According to Iryna Kudryk, the Head of the Regional Office of U-LEAD with Europe in Chernihiv Oblast, compliance with the Law of Ukraine “On Access to Public Information” ensures official communication and public engagement in interacting with the council.
“Keep in mind that a local council website is more than just a place for mandatory official information. It is part of the municipality’s communication strategy, a public outreach tool and a business card for partners and other stakeholders. Therefore, it is critical that the website is modern, up-to-date and user-friendly,” stressed Iryna Kudryk.
Oksana Stelmakh, a Policy Advisor for Communications and Development at the Regional Office of U-LEAD with Europe in Chernihiv Oblast, presented the study of local council websites in the oblast. According to her, the analysis of 57 websites was conducted from 01 August to 10 September, focusing on the availability of official information as per the Law of Ukraine “On Access to Public Information”. In particular, this was information about the local council’s senior officials, members and committees, data on agencies and structural units, the storage of official municipal documents, video recordings of council sessions, the compliance with regulations governing the local council website, etc. Another priority was the convenience and structure of the website, as well as the content of its sections.
“I attempted to look at the website as an ordinary resident of the municipality would. Is it user-friendly? For example, I need the contacts of the local council, or I wish to know what the municipality is spending taxes on. How quickly can I find information about the Administrative Services Centre or social services? Is this information up to date?” said Oksana Stelmakh.
According to her, the presentation of the findings and the research itself aimed to remind municipal officials of the importance of the official website in communicating with the public, as well as to provide recommendations for improvements.
“Notably, local council contacts are available on all 57 resources. The contact details of the heads are posted on 40 websites, the background information or reception hours can be found on 41 and 29 websites, respectively. This information can be quickly supplemented and updated,” she said.
She pointed out the importance of the relevance, reliability and accessibility of information on local council websites. Users quickly leave a resource if they struggle to find the information they need or if they find outdated information.
“Journalists know that 60% of users do not read the news beyond the headline. So, will they look for information on an official website if it is hidden somewhere? Or if the tab is empty? Or the content hasn’t been updated since 2019?” said Oksana Stelmakh.
The presentation also touched upon publishing official documents. The analysis showed that all 57 local councils comply with this rule. Only 11 councils publish documents in machine-readable text format, while 22 councils provide them in .pdf format; documents from 37 websites are automatically downloadable, and 3 provide access to Google Drive, which can be risky. The search engine is configured on all websites, no registration is required, and it is available for use.
The key role of the local council website is to become a source of information for people living in the municipality. It should build trust and communication, explain changes and clarify what is happening. For example, official information on meeting the budget targets presented in tables is unclear and uninteresting. If, however, you explain how municipal funds are used and how this can influence budgeting, that’s a completely different story.
“We want our residents to be proactive and involved in the municipality’s life. That is why they should get used to the fact that the authorities communicate and engage with them,” the advisor said.
What can be done to improve the content of local council websites:
- Update and structure information. Update sections, remove unnecessary tabs, add relevant contacts, photos and indicate the update date where necessary.
- Assign responsibilities. Check that the municipality has a valid regulation on its official website and that people are assigned to be responsible for its content.
- Publish documents in a convenient format. If possible, post official documents in machine-readable text form rather than scanned files.
- Make sure the budget is easy to understand. In addition to publishing it as a formality, hold budget presentations, organise public discussions and engage residents in identifying priorities.
Nataliia Kaliuzhna, the Chief Information Specialist in Nosivka municipality, shared her experience of participating in the event:
“I’ve been in the communications sector for a long time, but the approaches and requirements in this field are constantly evolving. Moreover, I am the only communications specialist in our municipality, and this is not an easy task. That is why I find the support of U-LEAD experts extremely valuable, as it helps me assess my performance and improve it. This infosession was very productive and gave me specific insights on how to improve the website of our local council.”
