Source: Official Internet-portal of Melitopol City Council

IMG_0465On August 28, the Administration Service Center hosted the first team group session on 2030 Melitopol City Development Strategy, which calls for laying the favourable groundwork for economic growth and competitiveness of Melitopol while creating positive investment climate, improving conditions for entrepreneurship development, and enhancing the work performed by local authorities for ensuring a good standard of living in the city.

The event welcomed the participation of Serhiy Minko, Melitopol Mayor, and Ihor Lepyoshkin, PLEDDG Senior Expert, Head of Experts Group, as well as representatives from Melitopol City Council and its Executive Committee, civil society members, and businesses.

“It should be noted that our partners, PLEDDG Project and Association of Ukrainian Cities, provide assistance in the development process concerning 2030 Melitopol City Development IMG_0467Strategy. It is due to such close cooperation with the experts that such a great job was possible to be done, for actualizing 2020 Melitopol City Development Strategy. It welcomed the representatives of the city authorities and the general public, scientific associations, and businesses to participate therein. Behind the studies are the opinions and preferences of more than 12 thous. of Melitopol citizens. Nonetheless, time is getting on, and, – following the other successful territories’ experience and taking into account the world tendencies, while relying on their own best practices, – the city authorities took a decision to work out their own up-to-date 2030 Melitopol City Development Strategy.

– Today, we hold the first team group session, where, at its final stage, we are going to make all the citizens aware of the decision taken. The present strategy will help us raise social standards for the Melitopol citizens’ life, improve business climate and ecology in the territory, as well as review and consider other city development areas. I am sure that our work, jointly with our partners – experts from PLEDDG Project and AUC, will give us a new vista on the things so important for us”, – Serhiy Minko, the Mayor of Melitopol, said this to all the attendees.
Ihor Lepyoshkin noted that he was glad to see the changes being under way in Melitopol. “This is so because any strategic document is efficient only when it is implemented, with all the changes notable both from outside and in everyday life. Personally, I see these changes!”, – Ihor Lepyoshkin stressed this by illustrating an example of his talk, on that day, to a city taxi driver who was full of proud to tell what one could visit in Melitopol and what changes were happening to the city.

IMG_0476“– Most often, you may hear from a taxi driver that everything is bad. However, in this case, we have understood that not only the city is changing, but – the way people think as well. This is the most important thing”, – Ihor Lepyoshkin said.

As Serhiy Pryima, Deputy Mayor, noted, today’s realities require a revision of the existing Melitopol Development Strategy. This is why there arises the necessity to develop a new vision of the document. Jointly with PLEDDG Project and Association of Ukrainian Cities, there has been done a great preparatory work, with focus groups and city’s profile made up, and much more. Even today, at the team group session already, the participants heard the Report on the results of the survey of Melitopol entrepreneurs. They also expressed their suggestions as to the issues of actualization of the vision of Melitopol development and its mission, with SWOT-analysis made up in such strategic areas as local economic development and infrastructure; social development; and environmental sustainability.