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ANNUAL REPORT 2023
KDZ ANNUAL REPORT 2023
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was the year of transparency. As one of the last countries in Europe, Austria agreed on a freedom of information law that significantly limits official secrecy. This is undoubtedly a milestone on the path to open administration, even though the new law comes with years of delay.
At KDZ, we dedicated the year 2023 to transparency as well. Our strategy, developed with the entire team, maps out the way: We stand for bringing transparency to public finances, structures, and processes. A central role in this is played by the Open Spending Austria internet platform (Offener Haushalt), which grew to include 1,491 municipalities in 2023 and now also covers the budgets of municipal associations.
But transparency means more to us: We see it as an obligation to make complex issues understandable and comprehensible. Our fact sheets on public finances, fiscal equalisation, and issues surrounding services of general interest provide interested parties with new insights into these important topics. Our publications – such as Österreichs Städte in Zahlen (Austrian cities in numbers), Finanzausgleich (fiscal equalisation), Kontierungsleitfaden (public accounting guide), Gebührenkalkulation (fee calculation), and the Fiscal Decentralisation Report – address aspects of state governance that are often taken for granted. Yet, understanding of these aspects is limited and mostly confined to a relatively small circle of experts and practitioners. This is where we generate added value through knowledge.
Our consulting projects rely on transparency, too. Shrinking room for manoeuvre due to tight public budgets requires new strategies. Comparisons are used to show alternative design options, e.g. with regard to the financial performance of regional centres compared to surrounding and peripheral municipalities. With municipal budget projects too, the initial task is always to establish transparency among all stakeholders regarding the current financial status.
We are particularly pleased to be able to share KDZ’s experience and knowledge with a growing number of people. In 2023, we significantly increased engagement with our members, clients, and interested parties. Alongside our 6,147 newsletter subscribers, this interaction occurred through numerous events and was particularly evident in 476 media releases and in our presence on LinkedIn, currently our fastest-growing social media platform, with 1,802 followers. This, too, is an important contribution towards enhancing transparency in administration and the public sector, a goal we are committed to further amplifying in 2024.
FACTS 2023
90 EXTERNAL CONSULTANTS
157 SEMINARS & WEBINARS HELD
2,848 PARTICIPANTS TRAINED IN SEMINARS
73,665 VISITS ON KDZ.EU
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SINCE 2010, WE HAVE BEEN PRODUCING THE KDZ INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL REPORT WHICH MEASURES OUR INTELLECTUAL ASSETS, GROUPED INTO HUMAN, STRUCTURAL, AND RELATIONAL RESOURCES.
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HUMAN RESOURCES
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STRUCTURAL RESOURCES
RELATIONAL RESOURCES
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VISION
WE WANT SUSTAINABLE PUBLIC SECTOR MODERNISATION
The KDZ – Centre for Public Administration Research is a non-profit association headquartered in Vienna. We are a competence centre and knowledge platform for the public sector, in particular for cities and municipalities, federal states, central government, and the European level. We think and act in a holistic and interdisciplinary fashion.
In the realms of public management consulting, European governance & urban policy, public finances and federalism, and training, we strive for a high-quality public sector, crafting tailored concepts and solutions to achieve excellence.
Our range of services includes applied research, consulting, and training, and our expertise has been in demand since 1969.
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KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER
RESEARCH
CONSULTING TRAINING
PUBLIC MANAGEMENT CONSULTING
We support cities and municipalities and their companies, states, the federal government, associations, and NGOs with various issues related to organisational and administrative development, governance and management systems, citizen and customer services, human resources management as well as strategy and innovation development.
Individual, factor made, and needs-oriented solutions help our clients harness their potential. A solution-driven approach, accuracy of fit, and feasibility are important benchmarks for us. A collaborative partnership as well as transparent and professional project management are the vital basics of sustainable, trustful, and reliable cooperation.
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PROJECTS IN 2023
ORGANISATIONAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE DEVELOPMENT
CONTROL AND MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
CITIZEN AND CUSTOMER SERVICES
STRATEGY AND INNOVATION DEVELOPMENT
HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
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EUROPEAN GOVERNANCE AND URBAN POLICY
We stand for good governance, transparency, and open government in Europe. Good cooperation of central government, federal states, and municipalities as part of national governance is particularly important to us.
Our projects contribute to the continued development of federal structures and multi-level governance architectures, and in doing so, we also highlight public value.
As part of our focus on urban and city-region policy, we promote the intensive exchange of knowledge beyond Austria’s national borders, on the one hand.
On the other hand, we support city-regional initiatives, recognising that cities are inherently interconnected with the regions that surround them. Sustainability, participation, and quality in the public sector drive our actions.
This is particularly evident in our commitment to the UN sustainable development goals (SDGs) and the Common Assessment Framework (CAF).
PUBLIC FINANCE AND FEDERALISM
We are a strong and steadfast partner in advancing the governance and financing of public services within the framework of multilevel governance.
Our objective is to enhance transparency concerning intricate matters pertaining to federal-state relations. In this capacity, we illuminate the financial dynamics and collaborations among the players involved. Drawing upon this insight, we devise forward-looking models aimed at optimising governance and improving collaboration within federalism.
Our efforts contribute to achieving equitable and progressive fiscal equalisation, alongside strategically advancing key task areas such as nursing, education, childcare, public transport, or climate protection.
Another of our key priorities is to provide transparent insights into Austrian municipal finances and to contribute to their sustainability.
• 28 lectures
• 14 interviews/broadcasts (TV and radio)
• 39 expert papers in internal KDZ formats
• 41 expert papers in external formats
• 13 published studies/publications
All studies can be found at: www.kdz.eu/de/wissen/studien
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TRAINING
We have been a competent training partner for the public sector for many years. With appropriate concepts, methods, and always keeping pace with the times, our education and training work addresses the specific requirements of public administration.
The foundation of our very practically oriented training is provided by a comprehensive network of experts and a pool of highly professional lecturers, trainers, and experienced practitioners from a wide range of different administrative units.
After the restricted pandemic years, we successfully managed to compensate for the quite substantial demand for in-person training in 2023. With a well-structured programme tailored to the needs of administrative practice, we were able to offer our clients numerous face-to-face training opportunities directly on site.
We are particularly pleased that our digital live learning offerings (webinars via Zoom) were again very well received. As a result, all throughout 2023, our clients were able to choose from a balanced mix of online and in-presence formats. Overall, we look back on a successful year of training with numerous specialist seminars, innovative approaches to vital transformation-related topics like leadership and employees, digitalisation, artificial intelligence, etc., and practical forums & networking events that were very well attended and in which practical experience and specific knowledge were jointly contributed and shared.
DIVERSITY OF TOPICS: WWW.KDZ.EU
• Economic efficiency & financial management
• Municipal budget reform (VRV 2015)
• Public management & governance
• Legal update
• Taxes and duties
• Leadership
• Communication and client management
• Innovation & digital competences
• KDZ practice forums & networks
The KDZ 2023 training year in numbers
2,848 PEOPLE PARTICIPATED IN OUR 157 SEMINARS
15 IN-HOUSE SEMINARS WERE TAILORED TO INDIVIDUAL REQUIREMENTS
57% OF ALL THE TRAINING OFFERS WERE HELD IN PERSON AND 43% WERE HELD ONLINE
34 EXPERTS WERE INVITED TO GIVE LECTURES ON SPECIFIC TOPICS
96% VERY SATISFIED AND SATISFIED SEMINAR CLIENTS
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PUBLIC MANAGEMENT CONSULTING
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THE NEW WORK LAB A GLIMPSE INTO KDZ’S PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP
What will Austria’s public administration of the future look like? Naturally, we do not yet have a comprehensive answer to this question today. But: We are working on methods and solutions to empower the administration to address changing conditions through creative innovations and to shape the transformation within their own domain. One of the big topics in the coming years is the question of how work will be structured in the future: What form should collaboration take? What tasks will AI take over from humans? How can work be designed to be more people-oriented in the future?
Since summer 2023, we at KDZ have once again delved deeper into the issues surrounding New Work. In this context, we were able to develop two innovations. The first innovation is of a conceptual nature. Nowadays, ‘New Work’ is commonly understood to signify moving away from the notion of employment as a job and embracing the renaissance of ‘vocation’ and ‘calling’.
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If public administration wants to remain an attractive and contemporary employer in the future, it must know how to effectively utilise and promote the talents and enthusiasm of its employees for the meaningful tasks it offers, particularly in terms of services of general interest.
The second innovation builds on the above: How can we make these considerations fruitful for Austria’s municipalities? Due to the complex nature of the issue, it is clear that there cannot be a one-size-fitsall solution for all municipalities and institutions. Therefore, a tailor-made and innovative solution will be needed for each of its aspects. From 2024 onwards, we will offer such solutions as part of KDZ’s New Work Lab. In an innovation lab setting, municipal employees and managers, supported by KDZ consultants, can develop effective and purposeful measures that have the potential to fundamentally shift work culture towards embracing the principles of New Work. With KDZ’s New Work Lab, you will learn in three steps how to maintain your position as an attractive employer in the future. •
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• Where do we stand?
• What are the challenges we face?
• What does New Work mean for our administration?
• What is our vision of New Work?
• How can we implement our vision?
• Findings
• Possible courses of action
SUCCESS STORY CITIZENS’ SERVICE
Who could imagine today what town halls/municipal offices were like before citizen service centres existed, without a central point where citizens can experience their city’s/municipality’s customer orientation up close and personally, where accomplishing paperwork no longer involves the physical exertions of running up and down the corridors and staircases of administrative buildings. Although the design of citizen service centres can vary quite significantly from municipality to municipality, from city to city – in terms of space, organisation, and the services provided –today, these citizen service centres are a municipality’s friendly face and are considered practically standard in modern and service-oriented municipal administration.
Citizen service centres have evolved continuously over more than 30 years since the discussion about them began in Austria. They have improved and continue to improve, partly due to the ‘Netzwerk Bürgerservice’ (citizen service network) initiated by KDZ, which has facilitated an intense exchange of learning and experience among cities and municipalities for almost 15 years. Most recently, this network convened in Linz in October 2023, at the invitation of the regional capital Linz, to discuss the possible use of artificial intelligence in citizen ser vice. This technology will also sustainably transform citizen service in the coming years. However, as yet it is still difficult to imagine the full extent of what lies ahead. But one thing seems clear: AI opens up entirely new possibilities for the provision and processing of information as well as for interaction between administrations and citizens. Solutions that are already familiar today, such as chatbots (or phonebots), will acquire entirely new qualities through AI. In addition, an increasing number of services in the citizen service area will be delivered with the help of technology (e.g., general information or
individual administrative procedures such as in registration law).
Nevertheless, at its core, citizen service will continue to be a service for and by people in the future as well. From our perspective, the need for personal encounters is growing. Citizen service centres are assuming an ever-increasing social role as social
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meeting points or places of personal interaction. Since, over the years, many traditional meeting places (pubs, small convenience stores, etc.) have disappeared, especially in small municipalities, citizen service projects are increasingly addressing this issue by integrating administrative services whenever they create social meeting points (village/ cultural centres). But similar projects exist in large cities as well, such as the internationally famous DOK 1 in Aarhus1, which has also inspired cities in Austria to rethink citizen service.
In the fall of 2024, the city of Tulln will host a network meeting. Then we will probably experience again, as we did this year, how ideas from a previous network meeting become completely new and useful services for citizens. •
1 www.visitaarhus.de/region-aarhus/reiseplanung/kulturhaus-und-staatsbibliothek-dokk1-gdk1077504
ORGANISATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATIVE ADMINISTRATION
Over the past few years, there has been a significant shift in how administrative tasks are performed. Digital work has become commonplace in administrations. Digitalisation encompasses both interactions with customers and internal processes.
At the same time, the nature of work itself has undergone changes in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Remote work arrangements are becoming more common in administrations as well. This necessitates new ways of collaboration and new leadership approaches. Additionally, many experienced, long-serving employees are currently retiring, posing challenges in the recruitment of new staff and in knowledge transfer and retention.
Given these issues and challenges, it is essential to regularly evaluate and develop the organisational and procedural structures within one’s own admin-
istration. In 2023, we assisted several cities and municipalities in advancing their administration, preparing them for the challenges of the years to come. Based on an analysis of performance, structures, and key processes, we adjusted organisational frameworks to align with modern leadership practices, and we modernised task distribution, harmonising it with the evolving work environment. At the same time, central processes were oriented towards digital operations, thus promoting cross-departmental collaboration.
Many of the participating cities and municipalities engaged in the substantive and organisational development of their administration for the first time in 2023. This process was worthwhile for them, as only a modern, innovative administration can successfully and joyfully meet the challenges of a continuously evolving environment. •
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OUTLOOK 2024
Balancing the budget
The municipal finance forecast and the budget estimates prepared for 2024 at the end of 2023 indicate that expenditures are growing significantly more dynamically than revenues. This will require cities and municipalities to intensively address financial development in 2024. To sustainably balance the budget, it is crucial to scrutinise the tasks, services, and processes of service provision within the municipality. KDZ offers a proven methodology for service review, which we can provide to municipalities. For a comprehensive review focusing on total revenues and expenditures, municipal services, and service provision processes, we recommend an extensive budget consolidation process. We have supported such processes on multiple occasions and will be happy to assist you in restoring financial balance to your municipalities budget.
Embracing comprehensive digitalisation
Transitioning to digital municipalities requires a new way of thinking. More particularly, this
involves redesigning internal and external processes with a focus on digitalisation. We provide support in reimagining your administration digitally and aligning all processes with digital work practices because merely acquiring an ELAK tool is insufficient for sustainable success in this regard.
New Work
The future of work is a current megatrend that impacts municipalities profoundly, posing significant challenges. How can we provide our employees with contemporary working conditions? How do we attract the workforce we need to propel our city or municipality forward, and how do we retain them? What jobs will we have in the future –with a view to AI – and what will they look like?
With this set of questions in mind, we aim to support you even more effectively and innovatively with our new product, the KDZ New Work Lab, in preparing your municipality for future challenges, particularly in terms of staff development and management. •
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EUROPEAN GOVERNANCE & URBAN POLICY
ON THE ROAD TO A COMMON EUROPEAN ADMINISTRATIVE SPACE
After decades of dormancy in European administrative development, the European Commission is increasingly taking the lead. In October 2023, it published the communication ‘Enhancing the European Administrative Space (ComPAct)’, becoming a dominant actor in administrative and structural reforms. This is particularly noteworthy as the European Union does not have primary legal competences for this, and the responsibility for the organisation and operation of public administration, as well as domestic structures, lies solely with the Member States.
The EUPACK (European Public Administration Country Knowledge) project initiated in 2018 marked a significant milestone. With EUPACK, the European Commission assesses the status quo and reforms of public administrations in EU Member States. In 2023, KDZ contributed to the new edition of EUPACK for the first time and was responsible for the Austrian Country Report.
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In 2023, we also contributed to the new ‘Principles of Public Administration’. OECD-SIGMA and the European Commission released the new version of the ‘Principles of Public Administration’ in November. These are seen as European standards for public administration in Europe and consist of six thematic areas: ‘Strategy’, ‘Policy development and coordination’, ‘Public service and human resource management’, ‘Organisation, accountability, and oversight’, ‘Service delivery and digitalisation’, and ‘Public financial management’. These Principles primarily serve to monitor and support administrative reforms in EU accession candidates on their way to membership in the European Union.
Of particular importance are the standards for multi-level governance defined for the first time in Europe, which the KDZ was involved in developing. These are set out in Principles 14 (Subsidiarity) and 32 (Fiscal autonomy) of the ‘Principles of Public Administration’. They cover areas such as the division of competences, autonomy in the performance of competences, coordination structures, distribution of finances, local borrowing, fiscal equalisation mechanisms, local taxes, and fees.
Remarkably, the ComPAct announces that the ‘Principles of Public Administration’, developed for EU accession countries, will also be relevant for Member States in the future. They are expected to gradually be included in the European Commission’s reports under the European Semester. We will keep up the momentum and step up our engagement in the European Administrative Space with its ongoing reforms. •
NALAS FISCAL DECENTRALISATION REPORT –
MUNICIPAL
FINANCE AUTONOMY
ALSO AN ISSUE IN SOUTH EAST EUROPE
In 2023, the ninth NALAS report on the state of fiscal decentralisation in South East Europe was developed, with Austria being considered, analysed, and placed in an international context for the first time. Alongside an overview of the current state of municipal finances, the focus was primarily on the (late) consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Like in other parts of Europe, the COVID-19 pandemic had comprehensive and profound effects on municipal finances in South East Europe. A ‘scissors effect’ was observed: while expenditures increased (for temporary bridging measures, for example), revenues decreased (from taxes and fees related to the local economy). On a national level, it can be observed that the COVID-19 pandemic caused a greater decline in gross domestic product (from 2019 to 2020) in the region than did the global financial crisis (from 2008 to 2009).
While a certain degree of normalisation has occurred in South East Europe today, not all areas have returned to their pre-COVID state. For example, the share of local revenues in municipal finances in 2021 was still slightly lower than in 2019 (33% vs. 35%). It is therefore important to consider longer
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term trends when analysing the region. Taking such a long-term perspective reveals that the share of local revenues has remained relatively stable since the financial crisis (ranging from 32% to 36% from 2010 to 2021).
Just as in the relevant discussions in other parts of Europe, property tax plays a significant role in South East Europe. While the share of property tax in local revenues in Austria is declining, it is increasing significantly in South East Europe. Between 2006 to 2021, for example, this share nearly doubled in the region, going from around 5% to 9% of local revenues. In South East Europe, as well in Austria, discussions are ongoing about the assessment bases and assessment frequency related to property tax.
Looking ahead, despite existing differences, demographic trends stand out as a persistent challenge and as a challenge for sustainability across the entire region. This concerns both an aging population, on the one hand, and migration from rural municipalities to urban areas as well as emigration on the other hand, which in some cases leads to significant population declines. •
A FOCUS ON SUSTAINABLE URBAN SPACES
Environmentally friendly, green, resource-efficient, liveable, smart, socially acceptable, or resilient are attributes that spontaneously come to mind when discussing sustainable urban spaces. In addition to these attributes, which almost read like the fundamental principles of the United Nations’ Agenda 2030, it is also the sense of community that ultimately determines whether urban spaces are sustainable or not.
Speaking of Agenda 2030: Together with our partners, the Institute for Environment, Peace and Development (Institut für Umwelt, Friede und Ent-
wicklung, IUFE) and the Vienna Ecosocial Forum, we released two new SDG municipal checklists for investment projects in 2023: In addition to planning/building and operating a kindergarten, municipalities can now also plan and align their projects for the design of public spaces and the purchase of utility vehicles for the municipal fleet in accordance with the SDGs. Furthermore, with the new platform for municipal sustainability of the Austrian Association of Cities and Towns managed by KDZ, there is now a forum for cities and municipalities in which to network, exchange ideas, and showcase their own SDG initiatives.
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Speaking of a sense of community: Under the motto ‘Designing urban regions to be climate-friendly’, the City Region Day took place in Salzburg in 2023. Incidentally, this event was held for the first time exactly ten years ago. Anniversaries not only provide a compelling reason to celebrate, but they also serve as an opportunity to look back and to articulate hopes for the future. This was also the case in Salzburg, where it became evident that designing climate-friendly living spaces as a central guiding principle for municipalities reinforces interdisciplinar y and collaborative action. The practical showcases, with their multitude of good practices, have born impressive testimony to this. Nevertheless, much remains to be done, and the hopes primarily
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concerned ‘mandates’ for improved framework conditions to the federal government and federal states for the implementation and further development of Austrian city regions.
Speaking of green: The city of Buenos Aires stands out for its tree population. It is home to more than 430,000 trees of various species, which a KDZ staff member was able to personally verify during her two-month assignment as part of our international ‘Local Government and the Changing Urban-Rural Interplay’ (LoGov) project. By the way, LoGov is nearing the finish line next year. It will be interesting to see what solutions for sustainable urban-rural areas the project will bring about. •
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OUTLOOK 2024
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European municipal finances and structures, effective governance and European administrative reform as well as sustainable urban spaces are all topics that will remain with us in 2024.
As part of our BACID project, which is set to conclude in 2024, we will not only further develop the Regional Decentralisation Obser vatory and complement it with the findings of the 9th SEE Fiscal Decentralisation Report, but we will also continue to advance digitalisation in the Western Balkan. We will implement digital solutions for local residents in the cities of Sombor in Serbia, focusing on parking management, and Delčevo in Northern Macedonia, focusing on medical care of the elderly.
In the realm of effective governance and European administrative reform, we will continue to monitor relevant developments at the EU and OECD levels and incorporate them into our activities as appropriate. This particularly concerns the ‘European Administrative Space (ComPAct)’, the ‘Principles of Public Administration’, the ‘European Public Administration Country Knowledge’ (EUPACK), and the Technical Support Instrument (TSI) of the DG Reform. We will utilise the latter within our CSPF network (CSPF.eu) jointly with the cities of Amsterdam, Barcelona, Bordeaux, Hamburg, the City of London Corporation, and Trondheim, to conduct a project on ‘SDG/Green Budgeting’. This will also create exciting synergies with our initiatives on Green Budgeting for Austrian cities.
Regarding sustainable urban spaces, we will continue to support the Austrian Association of Cities and Towns in revising the Park&Ride guidelines and showcase the results of our international LoGov project – Local Government and the Changing Urban Rural Interplay (www.logov-rise.eu) during the final conference in Vienna on 12 and 13 September.
Last but not least, we are planning a project on Multilevel Governance in the areas of climate change and digital transformation, with a focus on public transportation, in collaboration with Italy, Slovenia, Sweden, Poland, and France. This is also a topic with many points of connection within KDZ. •
PUBLIC FINANCE AND FEDERALISM
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FISCAL EQUALISATION –FACTS, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND UNANSWERED QUESTIONS
In November 2023, the Fiscal Equalisation Act 2024 was negotiated. The negotiation process was particularly challenging as the positions of the federal government on the one side and the states and municipalities on the other side were far apart. In 2023, KDZ contributed expertise to this process in various ways.
Analysing Facts
One of our main concerns was to explain the complex issues surrounding fiscal equalisation in an understandable manner and to develop objective foundations for relevant negotiation topics. To this end, we published various materials and a total of eight fact checks related to fiscal equalisation on our website. These materials addressed questions such as: ‘Can cities and municipalities finance the planned expansion of childcare with existing resources?’ or ‘Does hospital funding rely solely on the federal states?’ In early 2023, we presented an updated version of our classic ‘Factsheets: Finanzausgleich kompakt’ (Fiscal equalisation at a glance), complemented by webinars.
Recommendations and Assessments on Negotiations
In our KDZ blog, we regularly published articles with recommendations and assessments of the fiscal equalisation negotiations. The need for a clear explanation of fiscal equalisation became very apparent throughout the year. As many as 14 interviews and other formats broadcast on TV and radio
MILESTONES 2023
Factsheets
‘Soziales und Pflege’ (fact sheets: social and care issues)
I
Studie Personalknappheit Elementarpädagogik (study on employee shortages in early childhood education) V
V
Factsheets: ‘Finanzausgleich kompakt 2023’ (fact sheets: fiscal equalisation at a glance 2023)
and featuring KDZ experts strengthen our conviction that fiscal equalisation is highly relevant not only among experts but also for the general public.
Is all well for the Future Fund?
A significant contribution to the ultimate success of the fiscal equalisation negotiations was the newly established Future Fund. This was a recognition on the part of the federal government that tasks have been shifting towards states and municipalities and that more resources need to be made available to deal with this. However, many questions remain unanswered, and many steps still need to be taken to achieve the Future Fund’s intended objectives. As things stand, the financing provided for childcare, building renovation, and climate protection will not be sufficient to achieve the set goals under the current conditions.
Challenges Remain
There is still much to be done. We will be happy to continue providing our expertise in this area in the years to come. •
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V Gemeindefinanzbericht (municipal financial report)
Studie Auswirkungen der Teuerung auf Gemeindefinanzen (study on the impact of price hikes on municipal finances)
KDZ-Vorhabensund Investitionsplaner (KDZ project and investment planner)
VI Municipal financial forecast
CLIMATE PROTECTION AND CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION
Climate fines and high climate adaptation costs seem inevitable. And this despite the fact that it would be crucial to invest in climate protection as quickly as possible to prevent the worst. Cities and municipalities, in particular, are still not sufficiently in focus, despite their significant potential to contribute to addressing the climate crisis.
Expertise in high demand
In this context, KDZ embarked on an exciting journey in 2023. KDZ was consulted for its expertise at various events, including the Austrian Conference of Cities (Städtetag), events organised by Erneuerbare Energie Österreich (Renewable energy Austria), the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), the Technical University (TU), and the Younion. The KDZ blog increasingly addressed climate-related topics, such as the feasibility of climate investments at the municipal level.
Facts and basic principles
KDZ also carried out intensive work on a study level. As part of this, it created a study on the coordination of climate goals at federal states level, together with the Austrian Energy Agency. In further studies, we delved deeper into the city and municipal level. The question was: What role do cities and municipalities play in the fight against climate change, and how can they best fulfil this role? Public transport is a key element of climate transition. In 2023, we focused more on the financing of public transport in Austrian cities and highlighted the financial strain on the cities. The challenge of meeting the decarbonisation requirements for vehicles and expanding services simultaneously seems barely manageable.
Municipalities as a beacon of hope
There is much untapped potential in municipalities, such as thermal renovation, conversion of heating systems, alternative energies, mobility, and urban development. However, without suitable framework conditions, this potential cannot be realised. What is needed are sufficient financial resources and the development of HR and technical capacities. One crucial success factor became apparent: the financing of climate investments. The resources provided through the Future Fund as part of fiscal equalisation will not be sufficient on their own. The existing funding system with its many ‘flagship projects’ and sometimes difficult access needs to be more closely tailored to the needs.
A path for the future?
Now is the time to consider how coordination on a federal level can be further developed to create good framework conditions. Important governance questions regarding cooperation and financing need to be addressed. In light of this, there is still much left to accomplish! •
VI
Studie Finanzierung des städtischen ÖPNV (study on the financing of urban public transport)
VII
Tagungsband ‘Klimaschutz und Klimawandelanpassung im Bundesstaat’ (convention book on federal-level climate protection and climate change adaptation)
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VII
Bonitätsranking Gemeinden (credit rating of municipalities) IX
Start Gemeindeverbände auf offenerhaushalt.at (municipal associations join offenerhaushalt.at) X
10-year anniversary of offenerhaushalt.at
Schwerpunktthema Klimaschutz und Klimawandelanpassung (focus climate protection and climate change adaptation)
XI
Gemeindefinanzprognose (municipal financial forecast)
ENSURING THE FINANCING OF SERVICES OF GENERAL INTEREST
In municipal services of general interest, developments are emerging that continuously constrain affordability. If no changes are made to the framework conditions, the financing of municipal services of general interest will be increasingly at risk.
Municipal services of general interest can be understood as the basic provision for residents. In a broader sense, they range from education and culture to road, traffic, and communication infrastructure. They also encompass leisure and sports infrastructure, including swimming pools, sports fields and centres as well as parks and green areas. Water supply
and disposal, wastewater treatment, and waste disposal represent an important core of services of general interest. Services of general interest are financed partly through user fees, partly through transfers from other federal, federal states, or municipal authorities, and partly through general tax revenues.
Unfavourable conditions are increasingly reducing financial feasibility.
There is a strong dependence on the development of tax revenues. In 2024, revenue shares will be at the same level as in 2022. At the same time, inflation is putting pressure on
municipal services of general interest. Should the increased costs be passed on to citizens through fees and service charges or not? If municipalities do not increase fees, this could further jeopardise the financial feasibility of municipal services. Also noteworthy is a trend towards a decline of user financing. If revenues from users decrease, an increasing share will have to be financed through general tax revenues.
Transfer dynamics are intensifying the competition for expenditure between municipal services of general interest and co-financing obligations for social and health services.
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The financial capacity for funding services of general interest is diminishing – leaving scarcely any funds for investments.
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FC = financial capacity; upfront deduction = 12.7% of the revenue shares;
NetSP = net spending operational management; Group 0–9 = municipal service areas:
0 – politics & administration, 1 – security, 2 – education, 3 – culture, 4 – social affairs, 5 – health, 6 – infrastructure, 7 – economic development, 8 – services, 9 – finances
Already, more than 60 percent of municipal revenue shares go directly to the federal states through this channel and are therefore not available for municipal services of general interest.
Fiscal autonomy is also increasingly under pressure. In the absence of a property tax reform, the significance of this levy is diminishing from year to year.
The increased demands and transfers of tasks are other important aspects. Examples include the quantitative and qualitative improvement of childcare and all-day schools, or investment obligations in public transport.
Securing services of general interest requires financial capacity Tax revenues from fiscal equalisation (revenue shares and municipal taxes) must be sufficient to cover tax-funded services of general interest. A dwindling scope for manoeuvre for reasons already mentioned increasingly jeopardises this, as demonstrated by our analysis in 2023, using the example of the city of Graz and its financial capacity compared to other Styrian municipalities and state capitals. Countermeasures are needed: strengthening fiscal autonomy, decoupling transfers – reducing co-financing, and increasing efficiency in municipalities. •
www.kdz.eu/de/wissen/studien/ finanzielle-ausstattung-undleistungsfaehigkeit-der-stadt-grazim-vergleich
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OUTLOOK 2024
2024 will be a financially challenging year for subnational levels. KDZ will contribute its expertise to offer solutions on various levels. Specifically, particular emphasis will be on highlighting options for municipal financing with a view to enhancing the financial flexibility of municipalities.
The focus will be on national-level solutions, on the hand, such as improving the financing of municipal services of general interest. Specific topics in this context include property tax reform and the advancement of intra-state fiscal equalisation. On the other hand, potential solutions for municipalities in consolidation issues will be emphasised to strengthen the resilience of municipal finances in the medium term – for example, in the area of fee calculation or through inter-municipal cooperation.
In addition to financing issues, governance questions will also be addressed, such as in childcare or climate protection and adaptation to climate change. How can the three levels of government – central, federal states and local –collaborate effectively to achieve the set objectives within their areas of competence?
The platform www.offenerhaushalt.at celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2023. We can proudly call it a success story. Even though over 70% of municipalities were already participating in 2023, we will continue our efforts in 2024 to convince more municipalities to come on board.
Last but not least, the matter of fiscal equalisation will remain on our agenda in 2024. The follow-up will mainly take place during the impulse conference ‘Finanzausgleich 2024 – Gestärkt in die Zukunft?’ (Fiscal equalisation 2024 –stronger into the future?) as well as with the ‘Handbuch zum Finanzausgleich’ (handbook on fiscal equalisation). •
WORK PRIORITIES 2024
• Increasing the resilience of municipal finances in the medium term
• National-level financing and governance of services of general interest
• Contribution to reforms of fiscal equalisation and financing of public services – with a focus on highlighting the consequences of the Fiscal Equalisation Act 2024
• Impact of climate protection and adaptation to climate change on public budgets and multi-level governance, as well as developing action options
• Transparent fiscal equalisation, such as the Fiscal Equalisation Impulse Conference and ‘Handbuch zum Finanzausgleich’ (handbook on fiscal equalisation 2024, in German)
• Transparent municipal finances, for example by development of www.offenerhaushalt.at
• Fee budgets
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RESETTING AND SHAPING ORGANISATIONAL LEARNING – NEW AND COLLABORATIVE LEARNING IS IN DEMAND!
Leadership 4.0 requires lifelong and continuous learning and considering staff development as a whole to enable further development, innovation, resilience, and future viability for the entire organisation.
At KDZ, leadership means organising internal training for employees in a contemporary manner. As a centre of competence and knowledge platform for the public sector, we have high standards for continuous learning. Because often, the knowledge acquired through academic and professional qualifications quickly becomes outdated, not least due to the shortened half-life of knowledge. Additionally, we work extensively in an interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary manner, which requires both collaboration on an equal footing and learning with and from each other.
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Last but not least, we also embrace the challenges of the digital workplace. Here too, it is necessary to continuously acquire and sharpen required and individual skills. Digitalisation and learning reinforce and depend on each other. In other words, work and learning have become inseparable, blending together into one.
How do we do this at KDZ?
We identify internal training needs that may be relevant to multiple individuals. These needs can be raised by management, the works council, or even by the employees themselves. Afterwards, we organise the corresponding training design and setting with external or internal experts. We emphasise integrating the competences acquired through this process directly into internal work areas to ensure optimal knowledge transfer. Collaborative group learning fosters an atmosphere of openness, transparency, and trust, thereby establishing the foundation for sharing knowledge rather than hoarding it and making it available for our entire organisation. And one more thing, training should also be enjoyable, create joy, and motivation. We conclude each workshop with a brief reflection and feedback session as well as light refreshments.
In 2023, we were able to conduct four internal training initiatives in key areas:
• personal resilience & burnout prevention
• tasks & structures of municipal bodies
• artificial intelligence – basics and applications in public administration
• KNIME – free software for interactive data analysis
Furthermore, we ensure the preservation of our collective knowledge for the entire organisation by actively participating in conferences, workshops, committees, expert groups, and networks (CAF expert groups, KDZ expert forums, KDZ network meetings, etc.). Participation in internal technical Jour Fixe meetings and learning by doing in collaborative projects are also central elements of continuous mutual learning. Individual agreements related to further developing employee capabilities are made during employee evaluation interviews. •
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CRASH COURSE IN LEADERSHIP COMPACT AND PRACTICAL INSIGHTS INTO LEADERSHIP TOPICS
Imagine the following fictional scenario:
You are the new department head of the social services department in a medium-sized municipality. In one of your first meetings, soon after assuming your position, the mayor and department head express their concerns about the situation in the department you are to lead, indicating that you should establish functioning structures and processes there as quickly as possible. How would you respond to this task?
Leadership under the challenging conditions of public administration has always been a central theme in the work of KDZ. In the fall of 2023, we began to shift our attention to this topic. With the new format ‘Crash Course Leadership’, we are specifically targeting managers who are new to leadership roles and employees who are expected to take on a (new) leadership position in the near future. The goal of this crash course is to quickly impart to participants the necessary awareness for leadership issues, to provide suitable methods for a successful start in the leadership role, and to instil the courage to pioneer new initiatives within the teams they lead.
The first run of this new seminar format has already been very well received. A dynamic learning group embraced the intensive format and reflected on their own understanding of leadership. Individual solutions were developed based on case studies from the participants’ everyday leadership experiences, opening up new perspectives. At the same time, we became aware that the dense program is quite demanding. More time is needed for reflection, group discussions, and the development of a leadership strategy that aligns with each individual. Therefore, we will be expanding this offering in 2024 and developing it in line with our clients’ needs.
Leadership is its own craft and can be learned. For us, the guiding principle is ‘prioritising people over tasks’. The Crash Course in Leadership and the other leadership seminars offered by KDZ will teach you what this principle entails and how to apply it to resolve the problem presented at the outset. •
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KDZ MUNICIPAL MAINTENANCE YARD DAY 2023 FULL HOUSE AT THE ASCHACHTAL MUNICIPAL MAINTENANCE YARD
This year again, 44 municipal maintenance yard managers from all over Austria accepted KDZ’s invitation to the 2023 Municipal Maintenance Yard Day, the exchange and networking forum for executives in municipal infrastructure operations. This year’s Municipal Maintenance Yard Day was themed ‘Organising Municipal Maintenance Yards Safely and Well’.
As experience shows, this is no easy task. In addition to complying with a multitude of legal regulations such as those related to working hours and occupational safety, it is essential to establish operational structures and processes effectively, foster strong teamwork, and also ensure a service-oriented citizen-centric approach across all interactions with the municipality.
Day 1 focused on the following topics:
• Why is a well-structured maintenance yard organisation essential for performing the often very diverse maintenance yard services, and how can a reform process succeed?
• What are the current applicable regulations regarding the location and the extent of working hours, driving times, rest periods, and deployment times, and how can I implement them in my own organisation?
• How can we ensure that safety instructions are effectively put into practice and embraced by employees?
• Where do liability potentials often arise, and how can they be avoided?
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On the second day, participants had the opportunity to experience effective operational organisation in action firsthand by visiting the Aschachtal Municipal Maintenance Yard.
Since 2020, the Aschachtal Municipal Maintenance Yard has been the central service provider for four municipalities. This cooperation led to a complete overhaul of not only the structural measures but also the work and operational organisation, including order management, work scheduling, shift patterns, winter maintenance, communication structures, etc.
There was much to hear and see. A particular highlight was the tour of the new municipal maintenance yard location together with the entire maintenance yard team, experiencing firsthand that effective management of construction and maintenance yards is a central success factor for meeting the diverse requirements safely and efficiently.
We look forward to an exciting and inspiring Municipal Maintenance Yard Day in 2024! •
OUTLOOK 2024 DEVELOPING SKILLS AND BEING PREPARED FOR THE DIGITAL WORKING WORLD OF TOMORROW!
Our ways of working and opportunities for collaboration have undergone significant changes, especially since the pandemic years. The speed and complexity of these changes, as well as the opportunities presented by digitalisation, are increasing. Not only is artificial intelligence (AI) currently a hot topic and gaining momentum, but the potential of a wide range of digital applications is likewise growing and becoming increasingly important in public administration. The numerous innovations and best practices are testimony to the ongoing process of modernisation that public institutions are undergoing and the consistent drive towards (creation of) a Digitales Amt (Digital Office).
So, change in general, and digitalisation in particular, also serve as drivers for training and the ongoing acquisition of new skills because the success of organisations depends significantly on the resources available to them. Hence, recognising the value of development and enabling employees to invest in their own future-proof skills is an obvious step towards confidently facing the challenges of tomorrow.
KDZ Training –Your Partner and Learning Companion
As a provider of training, we aim to support our clients in the public sector as best as possible in their modernisation efforts and training initiatives. Therefore, our claim in training is to offer continuously updated topics in addition to our proven basic programs, keeping pace with the times.
Stay connected with us and take advantage of our practice-oriented seminars, courses, and seminar series in 2024. Whether in face-to-face sessions on-site or live & interactive as webinars in the cost-effective online learning format. We are steadily expanding our diverse and long-standing learning networks for you.
In 2024, we will also offer a wide range of training events and newly developed, innovative programs. Take a look at our Spring 2024 Programme.
www.kdz.eu/de/seminare
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CAF CENTRE – ADMINISTRATIVE INNOVATION AND GOOD GOVERNANCE IN 2023
The CAF Centre2 of KDZ has evolved into an internationally sought-after and recognised point of contact in recent years, and in 2023, it further strengthened its position as the ‘FirstContact-Point’ for all questions related to CAF, Good Governance, and administrative innovation. In 2023, CAF was increasingly positioned as a tool for innovation and change in public administrations and implemented in several projects at the national and international levels.
We have been working on new methods and made the CAF process even faster, more efficient, and more agile. CAF is also available in an online, hybrid, or in-person format, supported by CAF online and the corresponding collaboration tools. CAF Compact introduces a new workshop design for leadership teams, allowing for quick situational assessment and alignment, as well as the definition of the appropriate measures for the further development of their own organisation. In addition to actively participating in national and international events on administrative innovation and Good Governance, we were able to promote the CAF method to the
German-speaking world through the Let’s Staat3 podcast, together with the city of Starnberg and Dorit Bosch. This resulted in increased visibility of the Austrian CAF Centre, particularly within the German-speaking region.
Another one of this year’s highlights was the CAF Centre’s participation in Innovate 2023, the public sector conference on innovation management. With the workshop ‘Common Assessment What – Shaping the
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Organisation from Within with CAF’, we were able to demonstrate, together with experienced CAF users, how innovations and changes can be initiated and implemented in public administrations using CAF.
Furthermore, the CAF Centre at KDZ is a sought-after expert in the advancement of CAF. Collaborating with the European Institute of Public
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Administration (EIPA) and other partners of the European CAF network, the CAF Centre works to drive forward the refinement of the CAF Effective User Label procedure.
Another significant milestone was achieved as part of the BACID III programme. Building on the successes of BACID II, the CAF Centre of KDZ supports the Regional School of Public Administration in establishing a Regional Quality Management Centre
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(RQMC), thereby strengthening CAF’s presence in the Western Balkans. In 2023, in addition to numerous CAF implementations, the network of CAF evaluators (EFAC) was further developed, and public administrations were recognised and made visible for their special efforts towards greater efficiency, quality, and good governance through the CAF Effective User Label. •
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OUR ACTIVITIES IN 2023
The CAF Centre leverages the potential of digitalisation and was able to continue its activities in 2023 very Successfully, also virtually, thereby expanding its international network and collaboration with organisations in Austria and Germany.
CAF Network Germany-Austria
314 ORGANISATIONS IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR AND NPOS IN AUSTRIA USE CAF
15 CAF PROJECTS 2023
26 ORGANISATIONS IN AUSTRIA HAVE BEEN AWARDED CAF EFFECTIVE USER LABEL
4,160 ORGANISATIONS IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR IN EUROPE ARE REGISTERED CAF USERS.
244 ORGANISATIONS IN EUROPE HAVE BEEN AWARDED CAF EFFECTIVE USER LABEL SINCE 2015.
The CAF Network Germany-Austria and the cooperation of CAF partners locally were progressively expanded. Shared activities and offers in CAF webinars as well as the CAFFEX exchange between the countries were established and further developed.
EFAC Training
KDZ had the opportunity to train 11 quality managers and administrative managers from four CEE countries as part of a certified EFAC programme. This helped grow the existing community of qualified CAF feedback experts (EFAC). Additionally, a tailored training program for 15 quality managers, EFAC Starter and EFAC Advanced, was developed and implemented for Slovenia.
CAF Facilitator Training
A customised training programme for quality managers was provided through development of the Certified CAF Facilitator Training. In addition to offerings in the open seminar programme, in-house CAF trainings were also implemented on an international level (e.g., Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Egypt, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, etc.)
CAF Practitioners Network
With the CAF Practitioners Network, the CAF Centre at KDZ has launched the first international CAF network, inviting CAF users from around the world to regular moderated exchanges and to further develop their skills. In a total of five online events, the international CAF community was expanded to approximately 100 participants from 16 different countries.
CAF implementations
CAF was implemented successfully in a total of 15 Austrian and international projects.
MEMBERS
SPONSORING KDZ MEMBERS
CITIES/MUNICIPALITIES
Abtenau
Adnet
Altach
Altlengbach
Altenberg bei Linz
Altmünster
Amaliendorf-Aalfang
Ampflwang i.H.
Amstetten
Ansfelden
Arnoldstein
Aschach an der Donau
Asperhofen
Asten
Atzenbrugg
Au am Leithaberge
Bad Aussee
Bad Goisern
Bad Ischl
Bad Radkersburg
Bad Vigaun
Bad Vöslau
Baden
Bad Pirawarth
Bärnbach
Berg
Bergheim
Berndorf
Biedermannsdorf
Bludenz
Böheimkirchen
Brand-Laaben
Braunau
Bregenz
Brixlegg
Bruck/Mur
Bruck an der Großglocknerstraße
Brunn/Gebirge
Buchkirchen
Bürmoos
Deutschfeistritz
Dornbirn
Ebenau
Ebreichsdorf
Eferding
Eisenstadt
Elixhausen
Engerwitzdorf
Enns
Erlauf
Eugendorf
Fehring
Feldbach
Feldkirch
Fischamend
Fohnsdorf
Frankenburg a. HR.
Frastanz
Frauenkirchen
Freistadt
Frohnleiten
Fürstenfeld
Gablitz
Gänserndorf
Gallneukirchen
Gaming
Gampern
Gars/Kamp
Gaschurn
Gattendorf
Gerasdorf b. Wien
Gloggnitz Gmünd
Gmunden
Goldegg
Gols
Gratkorn
Gratwein-Straßengel
Graz
Gröbming
Grödig
Grosshöflein
Gumpoldskirchen
Gunskirchen
Guntramsdorf
Güssing
Hallein
Heiligenkreuz im Lafnitztal
Henndorf am Wallersee
Hernstein
Hinterbrühl
Hofamt Priel
Hof bei Salzburg
Hohenems
Hopfgarten
Hofstetten-Grünau
Hornstein
Innsbruck
Irdning-Donnersbachtal
Judenburg
Kaltenleutgeben
Kapfenberg
Kennelbach
Kirchberg-Thening
Kirchdorf a.d. Krems
Klagenfurt
Klausen-Leopoldsdorf
Klosterneuburg
Knittelfeld
Köflach
Korneuburg
Kottingbrunn
Krems
Kremsmünster
Krumbach
Kufstein
Kumberg
Laakirchen
Lamprechtshausen
Landeck
Längenfeld/Tirol
Langenlois
Langenzersdorf
Lassee
Laxenburg
Lanzenkirchen
Leibnitz
Lendorf
Leoben
Leobendorf
Leobersdorf
Leonding
Lichtenau im Waldviertel
Lienz
Liezen
Linz
Loipersdorf
Loosdorf
Lustenau
Magdalensberg
Mannersdorf am Leithagebirge
Maria Enzersdorf
Maria Saal
Mariazell
Markt Allhau
Mattersburg
Mattighofen
Mattsee
Mauthausen
Micheldorf in Oberösterreich
Mistelbach
Mitterndorf an der Fischa
Mittersill
Mödling
Mörbisch
Mürzzuschlag
Nenzing
Neudörfl
Neufeld an der Leitha
Neuhofen/Krems
Neuhofen/Ybbs
Neulengbach
Neunkirchen
Neusiedl/See
Nickelsdorf
Niederndorf
Nußdorf-Debant
Oberalm
Ober-Grafendorf
Oberndorf in Tirol
Oberpullendorf
Oberwaltersdorf
Oberwart
Olbendorf
Ossiach
Pasching
Passail
Perchtoldsdorf
Persenbeug-Gottsdorf
Perg
Pfaffstätten
Pöchlarn
Pregarten
Prellenkirchen
Pressbaum
Puch bei Hallein
Puchenau
Pupping
Purkersdorf
Rankweil
Regau
Reutte
Rohrbach in Oberösterreich
Rosegg
Rum
Rust/Neusiedler See Saalfelden am Steinernen Meer
Salzburg
Schärding
Scharnstein
Scheibbs
Schladming
Schwadorf
Schwechat
Seekirchen
Semriach
Sieghartskirchen
Spittal/Drau
Sankt Andrä/Lavanttal
Sankt Andrä-Wördern
Sankt Barbara im Mürztal
Sankt Florian am Inn
Sankt Georgen
Sankt Jakob im Rosental
Sankt Johann i.d.Haide
Sankt Johann/Tirol
Sankt Peter am Kammersberg
Sankt Peter in der Au
Sankt Pölten
Sankt Thomas am Blasenstein
Sankt Ulrich bei Steyr
Sankt Valentin
Seiersberg-Pirka
Stadl-Paura
Stanz im Mürztal
Stetten
Steyr
Steyregg
Stockerau
Straß in der Steiermark
Straßwalchen
Strobl am Wolfgangsee
Schwertberg
Tamsweg
Teesdorf
Telfs
Ternitz
Thal
Thalheim/Wels
Traisen
Traiskirchen
Traismauer
Traun
Traunkirchen
Trieben
Trofaiach
Tulln
Tullnerbach
Uttendorf
Villach
Vöcklabruck
Vöcklamarkt
Voitsberg
Vösendorf
Waidhofen/Thaya
Waidhofen/Ybbs
Waidmannsfeld
Wald im Pinzgau
Waldhausen im Strudengau
Walding
Wallern im Burgenland
Wartberg ob der Aist
Weissenbach/Tr.
Wels
Werfenweng
Weyer
Wiener Neudorf
Wiener Neustadt
Wieselburg
Wieselburg-Land
Wilhelmsburg
Wolfsberg
Wolfurt
Wolkersdorf i. Weinv.
Wörgl
Zell am See
Zeltweg
Zwentendorf an der Donau
Zwettl
INSTITUTIONS
ARGE der Stadtamtsdirektoren, Lower Austria
BANK AUSTRIA
Federal Chamber of Labour
Erste Bank Sparkassen AG
EURAC Research
GBV – Austrian Federation of Limited-Profit Housing Associations Krems Municipal Association (Gemeindeverband Krems)
Municipal Association for Waste Management in the Schwechat area (Gemeindeverband für Abfallwirtschaft im Raum Schwechat)
Zwettl Municipal Association (Gemeindeverband Zwettl)
Federation of Austrian Industry
Carinthian Fire Fighter Association (Kärntner Landesfeuerwehrverband)
Community Management Academy of Lower Austria
Communal Joint Office for Administrative Management (KGSt)
Land Carinthia, Dpt. 3 Municipalities and Disaster Management
Land Styria, Dpt. 17 Land and regional development
Land Salzburg, Dpt. 1 Economy, Tourism and Municipalities Department
Land Vorarlberg, IIIa Financial Issues and IIIc Auditing
Vorarlberg Court of Audit
Lebenshilfe Bruck – Kapfenberg gemeinnützige GmbH
Lebenshilfe Ennstal
Lebenshilfe Leoben
Lebenshilfe Mürztal
Upper Austrian Court of Audit
Association of Austrian Cities and Towns
Raiffeisenlandesbank Burgenland und Revisionsverband eGen
Raiffeisenlandesbank Niederösterreich-Wien AG
Regional Planning Association Großes Walsertal
Salzburg Court of Audit
Tyrol Court of Audit
Association of Social Democrats Community Representatives in Lower Austria (Verband sozialdemokratischer Gemeindevertreter in NÖ)
Verein Region Vorderland Feldkirch
Vorarlberg Association of Municipalities (Vorarlberger Gemeindeverband)
Wiener Städtische Versicherung
PRESIDENCY OF KDZ
Matthias Stadler, Mayor of St. Pölten (President)
Stefan Schmuckenschlager, Mayor of Klosterneuburg (Vice President)
MANAGEMENT BOARD
Wolfgang Figl, UniCredit Bank Austria AG
Angelika Flatz, CEO Wiener Wohnen Kundenservice GmbH, City of Vienna
Christian Kemperle, Federal Ministry for Arts, Culture, the Civil Service and Sport (until 15 February 2023)
Tina Blöchl, Vice Mayor of the City of Linz
Martin Pospischill, Municipal Department of the City of Vienna
Matthias Tschirf
Thomas Weninger, Association of Austrian Cities and Towns
New members 2023
WE PROMOTE THE SHARING OF KNOWLEDGE AS AN ESSENTIAL ELEMENT OF COOPERATION
ADA – Austrian Development Agency
CAF – European Experts Group
CEMR – Council of European Municipalities and Regions
CEP – European Policy Centre
Cooperation OGD Austria
Council of Europe – Congress of Local and Regional Authorities
Fiscal Advisory Council Austria
Management Forum for Innovative Public Service
Foster Europe
IDM – Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe
IFIP – Department of Public Finance and Infrastructure Policy of TU Wien
KGSt – Communal Joint Office for Administrative Management
KMA – Knowledge Management Austria
Kompetenzzentrum für Alltagsökonomie (Competence Centre for Foundational Economy)
NALAS – Network of Associations of Local Authorities of South-East Europe
OECD – Sigma
ÖVG – Österreichische Verwaltungswissenschaftliche Gesellschaft (Austrian Administrative Society)
PA 10 – EU Strategy for the Danube Region
RESPA – Regional School of Public Administration
UCLG – CIB – Capacity and Institutions Building (United Cities and Local Governance)
VÖWG – Austrian Association for Public and Social Economy, Vienna
WIFO – Austrian Institute for Economic Research
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BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2021–2024
Elisabeth ALBER, EURAC Research, Bolzano
Peter BIEGELBAUER, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH
Professor Geert BOUCKAERT, Public Governance Institute of KU Leuven
Stefan BRUCKBAUER, Bank Austria
Professor Peter BUSSJÄGER, University of Innsbruck, Institute for Public Law, Constitutional and Administrative Studies; Institute for Federalism
Professor Franziska CECON, University of Applied Sciences, Linz
Professor Thomas DÖRING, University of Darmstadt
Professor Michael GETZNER, TU Wien, Public Finance and Infrastructure Policy
Marc GROSS, KGST Cologne
Peter GRÜNENFELDER, auto-schweiz
Chief Executive Director Martin HAIDVOGL, City of Graz
Professor Gerhard HAMMERSCHMID, Hertie School of Governance, Berlin
Alfred HEITER, Federation of Austrian Industry
Professor Dennis HILGERS, Johannes Kepler University of Linz, Institute of Public and Nonprofit Management
Klemens HIMPELE, CIO City of Vienna
Petra HIRSCHLER, TU Wien, Institute of Spatial Planning
Professor Michael HOLOUBEK, WU Vienna, Institute for Austrian and European Public Law
Mario HOLZNER, Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies (WIIW)
Thomas KOSTAL, WU Vienna, Institute for Public Sector Economics
Michael KREMSER, City of Vienna, Municipal Department 5 – Financial Affairs
Professor Andreas LADNER, University of Lausanne, Swiss Graduate School of Public Administration †
Stefan August LÜTGENAU, Foster Europe, Foundation for Strong European Regions, Eisenstadt
Professor Verena MADNER, WU Vienna, Department of Socioeconomics, Research Institute for Urban Management and Governance
Heidrun MAIER-DE KRUIJFF, Austrian Association for Public and Social Economy, Vienna
Chief Executive Director Markus MATSCHEK, Office of the Carinthian Government
Professor Ines MERGEL, University of Konstanz, Department of Politics and Public Administration
Professor Renate MEYER, WU Vienna, Institute for Organisation Studies
Professor Jan-Hinrik MEYER-SAHLING, PhD, University of Nottingham, School of Politics and International Relations
Bernhard MÜLLER, Urban Forum
Professor Ulf PAPENFUSS, Zeppelin University Friedrichshafen, Chair of Public Management & Public Policy
Professor Marga PRÖHL, Federal Ministry of the Interior and Speyer University
Sebastian SCHÄFFER, Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe (IDM)
Margit SCHRATZENSTALLER-ALTZINGER, WIFO Vienna
Tobias SCHWEITZER, Vienna Chamber of Labour
Professor Kathrin STAINER HÄMMERLE, Carinthia University of Applied Sciences
Professor Erich THÖNI, University of Innsbruck
Mario WIEDEMANN, Bertelsmann Foundation, Livable Communities
Professor Jurgen WILLEMS, WU Vienna, Institute for Public Management und Governance
INNOVATIONS
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10-YEAR MILESTONE FOR TRANSPARENCY PLATFORM WWW.OFFENERHAUSHALT.AT
In October 2023, the transparency platform www.offenerhaushalt.at celebrated its 10-year anniversary. With great pride, we look back on a decade that has passed swiftly by.
When the platform launched in October 2013, data from three municipalities was published. In the following months, this quickly changed, and by December 2013, we had already welcomed the 100th municipality on board our platform. The 500th municipality published its data in June 2014, and we welcomed the 1,000th municipality to the platform in June 2018.
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Similarly in 2023, a number of municipalities made their data available on www.offenerhaushalt. at for the first time. These new municipalities numbered 74, bringing the total number of municipalities represented on the platform to 1,488 by the end of 2023. That translates to roughly 70 percent of all Austrian municipalities. In other words, some 7.7 million Austrians, or about 85 percent of all Austrian citizens, live in cities and municipalities with transparent data on www.offenerhaushalt.at.
Over the past 10 years, we have also received several awards for our transparency platform. For example, the Austrian national multimedia and e-business award (Staatspreis Multimedia und
e-Business), winning the e-Health, e-Government, Citizen Services, and Open Data category, or the World Summit Award, winning the government & citizen engagement category.
Over the years, numerous innovations have been introduced or implemented on the platform, such as the KDZ Quick Test. Furthermore, we were able to expand and enhance data upload options for cities and municipalities. One significant change we’ve had to implement on the platform in recent years was the transition in 2019 from the cash-based system of the Budgetary and Accounting Regulation 1997 (VRV 1997) to the three-component budget system of the VRV 2015.
Transparent Municipal Associations
In the anniversary year of 2023, the platform was expanded with the support of our project partners to include the large sector of municipal associations. With this expansion, a part of the outsourced municipal areas is now represented on www.offenerhaushalt.at, in addition to municipal financial data. Since the launch of the expansion in June 2023, 21 municipal associations have uploaded and unlocked their data on the platform.
As we enter 2024, we embark on the second decade of the www.offenerhaushalt.at platform. We are hopeful that the upcoming decade will be just as dynamic and exciting as the past 10 years have been, bringing plenty of new enhancements.
Come on board and publish your municipality’s or your municipal association’s financial data too, thus contributing to greater transparency.
KDZ WHITE PAPER ‘RESILIENT MUNICIPALITIES’
What tools do municipal decision-makers need to strengthen the resilience of their own municipality and region? Experts from KDZ and municipal practitioners examined this question thoroughly within the framework of the KDZ Competence Network ‘Resiliente Gemeinden’ (resilient municipalities). The findings have been compiled into a white paper, providing municipalities with a roadmap for reflecting on their own resilience.
The beginning of this publication highlights the greatest challenges that municipalities will face. These include demographic change, climate change, digitalisation, as well as unexpected acute stress situations (such as the pandemic or the energy crisis). It is intended as an initial guide to help municipalities identify their own weaknesses. The proposed measures are examined in the white paper from three perspectives.
The first perspective sheds light on municipal administration as an organisation. How can municipalities further enhance their organisational resilience for future crises? Areas such as sustainable staff management and a new understanding of leadership were addressed in this part. Processes in the public sector are becoming increasingly digital, leading to changes in the organisational and communication structures surrounding them.
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It is important to proactively and holistically shape the organisation to keep up with these transformations.
The second perspective encompasses the consideration of municipalities as part of local government. It involves the targeted promotion of social capital as a crucial factor for the functioning and coexistence of local municipalities. There are various forms of citizen participation that lend themselves to crafting collectively endorsed solutions for the future. This can awaken potentials in society and build trust between stakeholders. In terms of resilience, the good relationship between administration, politics, and the local public is a central pillar of municipal action.
Resilience does not end at the municipal border either. People live and work in functional spaces. The actions of municipal players at the regional level are not only gaining importance but are indispensable for addressing the challenges of demographic development or climate change. Therefore, regionality and inter-municipal cooperation are seen as an opportunity to meet future challenges. Prerequisites for this are network orientation and multi-level coordination, to collectively enhance the robustness and resilience of the region.
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Our thanks go to all the individuals who have shared and exchanged their knowledge within the competence network. In 2024, KDZ will continue to address topics through the competence network to strengthen municipal resilience.
Have we sparked your interest? The complete publication, including examples from practitioners in Austrian cities and municipalities can be found at https://www.kdz.eu/de/resiliente-gemeinden.
SELECTION OF PUBLICATIONS AND STUDIES
INFORMATION & ORDERING
Martina Henickl Anna Schubert bibliothek@kdz.or.at
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Wirth, Klaus; Hochholdinger, Nikola; Jonas, Marion; Taumberger, Miriam: Österreichs Städte in Zahlen 2023 (Austria’s cities in numbers 2023). Vienna, 2023.
Rupp, Christian; Weixlbraun Verena; Jana Belcheva Andreevska: Empowering Progress with Digital Transition in Western Balkan and Moldova Local Governments. 2023.
Hochholdinger, Nikola; Jonas, Marion; Mitterer, Karoline; Yildirim-Metz, Kesira: Fact Sheets: Soziales und Pflege (fact sheets: social and care issues) Vienna, 2023.
Biwald, Peter; Maimer, Alexander; Pichler, Dalilah; Wirth, Klaus: Auswirkungen der Teuerung auf die Gemeindefinanzen (impact of price hikes on municipal finances). Vienna, 2023.
Mitterer, Karoline; Pichler, Dalilah: Fact Sheets: Finanzausgleich kompakt 2023 (fact sheets: fiscal equalisation 2023, compact). Vienna, 2023.
Prorok, Thomas; Schantl, Alexandra; Hochholdinger, Nikola: Subnational Government in the Western Balkans. 2023.
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Prorok, Thomas; Parzer, Philip; Schantl, Alexandra; Weixlbraun, Verena: More Resilient Public Administration after Covid-19 2023.
Wirth, Klaus; Weixlbraun, Verena; Taumberger, Miriam: Personalknappheit im Bereich der Elementarpädagogik (staff shortages in early childhood education). Vienna, 2023.
Stafa, Elton; Kelmend, Zajazi; Prorok, Thomas: Local Government Finance Indicators in South-East Europe. 2023.
Mitterer, Karoline; Biwald, Peter; Jonas, Marion; Pichler, Dalilah: Stadtdialog – Österreichische Gemeindefinanzen 2023 – Entwicklungen 2012 bis 2021 sowie Ausblick (urban dialogue – Austrian municipal finances 2023 – developments 2012 to 2021 and outlook). Vienna, 2023.
Hochholdinger, Nikola; Mitterer, Karoline; Yildirim-Metz, Kesira: Finanzierung des ÖPNV in österreichischen Städten (financing public transport in Austrian cities). Vienna, 2023.
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FIRST STOP
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