On 18 June, a newly built Diia Centre (Administrative Service Centre) was solemnly opened in the Novi Sanzhary hromada of Poltava Oblast. Comprehensive support in the establishment of the administrative services provision system in the hromada was provided by the EU-funded U-LEAD with Europe Programme. Liudmyla Rabchynska, Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, Serhii Sharshov, Director General of the Directorate for Local Government Development of the Ministry for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine, and Susanna Dellans, Sida Programme Director of U-LEAD with Europe, congratulated the hromada on the opening.

“Access to public services in a modern, digital and transparent manner is crucial for citizens’ quality of life and attractiveness of hromadas. I am therefore proud that with the support of the EU-funded U-LEAD with Europe Programme a newly built Administrative Service Centre as well as two territorial divisions and two remote workplaces of administrators have been opened in the Novi Sanzhary hromada. Having an effective public services provision system in hromadas will not only make people’s lives easier but will also strengthen trust in the local authorities and create a positive environment for strong local democracy, empowerment of residents and growth,” said Xavier Camus, Head of the Good Governance and Rule of Law section at the EU Delegation to Ukraine.

The cost of investment by the U-LEAD with Europe Programme in the creation of the ASC with two territorial divisions and two remote workplaces of administrators is more than EUR 227,000. In addition, the hromada received comprehensive institutional assistance from the Programme experts as well as training of staff on administrative services.

“Diia Centres are the ASCs of a new format, which introduce standards for the quality of service provision - convenient, fast, simple and humane services. This approach unites administrators from different parts of Ukraine and finds response among visitors who are satisfied with the quality of service. I am glad that today we are launching the second Diia Centre in Novi Sanzhary, which will provide 22,000 residents with access to modern public service,” noted Liudmyla Rabchynska, Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine.

With the support of the Programme, 19 workplaces were equipped with furniture, IT-equipment, software, and Vulyk information system: 11 workplaces in the main ASC office, three workplaces in each ASC territorial units in Rudenkivka and Mala Pereschepyna villages, and remote workplaces in Velykiy Kobeliachok and Stari Sanzhary villages. The Centre has an electronic queue and a place for a passport station, which the hromada plans to purchase from the local budget. The Novi Sanzhary ASC will provide 165 services to residents of the hromada; more than 120 administrative services will be provided at remote workplaces and territorial units. Three workplaces where visitors can receive e-services via Diia website and learn digital skills were equipped in the Centre and territorial units.

“The key task of decentralization reform is to establish capable hromadas that provide accessible and quality services to residents. The establishment of a Diia Center in the hromada is an indicator of the right vector of local government efforts towards sustainable development and capacity building. On behalf of the Ministry of Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine, we congratulate Novi Sanzhary hromada on the establishment of an effective system of administrative services and wish them to continue the path of development," highlighted Serhii Sharshov, Director General of the Directorate for Local Government Development of the Ministry for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine.

The Diia Centre construction design was developed by Claesson Koivisto Rune, a leading Swedish architectural bureau, and adapted for the hromada by Ukrainian and Swedish experts. The building has accessibility conditions for all residents: it is equipped with a ramp, changing table and children’s corner. Environmentally friendly materials and modern solutions were used in the construction: energy-efficient window systems, wall and ceiling insulation, centralized ventilation and air conditioning system, heat pump. These solutions will allow the building to receive the B-level certificate of energy efficiency and will help the hromada save money on building maintenance. The structural simplicity and logic of the location of the premises in the building in the future can be easily adapted to other tasks depending on the social demand and time requirements.

“We are very glad that we managed to implement such a comprehensive project to improve the access of the residents of the Novi Sanzhary hromada to public services based on the Swedish experience. We hope that the newly established Centre will continued effective development and become a centre of European values ​​in the hromada, and the network of access points to services will provide residents with high-quality and comfortable services close to their homes,” said Susanna Dellans, Sida Programme Director of U-LEAD with Europe.

“Thanks to the cooperation with the U-LEAD with Europe Programme, we have come a long way in creating an administrative services provision system and the establishment of a new Centre in the hromada. I am very grateful to our European partners for their constant support and guidance. Now our residents will receive services in proper conditions, in accordance with the best European standards,” said Hennadii Suprun, Head of the Novi Sanzhary hromada.

All administrative service professionals and leaders of the hromada passed a 5-module training programme that includes topics of administrative services provision, customer service, business ethics, gender and other important aspects that the personnel of the well-functioning ASC encounter on a daily basis.