The Role of Public Opinion in the Development Strategy of United Territorial Community

Abstract

The paper is devoted to revealing the role of public opinion in strategic planning of community development. The process of decentralization contributed to the creation of united territorial communities, mobilization of citizen activity, transformed public attitude about the importance of participation in the community life, strengthened responsibility, increased trust both within the community and the state as a whole in solving the problems of communities. The paper has emerged due to the need to develop a Community Development Strategy in accordance with the State Regional Development Strategy for 2021-2027. The purpose of the paper is to analyze the results of the population poll and to justify its role in strategic planning of the united territorial community. The article uses general scientific research methods: online survey, analysis, synthesis, generalization. The novelty is the first measuring of public opinion on the development strategy of Nemishayev united territorial community in Kyiv region on the basis of the developed questionnaire for local residents survey. Public opinion questionnaires on the example of a united territorial community in Kyiv region have been carried out in a new way. The importance of strategic planning in community development for strengthening its competitiveness and counteracting changes has been revealed. The survey results have been analyzed and become the basis for determining new objectives and tasks of the community in forming its development strategy. The most important problems that, in the community’s opinion, need to be addressed as a priority and taken into account in the phased strategic programming, have been identified, and their causes have been found. The increase in community residents activity and expediency of consolidating efforts of local power structures to improve the quality of life have been justified. The priority of creating comfortable living conditions for the population and an access to quality services at the place of residence has been emphasized. It has been stated that the development and implementation of strategic planning of the united territorial community will ensure an equal development of its settlements, irrespective of their categorization and remoteness from service centers.