The Horodnyanska amalgamated hromada was established in 2017. In includes 15 village councils around Horodnya, and in November 2019 one more accessed – the Volodymyrivka village council. The area of the hromada is 770 square kilometers, inhabited by 18,910 people (according to the latest figures before Volodymyrivka’s accession).

Andriy Bohdan, Mayor of Horodnya, told journalists about the achievements, successes and difficulties that the hromada has to face. He noted: “AH is the most effective governance system. For a long time the territories, that were rayons, were losing villages. Today, rural areas can be revived if the decentralisation reform continues.”

 

 

In two years, the hromada has been able to achieve a lot. Skype conferences are held with starostas, and each starosta district has Internet access that can be used by the locals. Lighting is being installed (somewhere restored) in the villages.

The roads between the villages are graded. To do this, they purchased a grader for the infrastructure subsidy.

Every starosta district has its own landscaping specialist who is provided with the necessary equipment and ensures that his/her settlement is neat, clean and tidy.

They hromada builds a water tower and a water pipeline.

 

 

According to Andriy Bohdan, the situation with business is such that there are no big taxpayers in the AH. But revenue diversification is better.

He said that they are gradually putting order to the land and taxes. In just a year, the AH managed to raise an additional UAH 10 million.

Priorities and responsibilities are changing. Previously, the department of economics was more involved in statistical work, but now its employees are actively writing grants and projects, looking for opportunities to attract additional sources of funding. Due to this, they received a half million for the reconstruction of a local stadium.

Interesting enterprises operate in the territory of the Horodnyanska hromada: PJSC “Ethno Product” produces eco-friendly dairy products; the centre of ornamental plant growing and gardening “Rico” cultivates more than 50 species of exotic trees; there are farmers engaged in berry growing.

Despite the not-so-optimistic demographics, no schools were closed in the hromada.

Kindergartens were opened in Solonivka and Khotivlia. And in those villages where there are less than ten children, libraries offer a new service – a librarian-nanny. Parents can leave their preschool child at the local library for several hours.

The AH decided decentralise educational institutions. Now, each school has its own budget and determines the priority items of expenditure.

 

 

The Horodnyanska hromada has many plans for development, including revival of skiing in the AH and creation of a ski base. For this purpose they have premises, territory and a great desire of the AH head and his whole team to open the base for all skiers.

A glass manufacturing plant is another opportunity to create new jobs and balance the economy of the area.

By the end of the year, new premises of the Administrative Service Centre, modernised with the support of the U-LEAD with Europe Programme, will be opened in the hromada.

And soon repair works will begin at Horodnya School No 2. This year, the funds of the State Fund for Regional Development will be directed to replace windows and doors, and next year the premises of the institution will be insulated.

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