In addition to increasing transparency in the work of the city of Kragujevac by involving citizens and better informing and educating them about the planning process, the "Be part of the plan" platform could also be the first step towards the introduction of eSpace.
ReSPA award for the "Be part of the plan" platform
The city of Kragujevac received an award from the Regional School of Public Administration (ReSPA) for transparency and openness in local government through the "Be part of the plan" platform. This platform was launched as part of the project "Citizen Voice in the Urban and Spatial Planning Process," implemented by NALED and supported by the SILP Fund of the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida).
The award was accepted on behalf of the city of Kragujevac by Deputy Mayor Dejan Ružić at a ceremony during the Ministerial Conference on Western Balkans Policies, organized by ReSPA in Skopje, North Macedonia.
This year's award ceremony focused on recognizing initiatives that deliver measurable results, achievements, and improvements in the provision of public services for citizens.
ReSPA and SIGMA launched the Public Administration Awards for the Western Balkans to promote management initiatives and support the establishment of strong public administration systems in the region.
Previously, the "Be part of the plan" platform was also recognized by the World Organization of Smart Cities (WeGO) and the City of Seoul Government in the Human-CentriCity category.
This platform allows registered citizens to receive notifications via email, SMS, or Viber messages when an existing urban planning or new urban plan is being changed or introduced in the city of Kragujevac. Thanks to this platform, anyone can be notified as soon as an initiative for plan modification is launched, during early public insight, and public review, which are posted on the website.
In addition to increasing transparency in the work of the city of Kragujevac by involving citizens and improving their information and education about the planning process, the "Be part of the plan" platform could also be the first step towards the introduction of eSpace.
Regional and global recognitions for Kragujevac are the best indicator of the importance of establishing more transparent public administration work and building relationships with citizens. NALED therefore encourages other local governments in Serbia to digitalize their plans and initiate timely communication with citizens by establishing the "Be part of the plan" platform in their cities and municipalities.
