Staffing support of the capability of unified territorial communities: to the conceptual definition of the problem

Problem setting. The implementation of the European standards of life in Ukraine and the entrance of Ukraine into leading positions in the world, as defined by the “Ukraine – 2020” Sustainable Development Strategy, implies in the sphere of decentralization the departure from the centralized model of governance in the state, ensuring the capacity of local self-government and building an effective system of territorial organization of power in Ukraine, realization to the full extent of the provisions of the European Charter of Local Self-Government, the principles of subsidiarity, universality and financial self-sufficiency of local self-government.

Recent research and publications analysis. Various aspects of the staffing support problem of local self-government were studied by such Ukrainian scientists as V. Averyanov, H. Atamanchuk, V. Babayev, O. Voronko, N. Honcharuk, B. Hurne, V. Zahorskyi, T. Kahanovska, V. Kniazeva, H. Lelikova, A. Lipintsev, V. Luhovyi, V. Malynovskyi, N. Nyzhnyk, V. Oluiko, P. Pavlychenko, S. Serohina, L. Tovazhnianskyi and others. However, there is a shortage of scientific research concerning the issue of staffing support of the Unified territorial communities' (hereinafter – UTC) capability, since the problem is new, and the processes of forming and developing UTC are on the initial stage of formation.

Highlighting previously unsettled parts of the general problem. The main mean of forming the capability of UTC is the proper staffing support, which is a function of the administrative activity of public authorities through the management of the personnel of these authorities, aimed at the implementing tasks related to solving local issues.

In this problematic area of ensuring the capability of local self-government and building an effective system of territorial organization of power, the issue of the theoretical definition of the problem of staffing support of the capability of UTC is highly topical, study of which stipulates the purpose of the article. Thus, the following tasks should be addressed: to explore the content and structure of the concept of staffing support of the capability of UTC by identifying its main content components, such as: cadre, personnel, staffing support, providing local government authorities with the personnel; to find out the system of work with the staff in UTC; to define the aim and functions of the system of staffing support of local self-government.

Paper main body. The term “cadre” (staff) comes from the French language, in which the “cadre” denotes either the certain small group of people or/and all personnel of the company/organization. The scope of the concept of “staffing” may be different and constitute a small group of people and all permanent (regular) employees. In the latter, this term is synonymous with the term “personnel” (from the Latin person – the person), which includes the entire set of employees of the enterprise, institution, organization. Hence, the provision of personnel – is the staffing of the enterprise, institution, organization of employees to perform certain goals and objectives. The content and specifics of human resources management activities are largely determined by the tasks that are solved by the organization, institution or body, in particular in the system of local self-government. However, in order to cover all processes that take place in the authorities, it is necessary to have appropriate staffing support. Personnel management provides a set of purposeful actions in the organization and operation of personnel work within a separate enterprise, institution, organization and, accordingly, the provision of personnel is an integral part of it. Instead, staffing support is systemic in nature and refers to general principles, objectives, approaches, rules, requirements, and procedures on completing a structured entity (enterprises, institutions, organizations of a certain sphere, industry or authorities) with the qualified personnel. While considering this in the area of personnel policy and staffing of UTC, the interpretation of staff in a broad sense would be appropriate. In addition, this is necessary in view of the peculiarities of staffing of local self-government authorities. We consider it inappropriate to narrow down staffing support just to supplying, filling in the staff of organizations, institutions or other entities with employees (personnel) and also, one should not identify it as a work with the personnel (human resources management).

Personnel policy in the field of the activity of UTC, in general, is a concerted activity of the subjects of the system of local self-government, which is aimed at the forming, implementing and improving a set of standards, professional requirements for elected and appointed officials (executives), technical and service staff of the authorities of the council, managers of enterprises, institutions and organizations belonging to the communal property, criteria for their selection, training and retraining, raising the level of qualification, rational use of the personnel potential and its development according to the principles of local government reform to ensure the effective exercise of the powers of local authorities of UTC.

The complex of staffing of UTC, which includes: the territorial community; village, settlement and city council; village and city head; executive authorities of the village, settlement and city council; the village elder; rayon and oblast councils; bodies representing the common interests of territorial communities of villages, settlements, cities; bodies of self-organization of the population – are implemented as staffing processes through the distribution of organizational potential and functions vertically and horizontally and is directed at the qualitative implementation of the powers.

To create the staffing capability of UTC, the system of personnel management (work with personnel) includes the processes of selection, placement, and raising the level of professional competence, etc. In addition, it is important to coordinate the aim of the staffing support system and functions performed within this activity.

Conclusions of the research and prospects for further studies. Thus, staffing support of the capability of UTC is very focused, planned and coordinated management of staffing processes concerning the optimal quantitative and qualitative changes of the personnel for the fulfilment of functions and tasks by local government authorities. The proper level of managerial and professional competence, provision of opportunities for implementing the personal potential of employees in the performance of their duties is a key to the effective reform and development of local government and, in particular, to ensure the capability of the unified territorial communities. In view of this, there is a necessity for further research of a complex of structural and functional personnel interactions in the system of local government.