Stimulate and support achievement of the most advanced standards in democratic and decentralised governance

Municipal management and services

Since the end of 2017, Flag has been assessing and building the capacities of all of Albania’s local governments to develop and implement Standard Operating Procedures, as a means of improving not only internal processes, but also services to customers. In 2017, Flag also undertook Identification of Quality Management Practices in Kosovo and Albania Public Institutions as part of a comparative study with strengths, weaknesses and possible impediments identified in the Western Balkans. The Foundation also undertook Enhancing Good Governance through Improved Complaints Procedures in Mat Municipality, helping design a process for establishing a complaints procedure, harmonising a database, analysing the system, providing on-the-job training, monitoring the process, purchasing equipment, and compiling recommendations for central government. Establish One-Stop Shops in Albania's LGUs has helped modernise public service delivery through setting up OSSs in Dajç Bregu i Bunës, Bushat, Kallmet, Lezha, Shkodra and Velipoja, as well as in Shkodra and Lezha qarks. The Foundation reviewed the likely impact of the territorial-administrative reform of 2015 upon local service delivery in Diber Qark. In 2011, a baseline survey was undertaken and analysed by Flag in Shkodra and Lezha, contributing to the publication of several local governance indicators and benchmarks enabling the LGUs to monitor their performance.

Flag has authored many manuals and guides concerning municipal management and services. Recently, it published a guide for setting up One-Stop Shops. Flag experts were involved directly in improving services through implementation of Modernisation of Municipal Services in Selected Partner Towns. The Foundation also undertook Finalising project proposal 'Support programme for strengthening local governance in Dibër Qark, Albania', Local Government Leadership Programme, and Partnership with Administration for an Effective Governance, Rubik Municipality.

Projects:

• Diber Local Security Council
• Build capacities of Local Safety Councils
• Capacity building in implementation of CAP & adoption of local government SOPs
• Assessment of level of adoption and impact of Standard Operating Procedures at municipal level in Albania
• Effective and responsive safety and security policies at local level (Matra II)
• Identification of quality management practices in Kosovo and Albania public institutions
• Enhancing Good Governance through Improved Complaints Procedures in Mat Municipality
• MATRA CoPROL Leadership Programme for Security and Rule of Law
• Help develop tools to encourage Inter-Municipal Cooperation
• Finalising project proposal 'Support programme for strengthening local governance in Dibër Qark, Albania'
• Local Government Leadership Programme
• Partnership with Administration for an Effective Governance, Rubik Municipality