ASSESSING THE INFLUENCE OF MUNICIPAL AND TERRITORIAL TRANSFORMATIONS ON MUNICIPAL ADMINISTRATION EFFICIENCY

Abstract

The aim of the research is to analyze the influence of transformations in municipalities in the forms of the urban and rural settlements integration and (or) of the urban entities development, based on municipal districts, on municipal government efficiency. Methodology and methods. The methodological basis of the research was developed regarding dialectical, general scientific (analysis, synthesis, deduction, induction, logical and others) and particular scientific methods. Statistical analysis was applied to reveal the trends in the local government territorial organization. Deduction and induction were used to formulate "the optimization of territorial organization of local administration" concept. Dialectical method was applied to identify the problems of imbalance between the local authorities’ orientation on population and municipal government efficiency. Results and practical relevance. Urban and rural settlements integration and urban districts development based on municipal districts are identified as trends. The article identifies one of the reasons of such transformations, the imbalance between the focus of the local authorities on population and the municipal governance efficiency, in particular. Based on the international and Russian research results, the author draws the conclusion that the transformation of municipalities does not demonstrate any decisive impact on improving the economic and organizational aspects of efficiency of municipal administration. Scientific novelty. The author expresses concern that due to the current municipal and territorial transformations, settlement municipalities, guaranteed by Part 1 of Article 131 of the Constitution, are being abolished in the RF constituent entities. The article provides recommendations on planning the transformations of municipalities in the forms oriented towards settlements consolidation and (or) urban entities development based on municipal districts which would look more attractive to the professionals in the field of local administration. Specifically, the author argues in favor of rejecting the massive implementation of the above said transformations with the only idea of increasing the economic and organizational aspects of municipal administration efficiency.