Paper/Speech Details of Conference Program for the 26th NISPAcee Annual Conference Program Overview I. Working Group on Local Government Author(s) Robert Kovacs Ludovika University of Public Service Budapest Hungary Title The Potential of Municipalities to Foster Local Community File Paper files are available only for conference participants, please login first. Presenter Robert Kovacs Abstract Local governments role is changing. ‘Traditional’ local service delivery become more and more central government task. Almost in Hungary but the financial efficiency pressure on local services can produce similar changes in other countries. In Hungary also, the change of State paradigm from New Public Management to the called Neo-Weberian contributed to put out local governments from their original context. The Hungarian case is unique in how openly changes are producing but many aspects of the phenomenon are universal. In this new situation municipalities can lose the reason of the existing or they can find new ones. In fact, the reinforcement and serving local community in a wider sense it was always the key local task. However social welfare and modern state administrative functions displaced it. The actual circumstances can be understood as a new chance to return to serve directly local community. In this framework a research started at our center is looking first for a concept to place this role and empirical evidences on existing, successful models. The concept will be found around a careful definition of ‘local welfare’ or ‘local wellbeing’. The definition should be carefully conceptualized because of the wide area involved from the level of wages to the environmental conditions including social inclusion and public safety. We see that many competing concepts exists yet from local development and local competitiveness to social inclusion through local capital and competences. Some will relate it with good governance. However, a complex concept is expected which make possible to measure it and convert it in local policy and actions. This concept and the indicators created on its base will be measured in five specially selected rural areas with small or medium city centers. To create models also national statistics and data on ‘good practices’ will be used. So, it will be put in practice. We see important need to create new tools beyond the changing functions of local self-governance in the loosing space and fresh air around local communities, their disintegration and their vulnerability. We see that this research is very ambitious and for that is risky while conceptualizing local welfare / wellbeing and measuring it. A strong and experienced research team is working on this research with broad specialization mostly in economy, local finances and sociology. By the date of the conference conceptualization first phase will be finished and empirical research phase were beginning. So, first results can be published.
