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Local Economic Development Strategies and Plans
ADF supports the development of local economic development ( LED) strategies and plans. It organizes highly participatory processes in which local communities and governments work together to develop such strategies and plans. Its LED processes includes such steps as mobilizing the community and its stakeholders, mapping resources, assessing the municipality, visioning and goal setting.
ADF has carried out LED strategic planning processes in 14. municipalities. Community Development Associations, other civil society groups, newly established LED Councils and Sectoral Working Groups (SWG) all become key players in the LED process.
LED planning process participants
|
Municipality
|
Number of Participants
|
Meetings
|
|||||
|
Total Number of Participants
|
Number of LED Council members
|
Local Admini-stration SWG Meetings |
NGO SWG Meetings
|
Business SWG Meetings
|
Other SWG Meetings
|
Number of Meetings
|
|
|
Backa Topola
|
163
|
46
|
29
|
28
|
61
|
45
|
24
|
|
Becej
|
147
|
15
|
52
|
11
|
84
|
0
|
65
|
|
Indjija
|
20
|
20
|
10
|
5
|
5
|
0
|
9
|
|
Irig
|
59
|
23
|
21
|
2
|
9
|
27
|
14
|
|
Kikinda
|
73
|
24
|
16
|
17
|
24
|
16
|
18
|
|
N Knezevac
|
88
|
41
|
19
|
11
|
29
|
29
|
19
|
|
Pancevo
|
135
|
17
|
16
|
73
|
39
|
7
|
36
|
|
Sombor
|
50
|
40
|
15
|
4
|
18
|
13
|
17
|
|
Stara Pazova
|
43
|
17
|
16
|
10
|
4
|
13
|
2
|
|
Subotica
|
132
|
62
|
22
|
25
|
43
|
42
|
40
|
|
Vrbas
|
110
|
25
|
23
|
6
|
35
|
46
|
13
|
|
Vrsac
|
196
|
46
|
16
|
136
|
41
|
3
|
127
|
|
Zrenjanin
|
191
|
20
|
65
|
68
|
52
|
6
|
17
|
|
Zagubica
|
58
|
15
|
9
|
19
|
10
|
20
|
64
|
|
Total
|
1,465
|
411
|
329
|
415
|
454
|
267
|
465
|
LED process participants are trained by ADF in participatory strategic planning, local context profiling and resources mapping, SWOT analysis, factors influencing the business environment, principles of economic renewal, visioning, goal setting, and project idea identification and prioritization. ADF training and technical assistance utilizes best practices of other Eastern European countries, the EU and the U.S.
A mapping of resources was accomplished in each of the fourteen participating municipalities. This was the first time comprehensive profiles were developed for many municipalities. This process allowed municipalities to update their profiles whenever they wish. The profiles are suitable for presentation to investors and donors.
Local Economic Development Strategies have been successfully completed and finalized in 11 municipalities.
After the completion of the strategies, final rounds of open public meetings were held to present the strategies to the public. The presentations were preceded by campaigns that included posters and flyers. After the campaign and public presentation, LED strategies were presented to the municipal assemblies for official adoption.
Table 1 . Status of final LED planning process stages
|
Municipality
|
Strategy
Finished
|
Strategy
Presented
|
Strategy
Adopted
|
|
Backa Topola
|
yes
|
yes
|
yes
|
|
Becej
|
yes
|
yes
|
yes
|
|
Indjija
|
Process handed over to MEGA
|
||
|
Irig
|
yes
|
yes
|
no
in process
|
|
Kikinda
|
yes
|
anti-reform government
|
|
|
Novi Knezevac
|
yes
|
anti-reform government
|
|
|
Pancevo
|
yes
|
yes
|
yes
|
|
Sombor
|
yes
|
yes
|
no
in process
|
|
Subotica
|
yes
|
yes
|
yes
within MEGA
|
|
Vrbas
|
yes
|
anti-reform government
|
|
|
Vrsac
|
yes
|
yes
|
yes
|
|
Zrenjanin
|
Process handed over to MEGA
|
||
|
Zagubica
|
yes
|
yes
|
yes
|
ADF assisted in organizing an international conference in 2006 on good practices and models in the development and implementation of the LED process for representatives of 45 municipalities, to promote local economic development planning as a basis for the sustainable development of local communities and municipalities. More than one hundred people attended the conference organized in cooperation with the Vojvodina Province Secretariat for Local Government and Inter-municipal Cooperation. The conference included an overview of the current state in this field of work, up-to-date local experiences in developing LED plans, and positive examples of implementation of LED plans in neighboring countries (Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Romania, and Hungary) and Germany.