Local-government Arrangements with Participation of Local Government Units as Compared to Other Forms of Activity in the Sphere of Public Administration

Abstract

Among the administrative arrangements (porozumienia administracyjne), one should distinguish a category of local-government arrangements (porozumienia samorządowe), i.e. those involving local government units. In the first place, it should be distinguished vertical arrangements, i.e. arrangements between units of different levels of the local government structure: arrangements between poviats (counties) and communes, between voivodeships (regions) and communes, and between voivodeships and poviats. Secondly, horizontal arrangements i.e. between communes, between poviats and between regions. Local government arrangements are a non-sovereign form of activity of the public administration, entered into with mutual declarations of intent of the parties. The basis for their conclusion is a resolution of the legislative body of a local government unit to agree to cooperate under the local government arrangement, while the very act of the arrangement is concluded by the executive body of the local government unit. The purpose of the local government arrangement is to ensure the fulfilment of a public task, to agree on its implementation and the necessary actions. The entrusting of public tasks by means of a local government arrangement is effected under public law and not by a civil contract. The arrangement relates to the implementation of already existing tasks, defined by specific legal provisions, resulting from the legal-systemic position of the parties to the arrangement, so they do not create new obligations arising from the arrangement concluded.