presented.
In Slovakia, there have been implemented several initiatives to improve quality of services at
the national, regional and local levels. They were oriented on improving different aspects of
providing services – personal skills of public administration officers, public administration
management systems, creating criteria of service quality, making public acquainted with
public administration services. Some activities were led by different institutions, some
initiatives originated from public administration offices.
At the national level, the main activity on better provision of services is a reform of public
administration having been prepared for a couple of years. It should include a creation of
regional local government (which does not exist in Slovakia) and a new distribution of
competencies in public administration.
On the regional level, a PHARE project on reform of public administration has been
implemented in late 90s. It was helping preparation of public administration offices to the PA
reform, a part of the project was oriented towards regional state administration offices.
On the local level, there are projects financed by Open Society Foundation and British Know
- How Fund, aimed mainly on improving public awareness of local government services.
There are still (too) many inhabitants not acquainted with their local government – what it is
for, what services it provides.
Within the Communicating Town Project held in 1996 - 2000, funded by Open Society
Foundation, IROMAR1 pursued public opinion surveys among inhabitants in 8 Slovak towns
(an analysis was finished in 7 of them up to now)2. An aim of the research was to find out
public opinion on councils’ activities, communication and on living conditions in specific
towns. More details about results are presented in the Chapter 3.
Another project “Improving Public Relations in Local Government in Slovakia” led by
IROMAR in 1999-2000 and financed by British Know - How Fund is helping 8 local
governments in Slovakia to improve their public relations in their specific activities. One of
them – the Kremnica Town Council project - is aimed at improving local government
services. Currently they are working on marketing research in order to prepare quality
standards of local government services. In this, an analysis of communication channels with
public, as well as effectiveness of internal communication is being conducted.
A non-governmental organisation Local Government Development Centre in Bratislava,
former Local Self-Government Assistance Centre funded by USAID, has organised several
training courses on Total Quality Management for local governments in Slovakia aimed at
improving quality of services at local government level.
The legislative and institutional framework
An access to information has been in Slovakia secured by the Constitution of the Slovak
Republic, Article 26. An Information Act has been proposed to the National Parliament of the
Slovak Republic by a group of councillors and the “Citizen Initiative for a Good Act about an
Access to Information”. The Citizen Initiative is supported by more than 120 nongovernmental organisations with almost 100 000 members3. The draft of the Information Act4
was discussed in the Slovak Parliament in February, 2000 and will be on the Parliament
1
Institute for Municipal and Regional Development, Faculty of Economics, Matej Bel University, Banská
Bystrica
2
The Communicating Town Project was initiated by IIMCE Brno in Czech Republic in 1995, from 1996 it has
been realised both in Czech and Slovak Republics
3
www.infozakon.sk
4
available at www.infozakon.sk
2
programme again in May, 2000. In the meantime, deputies will improve it in the Parliament
Committees. The Information Act would secure citizens a right to information and give an
obligation to public institutions to inform public about all matters except those, which are not
stated as a secret.
Any law does not regulate meeting public needs in local development strategies. Some
sophisticated local governments invite citizens to discuss on them in the preparatory stage.
Municipalities in Slovakia are responsible for procurement and approval of territorial plans5.
In order to meet public needs, they are obliged by the Act No. 50/1976 and its amendments to
inform citizens about the draft of the territorial plan, as well as keep public informed after the
approving the plan. In the process of developing the plan, local governments have to make the
plan available to public for 30 days and for another 30 days public can give comments and
suggestions on the draft. Also, all institutions and organisations affected by the plan have to
express they opinions on its draft. After the approval of the urban plan, local governments
should make the information from the plan available for deputies, investors, entrepreneurs, as
well as citizens. The law does not state the way of informing the public.6
Citizens can also join a process of an Environmental Impact Assessment. Local governments
have to discuss with public bigger development projects (for example motorways, dams,
incinerators, and landfills).The Act No. 127/1994 for the first time in Slovakia stated an
obligation to discuss with public environmental impact assessment reports by means of public
hearings. Municipalities are responsible for an organising the public hearing in co-operation
with a proponent. Municipalities are responsible for informing public during the whole
environmental impact assessment process. The Slovak Ministry of Environment evaluates
comments and include them in the final decision in the end of the environmental impact
assessment process7.
An institution of ombudsman does not exist in Slovakia. A recent initiative about an
importance of such institution originated from the non-governmental sector8, however, a
discussion has not been widespread.
Some Slovak local governments have established “town or village information centres”, and
some towns have “an office of the first contact” or reception. They should work as an
information points about local governments9.
With The Slovak Association of Information Centres (AICES), 39 information centres are
associated and other 11 ones function apart from the Association10. A mission of these centres
is to provide information for tourists, although according to their common regulations, they
should serve also citizens with information about local government. Just some of these
information centres are established by local governments, and about a half of those associated
in the AICES provide information to public about local government services or activities.
Among them, some provide only contacts to the departments of Town Councils, just several
5
according the Act No 369/1990 and its amendments
Act. No 50/1976, Švihlová, Dana, Wilson, Elizabeth, Obce a životné prostredie, IROMAR EF UMB
a Britský KHF, Banská Bystrica, 1999, and www.changenet.sk/poradna/streetlaw/rozhod.htm.
6
Act. No 127/1994 and Švihlová, Dana, Wilson, Elizabeth, Obce a životné prostredie, IROMAR EF UMB
a Britský KHF, Banská Bystrica, 1999.
8
For example an article „Ombudsman náš každodenný“ by Vlado Pirošík, Sme, 3.3.2000, p. 6
7
9
To search for town information centres, author asked most of members of The Slovak Association of
Information Centres and members of Internet discussion group Regional Development in Slovakia.
10
According to www.info.sk/aices and interview with the President of AICES, Mrs. Piatková
3
can be regarded as “first stop shops” aimed at inhabitants and providing more comprehensive
information about local government activities for citizens.
Very good examples of the first stop shops are the Town Information Centres in Pezinok and
Lučenec. In the Pezinok Town Information Center,11 Town Council materials and information
are distributed, as well as it is the point of receiving inquiry suggestions on different
competitions as the Salesman of the Year12. At the Town Information Center in Lučenec,
besides distributing the Town Council’s materials, they are very good at organising different
activities for citizens and mainly for children as a way of making inhabitants more interested
in local government and community as a whole13.
Most often topics provided by SLovak town information centres concerning local government
are: a contact on town council and its departments, information about events in the town,
information about town council’s budget, local government decrees, a list of services and
entrepreneurs in the town. An information about local government services is very rare, one
example known to the author of this paper is a 300 pages book „How in Bratislava. A Citizen
Almanac about Life and Services of the Capital City“ published by the Institute for Public
Affairs Bratislava with co-operation with the Bratislava Town Council14 (more details about
distribution of the book are in the Chapter 2).
A small number of true local government first stop shops for citizens can be explained by a
lack of financial resources for such centres, on the other hand, a combination with other paid
services and sales could be a chance to survive.
Several information centres have been - or are planning to be – established by NGO
initiatives. Some of them, besides their main mission (mainly ecological information) provide
also information about local government activities to public.
To meet public needs, local governments have to have willingness to do that and skills to be
able to manage it. Both could be developed by education of local government staff, deputies,
as well as young people – students who could work in the public administration in their future
carriers.
In Slovakia, a university education in this field can be obtained at the Matej Bel University,
Faculty of Economics, where the Institute for Municipal and Regional Development
(IROMAR) is responsible for the specialisation Economy and Administration of Areas. In the
courses like “Territorial Marketing” and “Management of Areas”, students are offered
theories and methods for research of public needs, consulting with public, ways of providing
and improving services, as well as providing information to public.
Seminars and training courses for developing skills and changing attitudes of local
governments staff and deputies are offered also by IROMAR, as well as non-governmental
institutions as Academia Istropolitana Nova, Local Government Development Centre, Slovak
11
Information Centre in Pezinok is not a member of AICES
According to an interview with a Public Relations Manager of the Pezinok Town Council Mrs. Eva Lupová
and Bernátová, Magdaléna, Vaňová, Anna, Marketing pre samosprávy I., Banská Bystrica, IROMAR a KHF,
1999
13
According to an interview with the Town Information Centre employee Mrs. Monika Vargová
14
Kresánek, Peter, Vajda Milan, Štefáková Andrea, Ako v Bratislave. Občiansky Almanach o živote a službách
hlavného mesta, Inštitút pre verejné otázky, Bratislava, 1998
12
4
Foundation for Education of Local Government – all based in Bratislava. The last one offers
its educational services through 11 Regional Education Centres for Local Government.
2.
Current Practice of Meeting Citizens Needs
To describe a current practice of meeting citizens needs, both asking and informing (as
defined in the Introduction) will be analysed.
In the following text, the current practice in “asking” in Slovakia will be described as using
these tools:
1. marketing research on public needs of services and public opinion surveys on
a satisfaction with services or level of information about local government services
2. an obligatory asking for public comments and suggestions in processes regulated by law
(territorial planning, environmental impact assessment)
3. an asking for and listening to public comments and suggestions to local government
services (handling complaints, public hearing).
Marketing research and public opinion surveys are very narrowly conducted in Slovak local
governments. If local governments do any research, or public opinion survey, they realise it
ad hoc, once or twice a four-year electoral period. It can be seen also in the next example.
Within the application for a Public Relations Project, we asked interested local governments,
whether they had done any public opinion survey or research15. Responses referred to the
period of second half of 90s. From 26 responses, 10 local governments have not conducted
any research or survey at that time, which is 38%.
From 16 local governments, which have realised a research or survey,
- 11 did just one survey at that time period,
- at least 7 surveys were managed by other institution (it can be presumed that in majority
also initiated16),
- only in 4 cases, local governments have done 2-3 surveys at that time period,
- only 1 local government organizes surveys/researches regularly,
- 4 researches were aimed at public needs assessment for some service (3 for gas supply, 1
for separation of waste)
- 2 surveys focused on public opinion on activities of local government.
As was explained in the Chapter 1, municipalities are obliged to discuss with public drafts of
territorial plans. However, ways of asking citizens for comments on the drafts are not stated in
the law. It depends on a specific local government, how it makes citizens interested in this
process before they would complain on any development already approved. The current
practice is that municipalities inform citizens about a possibility to comment on the draft of
the territorial plan by announcements on the signboards outside the local government
offices17.
In the Environmental Impact Assessment process, public hearing is the way of asking public
for comments stated in the law. Nevertheless, also public hearing needs a good information
15
As they were interested in public relations, we could suppose that they are more sophisticated local
governments in terms of communicating with public.
16
4 were initiated, managed and realised by IROMAR within the project Communicating Town
Švihlová, Dana, Wilson, Elizabeth, Obce a životné prostredie, IROMAR EF UMB a Britský KHF, Banská
Bystrica, 1999
17
5
campaign in order to inform and attract citizens to join the process. Without this preparatory
information stage, public hearing could be just formal, with a small number of citizens
commenting, as a majority of the public does not know about the process. Such practice can
be seen often in Slovakia, as the preparatory information stage is often underestimated by
local governments, and also because of this way is a new, up to now not familiar method of
consulting with public.
In the Pezinok Town Council, public hearings have been organised from 1997 regularly and
regulated by an internal document, where procedural standards and agenda are stated.
Initially, the Pezinok Town Council used to organise public hearings before each Council
Meeting. After some time, they decreased the number of public hearing to four times a year.
Although the information before the public hearings had been distributed to the public,
citizens did not visit some of public hearings too much. To the last public hearing about
a budget of the Town Council for 2000, a very small number of citizens came, so it seems that
the number of public hearings during a year will be decreased again. As a Public Relations
Manager of the Pezinok Town Council explains, this situation could be caused by a diversity
of reasonable communication channels which the Pezinok Town Council uses – the Town
TV, local newspaper “Pezinčan”, and the Town Information Centre, and also by not
successful recent petition initiated by Pezinok citizens18.
As to handling complaints, local governments are obliged to handle complaints to 10 or 30
days from receiving them (according to a way necessary for searching on the topic of the
complaint)19. Local governments usually work with complaints according to the law.
The current practice at informing public could be described as:
A. informing about results of “asking”
B. informing about services provided by local government
C. informing about quality criteria of services.
As to information channels, results from the Communicating Town surveys showed that
inhabitants prefer local newspapers as the main source of information about local government
activities20. In the Communicating Town project, informing about results of public opinion
surveys was arranged by press conferences or press releases for local media. There are also
other methods of informing public – for example leaflets, brochures, but these tools are not
used much in Slovak local governments, as they are quite expensive.
Informing about services is usually done through local governments’ newspapers or, in fewer
cases – by brochures. An example of such activity is a book „How in Bratislava – A Citizen
Almanac about Life and Services of the Capital City“ published by the Institute for Public
Affairs Bratislava with co-operation with the Bratislava Town Council (mentioned in the
Chapter 1). The brochure has 300 pages and contains comprehensive information about local
government matters and services. 1500 copies were distributed to all town councillors,
libraries, media and journalists. To make it available to inhabitants, it is sold in the Town
Information Centre in Bratislava.
3.
Investigation and Results
18
According to an interview with Mrs. Eva Lupová, the Public Relations Manager of the Pezinok Town Council.
www.changenet.sk/poradna/streetlaw/rozhod.htm
20
Foretová Věra, Foret Miroslav, Vaňová Anna, Hiadlovská Magdaléna, Komunikujúce mesto, In: Aktuálne
problémy regionálneho rozvoja, Zborník z medzinárodnej konferencie, IROMAR, 1997
19
6
As described in previous text, marketing research is a weakness of local governments in an
assessment of public needs. In this part, an intention is to present a methodology and results
of the Communicating Town – the Slovak Project, mainly those concerning local government
services – including knowledge about them, satisfaction with them and information about
them.
In 1996, IROMAR started to pursue public opinion surveys among inhabitants in Slovak
towns. Ups to now, 7 surveys have been finished. In all surveys, same questions were used as
a core of the questionnaires. Each town could add several questions according to its own
research interests. The “core” questions used in each town were related to satisfaction of
inhabitants with local government, mayor, council, with life conditions in towns and with
information from their local government. Inhabitants were also asked about satisfaction with
an approach of local government officers. A part of one questionnaire was a question on
inhabitants’ knowledge about services, which their local government offers.
The research was done by standardised interviews led by students from specific towns. In
questionnaires, open-ended questions were used to ask for opinions and suggestions, and
close-ended (forced choice) questions were used in order to be able to quantify respondents
opinions to research topics. In each town, 400 questionnaires were distributed. 336 - 413
questionnaires were obtained from respective towns.
In the following text, questions concerning the topic of this paper will be analysed using
results of surveys from 7 towns.21
Table 1:
How Were Citizens Interested in Their Town Councils Activities in 7 Towns in Slovakia
in 1998 -1999
Positive –
average,
more than
average
(%)
Bratislava
38
Nová Baňa
59
Prešov
41
Košice-Ťahanovce 54
Kremnica
53
Trenčín
41
Pezinok
45
Average
47
Town / responses
Below
Not
average interested
(%)
(%)
32
23
18
27
25
21
20
24
30
18
41
19
22
38
35
29
The Table 1 shows that about half of citizens in investigated towns (47% in average) are
somehow interested in local government activities. However, the Kremnica case (Table 4)
shows, that even if 53% of citizens (Table 1) said, that they had been interested in local
government matters, (another) 53% said (Table 4), that they had not known anything about
services provided by their Town Council. From 47% who said that they had known it (Table
21
According to Reports from the Communicating Town Surveys, IROMAR and OSF, Banská Bystrica, 1998
7
4), a part did not know it correctly, as they did not recognise in fact many of services in a
subsidiary question.
As to satisfaction with information from their town councils, also about half of citizens (49%
in average) were satisfied with current information (see Table 2), which can be regarded as a
positive result. In bigger towns this percentage is lower – as it can be seen in Bratislava,
Prešov, Trenčín, and even Pezinok, which is not big, but influenced by a close distance to
Bratislava where many Pezinok inhabitants commute.
Still, 30% of citizens of these towns are not satisfied with information from their town
councils (Table 2). Next to them, another 21% do not know, so here is another half of citizens,
which should be addressed in a better way (Table 2).
Table 2:
Satisfaction of Citizens with Information about Their Town Councils Activities in 7
Towns in Slovakia in 1998-99
Positive –
average,
more than
average
(%)
Bratislava
37
Nová Baňa
58
Prešov
46
Košice-Ťahanovce 63
Kremnica
51
Trenčín
44
Pezinok
42
Average
49
Town / responses
Negative
- below
average
(%)
Did not
know
(%)
36
28
30
22
31
30
33
30
27
14
24
15
18
26
25
21
Inhabitants were also asked about satisfaction with an approach of local government officers.
Results are showed in the Table 3.
Table 3:
Satisfaction of Citizens of 7 Slovak Towns with an Approach of Their Town Councils
Officers, 1998 - 1999
Positive –
very
satisfied,
more
satisfied
(%)
Bratislava
15
Nová Baňa
47
Prešov
29
Košice-Ťahanovce 33
Kremnica
46
Town / responses
Negative –
very
unsatisfied,
more
unsatisfied
(%)
19
10
11
4
11
8
Have not
been
arranging
any matter
(%)
66
43
60
63
43
Trenčín
Pezinok
Average
31
39
34
17
14
12
54
47
54
A need for distributing information about local government services is stressed also by the
result from the Table 3, that 43 – 66% of citizens in respective towns (54% in average) had
not been arranging at their town councils any matter. Many of local government services are
offered in the area as a whole, without handling with individual citizens. It does not mean,
that citizens could not comment on the service quality – but how could they do that, if they
did not know the provider? That is why the improvement of service quality starts with good
information.
In the Kremnica Town Council, citizens were also asked on their knowledge about services
provided by the Town Council. Results are in Table 4. From those, who stated that they know,
which services were offered by the Town Council (47%), a part did not know to response
correctly to the subsidiary question about specific services provided by the Town Council, so
the number of those who really knew it is even less.
Table 4
Knowledge of Citizens of Kremnica about Their Town Council Services in 1998
Town / responses
Did know
Kremnica
(No. / %)
153 / 47
Did not
know
(No. / %)
172 / 53
The follow-up activities of Town Councils in the project are presented in the following text.
Follow-up Activities
After several months, a questionnaire was distributed to the towns included in the project in
order to find out more about their perception of the results, how they have worked with results
and about follow-up activities. In this paper, three cases will be investigated. For all of them,
some results of the surveys were surprising, and as seen from the analysis, results about
communicating with public were not always positive. So, we could have waited that they
would try to implement some follow-up activities. As showed in the next cases, in two from
three ones it was true.
Nová Baňa
The Communicating Town Project brought to Nová Baňa Town Council the very first
research since 1990, when the local government had been established.
As a response on low satisfaction of the public with local government information (28% were
not satisfied and 14% did not know) – the Nová Baňa Town Council stressed on the higher
quality of the local government newspaper “Novobanské noviny” by new, more friendly
graphics and quality of press. Also, they give more place in the newspaper to communication
with public in terms of publishing citizens responses on different articles. The newspaper is
9
sold at half of real costs – the Town Council pays the remaining half. The newspaper has 12
pages, and 1100 copies are distributed.
The Nová Baňa Town Council have made an effort to increase also internal information as
a pre-condition for a good communication with public. They introduced regular information
for councillors about activities of local government office (brief information at the council
meetings), and information to office staff about council meetings and local government
decisions.
In autumn 1999, Nová Baňa Town Council conducted a public opinion survey about
satisfaction with information from the Town Council. They used also questions from the
Communicating Town questionnaire, so a development of public opinion could have been
analyzed. However, the survey was not successful, as it was arranged as an inquiry through
the local newspaper. Also the Town Council made mailboxes available for throwing in the
inquiry letters in all groceries in the town, people almost did not react (from 1100 copies of
newspaper, just 21 citizens reacted).22.
Pezinok
The Mayor, the Mayor’s Board and the Public Relations Department were informed about the
Communicating Town survey results. According to the questionnaire, the PR manager has
learned from the methodology of the Communicating Town research, but no special activity
or similar research was realised at the Town Council. However, Pezinok Town Council is
known as very active in using modern ways of communicating with public. If their apply
a method, it is arranged in a reasonable quality.
In Pezinok, they have been more active than any other local government in conducting public
opinion surveys or marketing research. In 1999 – 2000, they did 3 surveys about public
opinion on town police, on fees for parking and on reconstruction of a central town zone and
on tourism development.
Trenčín:
As a response on the result that inhabitants are not interested in local government, the Festival
“In the Sign of the Town” in autumn, 1999 was organised by the Trenčín Town Council.
Also, they started to offer more activities during Local Government Open Days. To be more
visible, the Trenčín Town Council works on the visual identity of promotion materials.
It is intention, that a public relations department will be established at the Town Council in
2000.
Another result of the research - low satisfaction with information (30% not satisfied, 26% did
not know) – the Trenčín Town Council tried to solve by starting to publish its own newspaper
„INFO Trenčín“ in order to inform public about Town Council activities and services.
After that, any public opinion survey has not been organised in Trenčín, so it is hard to
evaluate an impact of these activities.
These cases shows that public opinion surveys bring sometimes surprising, but true results.
This method – as applied in the “Communicating Town Project” – offers an objective analysis
of public opinion. As Nová Baňa case showed, an inquiry is not a reasonable source of
According to questionnaire and interview with the chief executive of Nová Baňa Town Council Mr. Alojz
Kopernický
22
10
finding out public opinion surveys because of normally little participation of people. Special
awards could increase this – like gifts to some respondents, etc., but still inquiries are
considered as better source for asking for comments or suggestions23.
If more depth analysis of services is needed, marketing research methods can be used to ask
on citizens needs, preferences, possibilities, etc.24
The cases show also a need of asking citizens for their opinions regularly, as it is the best
measure of meeting public needs and quality of public services. Without asking, a success of
activities on improving services would not be often visible at all, as many local government
services are offered just by one organisation (often-local government). As citizens elect local
councillors, councils are obliged to serve them as best as possible.
As a part of some questionnaires, a question to inhabitants’ priorities was included about their
perception of the biggest problems in their towns. These questions were open-ended in order
to get as much opinions as possible. Results from such questions were not always clear, as
many opinions were stated just 1, 2 or three times. This would be a good starting point for
a follow-up research, taking several priorities from the first positions and ask on them again.
Another lesson from these cases is, that a skilled person responsible for communicating with
public is a pre-condition of an effective communication, as mainly Pezinok case shows, being
mentioned as a good example several times. While a press secretary is responsible only for
communicating with media, public relations manager has wider responsibilities. And, public
relations department in bigger towns should not be an exception.
Conclusions and Policy Recommendations
In the process of asking, these recommendations are suggested:
 To improve education of local government staff (executives, public relations managers)
about importance and techniques of marketing research
 To extend a knowledge about ways of making citizens interested in joining the processes
of territorial planning and environmental impact assessment
 To publish a good experience in drawing local development strategies together with
public as well as methods for such co-operation
 To stress on public relations manager or department at the Town Council Office.
In the process of informing, suggested recommendations are as following:
 As local government newspapers are the main source of local information as well as it has
been the most accepted information channel by citizens, stress on a quality of their
contents and ways of distribution
 To find a new ways of developing and financing a comprehensive brochures about local
government services, contacts and/or ways of arranging main matters at local government
as a long-term information material which could be stored in peoples homes
See also Bernátová, Magdaléna, Vaňová, Anna, Marketing pre samosprávy I., Banská Bystrica, IROMAR a
KHF, 1999
23
See also Bernátová, Magdaléna, Vaňová, Anna, Marketing pre samosprávy I., Banská Bystrica, IROMAR a
KHF, 1999
24
11


Developing of citizen charters would improve the citizen control over the quality of
services and improve the quality of their provision
Find financial, personnel resources, grants and other support for establishing and
operating first stop shops or receptions with comprehensive information service for
inhabitants in the town centres or right in the council
12
Bibliography
Zákon č. 50/1976 Zb. o územnom plánovaní a stavebnom poriadku a jeho novelizácie
(Act No. 50/1976 about territorial planning and civil order and its amendments)
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