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This public authority network has the task of coordinating the needs of local associations
and incorporating these into the LOS process. The network of public authorities is
involved in the development and continuation of the action plan strategy and is
represented in the accompanying committee.
A local coordination office is established in one of the public authorities participating in
the network. The relevant department releases an administrative member of staff for this
purpose; 20 % of the LOS development fund can also be claimed as material expenditure
for the coordination office. The local coordination office has a central role: it manages and
controls the local implementation of the programmes, is responsible for the local transfer
of information within the area and for the acquisition and consultancy service for the
organisations involved in the micro-projects. Further responsibilities include development
fund accounting and public relations work to inform the public of the local action plan
activities.
The local network also participates in the implementation of LOS in the development
area – the network should become particularly involved in the compilation and
continuation of the action plan and is also represented in the accompanying committee.
The local network is not an institutionalised body, but a loose federation of actors with
responsibility within the development area such as social institutions, schools, clubs,
associations and organisations, individuals, inhabitants, target group representatives,
businesses and church parishes.
As mentioned above, support for micro-projects is organised locally and not determined
on a national basis by the federal ministry or federal coordination office. The selection of
micro-projects is undertaken by the accompanying committee in each development area
which should in addition to representatives from public authorities also primarily include
civil society actors, particularly representatives from the appropriate target groups and local
inhabitants. These persons are not only the addressees of the project, but also participate in
the decision-making processes concerning these projects. Local inhabitants should also be
involved in the creation and continuation of the local action plan strategy. The direct
involvement of the target group and/or inhabitants of the development area as active codesigners
is a special feature of LOS which has been implemented in all development areas.
Additionally, a balanced distribution of interest groups can be established in the LOS
accompanying committees.
The LOS concept of local programme implementation is pursuing both a top-down
approach with local involvement and a bottom-up approach through the involvement of
civil society actors.
Implementation
A total of ca. 87 million € was available for the implementation of LOS in the previous
four development periods. A further 24 million € is planned for the fifth development
period beginning on 01.07.2007. Originally, three phases with funds of ca. 40 million €
were foreseen; this is evidence that LOS has become a successful factor in Germany.
A total of 287 local action plans in 200 local and regional authorities have been
supported for up to four years. 11,937 micro-projects have already been set up and have
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