CURRENT TRENDS IN DEVELOPMENT OF PUBLIC SERVICES AND FACILITIES IN MUNICIPALITIES OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC

Proper functioning of public sphere as well as appropriate provision of public services and infrastructure is among other things essential for well-being of the population. The Czech Republic is one of the leading EU countries in terms of availability and quality of services even in smaller municipalities. Awareness of the arisen problems or deficiencies can increase both the interest in their solution and current possibilities to help municipalities. The article deals with drawing results from evaluation of the research in the area of monitoring public services and facilities of the municipalities in the Czech Republic. A comprehensive questionnaire survey was conducted in the course of 2018 and was focused on the municipalities in the South Moravian Region. The state of the technical infrastructure - electricity, gas, water and sewerage systems, wastewater treatment plants (WWTP), transport, communications and other components, whose state and technical sophistication quality most affect the environment for people living in the municipalities, was researched in detail. The aim of the research w as mainly to evaluate, change or correct the information in the database of the South Moravian Region and at the same time to assess some indicators over the six-year period. For example, an increase in the total number of municipalities, a significant increase in the number of municipalities equipped with sewerage systems as well as a more positive response to transport services have been observed. Development of technical infrastructure is rather demanding for municipalities from the financial point of view. Moreover a key role could be played by the region itself, which may be involved in the negotiation about operational programmes. It also has possibilities to mediate contacts between individual municipalities which could subsequently cooperate in the above mentioned areas. The article raises some practical suggestions and recommendations of measures to be adopted in the monitored field of technical infrastructure.