Since 2018, the powers and resources of amalgamated hromadas established in 2017 will be expanded. For instance, the budget of the Novovodolazka settlement amalgamated hromada will exceed the rayon one. The hromada’s responsibilities will also be considerably expanded.

Oleksandr Yesin, head of the Novovodolazka AH, told Ukrinform about this at the Polish-Ukrainian Forum “Hromada. Efficient Development. Investments”, held recently in Kharkiv.

“There are 15 councils in our Rayon: 13 rural and 2 settlement ones. The amalgamated hromada includes 6 councils, namely 23 settlements, inhabited by more than 19 thousand people. The AH was registered in January 2017, first elections of the hromada head and deputies were held in April, and in May the powers and revenue sources were determined at the constituent session,” said Oleksandr Yesin.

According to him, the amalgamated hromada started earning money from the Administratice Service Centre established here.

“Services mean money. Before the Nova Vodolaha Rayon resident had to go to Kharkiv to register, for example, a land share or inheritance, and now we are carrying it out on the ground. Therefore, we have made services closer to people. In addition, from the new year, our governing powers will extend not only to legal acts’ registration, but also to management of schools, libraries and children’s culture centres. Moreover, we will take money for the rent – usage of subsoil resources – from the large enterprises located on our territory: mining and processing plant and gas extraction company. And it's a lot of money. If now our budget is UAH 27 million, then from the new year it will be three times bigger, exceeding the rayon budget,” Oleksandr Yesin explained.

As the AH head noted, the experience of Poland helps to implement new powers.

“We are bound by the agreement on cooperation with Wysznewe settlement of Malopolskie Voivodeship. We went there twice to get experience, and our third trip will take place in December. There is something to learn: for example, the schools of this settlement have own tractors to take care of the territory, including – the territory of the neighbouring settlements that have not yet joined the amalgamated community. It is a source of school’s income. I would like to immediately say that due to increasing revenues, from the new year parents will no more pay for children’s interest clubs, as it is in Poland. Following the Polish example, we will also release people from paying for the collection and removal of garbage. Moreover, not only hromada leaders go to Poland, but teachers and cultural workers join the trip as well – we are establishing contacts, and it helps in our work,” said Oleksandr Yesin.

He noted that from the 1^st of January, the hromada will switch to direct relations with the state budget. If earlier the taxes were going “upwards”, now they will remain in the hromada’s management: “Having learned about the growth of our welfare level, 3 more rural councils of the rayon are ready to join the hromada”.