In the very 2015, at the very beginning of the decentralisation reform, Bilokurakyne became the centre of the hromada, which amalgamated 24 settlements of seven rural and one settlement council. Is this amalgamation successful? What has the AH managed to implement? What problems is the AH facing at its development path? Serhiy Siryk, head of the Bilokurakyne urban-type settlement, gives the answers to these questions.

– How has amalgamation changed the hromada life? Have people felt that they chose the right way?

– In 2016, the budget of the Bilokurakynska AH almost quadrupled the total budget of the former settlement and village councils. For example, over the first year we have installed new roofs in ten multi-storey buildings.

And although the next year the subsidy was somewhat reduced, I believe that all that was purchased and accomplished during the first year – special machinery, measures for improvement, lighting of settlements – all this will serve people for many years.

– What are the relations between the AH and the rayon state administration?

– We have a normal interaction. The Bilokurakyne Rayon Administration transferred educational, cultural, sports institutions to our balance with pleasure, without any problems. There were problems within the institutions themselves – most of them need repairs, insulation, and we are gradually coping with these tasks.

– What projects have been already implemented in course of these three years?

– We are moving in accordance with the Development Strategy.

Today, the AH has already renovated sidewalks, more than a dozen units of special machinery have been purchased, the reconstruction of the Children and Youth Sports School, repairs and thermo-modernisation of two kindergartens have been carried out in Bilokurakyne, a new school bus has been purchased.

A major overhaul of the water supply system has been made in three villages. Street lighting has been reconstructed in 12 villages and administrative centre.

A lot of projects have been implemented on the arrangement of recreation areas, arrangement of parks. There are 15 children's and sports grounds in the AH villages.

Culture clubs are equipped with modern music appliances and electric heating.

Funds are allocated for roads’ overhaul. Much has been done. By the way, we will soon open an ASC.

– We have already wrote that the Bilokurakynska AH was one of the first in the oblast to begin repairing roads on their own. Is the quality satisfying?

– We have the machinery at the moment, there are trained specialists and a desire. Of course, the road issue is not an easy one, but this year, from the early spring, we have made the test layer of the road, and it appeared to be good.

– How is the distribution of funds carried out between Bilokurakyne and other AH villages?

– The approach to the distribution of funds is unified. Each village has their own money, the amount depends predominantly on the number of people. On average, it is about UAH 200 per person registered on the territory of the settlement.

Besides, the projects are implemented in villages alternately in accordance with the priority of problems and at the expense of capital expenditures.

– As it is known, your hromada has a participatory budget.

– The participatory budget of the AH amounts to one million hryvnias. This year we received 16 project applications.

– Which projects are the most widespread?

– Most often parents apply for improvement of children's playgrounds, there are many appeals that concern the arrangement of sports grounds. The village of Popivka submitted a project on arrangement of wells, since they have a problem with water supply.

– Now there is a process of transferring state land to the AH ownership. Is the hromada engaged in this matter?

– Yes, but there is no fertile land, where you can sow something, harvest and get some income, outside the Bilokurakynska AH. Basically these are ravines, chalkstones, sandstone the machinery cannot reach. There is also no land that could be sold or leased to generate income.

– What other challenges does the hromada face on its development path?

– One of the big problems is the lack of jobs. Another problem is that half of the AH population are pensioners. There are no prospects for keeping young people in the AH. We have two elevators working in the hromada, and we always cooperate with their management, asking to employ our youth. Besides, we try to organise leisure activities.

– What are your future plans?

– We go all the same way of the Development Strategy implementation. We are currently preparing a tourism development project – the tourist routes “Seven Wonders of the Bilokurakyne Rayon”, but so far we are at the initial stage of its development. We also plan to establish a hub school on the basis of secondary school No 1 and improve the quality of administrative service delivery – today, the ASC can provide 52 services to the population, 11 of which are social. Moreover, the equipment for biometric passports’ registration has already been purchased for our ASC.

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