MUNICIPAL PARTNERSHIPS: the role of LGAs in Turkey: MUNICIPAL PARTNERSHIPS: the role of LGAs in Turkey


1. Municipal twinings: 1. Municipal twinings “The meeting between two municipalities to act together within a European perspective, confronting problems and developing increasingly closer and friendly ties between one another”, Council of European Municipalities and Regions, 2006.


Situation in Turkey: Situation in Turkey 571 registered twinings (May 2006); Almost 50% of twinnings are concentrated in the following 5 provinces (Izmir, Istanbul, Bursa, Ankara, Antalya) Twinings are the feature of large municipalities; Regional distribution of twinnings reveals sharp regional unbalances (table 1)


Regional distribution of twinnings: Regional distribution of twinnings


Benefits of municipal twinnings: Benefits of municipal twinnings Can help to improve performance of the local administration and public service delivery; Can be a factor of democratization of local government system; Can contribute to local development; Can be a source of financial and in-kind assistance; ….


Constraints to municipal twinnings: Constraints to municipal twinnings Limited awareness of the benefits; Lack of necessary capacities and institutional structures; Limited institutional support provided to the municipalities; Bureaucratic procedures to register partnerships.


2. Inter-municipal cooperation: 2. Inter-municipal cooperation It is a joint implementation by two or more municipalities of: 1) regular municipal tasks with the aim to improve the quality and/or reduce the cost of public service delivery to citizens; 2) project and programmes with the aim to improve socio-economic development situation of the partner municipalities.


Inter-municipal cooperation in Turkey: Inter-municipal cooperation in Turkey Long standing practice of cooperation between settlements in Turkey (900 Village Service Unions, 52 Municipal Service Unions) Focus on classical public service delivery (water management, environment) Very small proportion of Municipal Service Unions promotes economic and social development.


Constraints to inter-municipal cooperation: Constraints to inter-municipal cooperation Limited motivation to cooperate; Lack of knowledge in the field of socio-economic development (new area of municipal responsibility); Lack of incentives and institutional support; Lack of capacities (small municipalities) Bureaucratic procedures


The challenge:: The challenge: How to encourage and support more and better cooperation among municipalities, building on the existing Turkish experience and also on the international experience, where appropriate; How to encourage a diversification of partnerships


Assignment: 3 groups (35 min.): Assignment: 3 groups (35 min.) What can be the role of LGAs in helping to resolve the challenge and encourage establishment of partnerships? Develop an action plan on how your Association will support partnerships in Turkey. Present in the plenary.