Inception Report – Action plan – Banská Bystrica, Slovak Republic, 2024 – 2026
Overview
Name of Evaluator
Eva Schon
Member Name
Banská Bystrica, Slovak Republic
Action PlanAction plans are at the core of a government’s participation in OGP. They are the product of a co-creation process in which government and civil society jointly develop commitments to open government ... Title
Action plan – Banská Bystrica, Slovak Republic, 2024 – 2026
Section 1.
Compliance with
co-creation requirements
1.1 Does a forum exist?
Yes
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
The development of the Action Plan was built on the evaluation of activities implemented under the first Action Plan during the period from June 2023 to June 2024.
The co-creation processCollaboration between government, civil society and other stakeholders (e.g., citizens, academics, private sector) is at the heart of the OGP process. Participating governments must ensure that a dive... involved a diverse range of stakeholders, including the leadership of the City of Banská Bystrica, municipal staff, members of the Cooperation Council, and representatives of the expert community engaged through workshops held as part of the international Human Forum conference.
The process also drew on the knowledge and experience of international partners involved in the Agents of Coexistence project. In addition, the draft Action Plan was presented and discussed at a public meeting with city residents, who had the opportunity to provide comments and feedback on the proposed commitments.
Provide references here (e.g. interviews):
Open Government Action Plans in Banská Bystrica
1.2 Is the forum multi-stakeholder?
Yes
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
Representatives of the local government, municipal officials, and members of the City Council participated in the preparation and development of the Action Plan.
An important role was played by the Cooperation Council, which brings together a diverse range of stakeholders, including representatives of academia, students, active citizens, non-governmental organizations, and civic associations. From this perspective, the preparation of the Action Plan involved a broad and diverse group of actors.
In terms of proportional representation across sectors, however, broader engagement of the private sectorGovernments are working to open private sector practices as well — including through beneficial ownership transparency, open contracting, and regulating environmental standards. Technical specificatio... More was limited. The wider public was involved in the co-creation process through a public consultation.
The Action Plan was also co-created using insights and experience from the Agents of Coexistence project, including contributions from inspiring representatives of international partner cities.
Provide references here (e.g. interviews):
Open Government Action Plans in Banská Bystrica
1.3 Does the forum hold at least one meeting with civil society and non-governmental stakeholders during the co-creation of the action plan?
Yes
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
The development of the Action Plan was guided by the principles of open government. The co-creation process was carried out through 12 participatory meetings and dialogue sessions involving a diverse range of stakeholders.
Representatives of civil society participated in at least four of these activities, including meetings with the Co-Laboratory Council, a public meeting with residents, and a workshop held as part of the international Human Forum conference.
Provide references here (e.g. interviews):
Collaboratory Council / Urban Local Group of the Agents of Coexistence Project
1.4 Has the action plan been endorsed by the stakeholders of the forum or steering committeeThe Steering Committee is OGP’s executive decision-making body. Its role is to develop, promote and safeguard OGP’s values, principles and interests; establish OGP’s core ideas, policies, and rules; a.../group?
Yes
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
Based on the information currently available on the OGP Local Banská Bystrica webpage, it is not possible to clearly identify the specific individuals responsible for coordinating the development of the Open Government Action Plan. For future cycles, we therefore recommend clearly indicating who served as the overall coordinator of the process.
However, based on interviews with the relevant stakeholders, it can be clearly established that a small core team was responsible for managing the participatory co-creation process. This team consisted of Ms S. Kariková and Ms E. Mazancová, who, drawing on the outcomes of the participatory activities and the evaluation of the previous Open Government Action Plan, prepared the written version of the new Action Plan. The final version of the Action Plan was approved by the Mayor and the Banská Bystrica City Council.
At the same time, given the complexity of both the Action Plan co-creation process and its subsequent implementation, we recommend strengthening staff capacity dedicated to OGP. There is scope to establish one position primarily responsible for providing OGP-related support to municipal departments, as well as an additional position focused on direct community engagement and on communicating information to residents in a clear and accessible way.
Provide references here (e.g. interviews):
Strategic Vision of the Open Government Action Plan for the City of Banská Bystrica, 2024–2026
Interview with the authors of the Action Plan, Ms Kariková and Ms Mazancová, conducted on 21 and 28 November 2024.
Section 2.
Recommended practices
in co-creation
2.1 Does the government maintain a Local OGP website or webpage on a government website where information on the OGP Local process (co-creation and implementation) is proactively published?
Unclear
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
OGP Local Banská Bystrica has a dedicated webpage hosted within the official website of the City of Banská Bystrica (www.banskabystrica.sk). The webpage is publicly accessible online and provides information on the local process of developing and implementing the Action Plan, as well as documentation related to its implementation.
However, the webpage does not clearly indicate when individual pieces of information were published. It is therefore not possible to fully assess whether information is being disclosed proactively and on a regular basis. Updates were generally published following specific activities rather than at regular intervals.
More active communication takes place through the Facebook profile “Open Government Initiative in Banská Bystrica”, where information is usually shared several times per month. The profile also includes a link to the official webpage mentioned above.
Provide references here (e.g. interviews):
Open Government Partnership (OGP)
Facebook page OGP Banska Bystrica
2.2 Did the government provide information to stakeholders in advance to facilitate informed and prepared participation in the co-creation process?
Unclear
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
Separate meeting formats were prepared for the different stakeholder groups, and the communication approach was adapted accordingly, both in terms of informing participants about the purpose of the planned meetings and sharing their outcomes.
The first set of meetings focused on gathering stakeholder input on the priorities and areas that should be addressed in the Action Plan. At this stage, there was therefore less need to circulate extensive materials or background documents in advance.
The second set of meetings focused on identifying priority areas while already building on the outputs of the previous discussions. These findings were presented during the meetings and reviewed by the participating stakeholders, rather than being shared in advance.
Provide references here (e.g. interviews):
Interview with the authors of the Action Plan, Ms Kariková and Ms Mazancová, conducted on 21 and 28 November 2024.
2.3 Did the government ensure that any interested member of the public could make inputs into the action plan and observe or have access to decision-making documentation?
Yes
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
Based on the information available on the OGP Local Banská Bystrica webpage, it can be confirmed that members of the public were provided with an opportunity to submit comments and input through a workshop format. A public presentation of the proposed measures for inclusionOGP participating governments are working to create governments that truly serve all people. Commitments in this area may address persons with disabilities, women and girls, lesbian, gay, bisexual, tr... More in the Action Plan also took place, accompanied by a participatory process through which members of the public could suggest additional measures and contribute to their further development.
The Action Plan co-creation process was also linked to the development of an action plan within the “Agents of Coexistence” network, which focuses on promoting innovative approaches to societal challenges and on fostering inclusive local policymaking through the active involvement of residents.
Outputs from the individual participatory meetings were published on an ongoing basis on the City of Banská Bystrica website, within the dedicated OGP Local Banská Bystrica webpage.
Provide references here (e.g. interviews):
Minutes of the Cooperative Council/ULG Group II Meeting
Open Government Partnership (OGP) initiative – Agents for Coexistence.
2.4 Did the government proactively report back or provide written feedback to stakeholders on how their contributions were considered during the creation of the action plan?
Yes
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
Based on interviews conducted with members of the project team, it can be concluded that feedback to stakeholders on how their contributions were taken into account in the development of the Action Plan was provided primarily verbally during the organised meetings.
Following each meeting, a follow-up email was also sent to all participating stakeholders, including a summary of the discussion and the key outputs of the meeting.
However, stakeholders were not provided with written feedback specifically explaining how individual comments or suggestions on the Action Plan had been addressed or incorporated.
Provide references here (e.g. interviews):
Interview with the authors of the Action Plan, Ms Kariková and Ms Mazancová, conducted on 21 and 28 November 2024.
2.5 Was there an iterative dialogue and shared ownership between government and non-governmental stakeholders during the decision making process, including setting the agenda?
Yes
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
The 2024–2026 Open Government Action Plan, including its commitments and related milestones, was developed on the basis of a series of participatory activities involving a diverse range of stakeholders, including:
the leadership of the Municipal Office;
municipal experts and staff;
members of the Co-Laboratory Council, representing the Municipal Office, elected City Council members, academia, civil society, the private sector, and the project team;
the wider public, including participants in a workshop held as part of the Human Forum.
Dialogue between the local government and stakeholders took place primarily through organised meetings. Records and key outputs from these meetings were subsequently published by the local government on its website.
Provide references here (e.g. interviews):
Open Government Action Plans in Banská Bystrica
Collaboratory Council / Urban Local Group of the Agents of Coexistence Project
2.6 Would you consider the forum to be inclusive and diverse?
Somewhat
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
The forum brought together stakeholders from the public sector, academia, civil society, and the private sector and can therefore be considered inclusive and diverse to a certain extent, reflecting the local government’s efforts to engage a broad range of actors.
Based on interviews conducted with members of the project team, it can also be concluded that outreach extended to groups and organisations working on environmental issues, persons with disabilities, and Roma communities. However, participants from these groups were not specifically identified during the meetings.
It is therefore possible that some individuals from these groups participated indirectly through broader civil society representation, although this cannot be confirmed on the basis of the available evidence.
Provide references here (e.g. interviews):
Collaboratory Council / Urban Local Group of the Agents of Coexistence Project
Interview with the authors of the Action Plan, Ms Kariková and Ms Mazancová, conducted on 21 and 28 November 2024.
Section 3.
Initial evaluation
of commitments
1 CommitmentOGP commitments are promises for reform co-created by governments and civil society and submitted as part of an action plan. Commitments typically include a description of the problem, concrete action... :
Increasing the integration and use of the CoLaboratory tool in the Municipal Office agenda
1.1 Is the commitment verifiable?
Yes
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
The commitment was formulated in response to an identified need to support the systematic integration of participatory approaches into the agenda and practices of the City of Banská Bystrica. It builds on activities implemented under the previous Action Plan.
The commitment is clearly defined in the 2024–2026 Action Plan, including its implementation timeline, required resources and arrangements, and indicators for measuring progress and achievement. It includes appropriately defined milestones for implementation.
At the same time, the commitment is ambitious, and its successful implementation will depend to a significant extent on continued support from the city leadership and on its acceptance and uptake by municipal staff.
At this stage, implementation of the commitment has not yet been evaluated.
1.2 Does the commitment language/activities clearly justify relevanceAccording to the OGP Articles of Governance, OGP commitments should include a clear open government lens. Specifically, they should advance at least one of the OGP values: transparency, citizen partic... to OGP values?
Yes
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
The commitment is clearly and concisely formulated, includes measurable indicators for its implementation, and responds to a genuine need identified by the City of Banská Bystrica. Through its gradual implementation, it expands the opportunities for using the Co-Laboratory platform in actual public policy-making processes and in the co-creation of public services. In this way, it contributes to the objectives of OGP Local, particularly in the areas of participation, transparencyAccording to OGP’s Articles of Governance, transparency occurs when “government-held information (including on activities and decisions) is open, comprehensive, timely, freely available to the public,... More, collaboration, and access to information.
While the formulation of the commitment is sufficiently clear from the perspective of the assessing body, further consideration should be given to whether it is also communicated in a way that is easily understandable to city residents and to different target groups.
1.3 Please select one option that best describes the commitment:
a new regulationGovernment reformers are developing regulations that enshrine values of transparency, participation, and accountability in government practices. Technical specifications: Act of creating or reforming ..., policy, practice or requirement.
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
Although the City of Banská Bystrica has had the Co-Laboratory platform in place for two years, practical tools to support its systematic use are still lacking. This gap could be addressed through an internal directive defining how the Co-Laboratory should be used as a mechanism for the co-creation of public policy, as well as through the establishment of a working group tasked with recommending a concrete approach for integrating participation into the internal processes of the City of Banská Bystrica.
If the use of the Co-Laboratory is successfully embedded in this way, it would represent a new approach both at the policy level and in practical implementation.
From the perspective of Action Plan implementation, however, there remains some uncertainty as to whether the commitment can be fully achieved, particularly in light of potential resistance among municipal staff to changes in established working practices.
1.4 Please select one option that best describes the commitment:
will result in a change of the rules, practices or policies that govern a policy area, public sector and/or relationship between citizens and is binding or institutionalized across government or specific institution(s).
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
As noted above, this activity builds on previous efforts and is intended to support the implementation of a new local policy approach based on the integration of a new participatory mechanism.
However, given the relatively short two-year implementation period, it is possible that the commitment will primarily establish the foundations for future organizational change and for a more comprehensive transformation of local policy-making practices.
1.5 Are there any recommended changes to the design of the commitment to help improve its implementation?
The implementation of the commitment is based on the adoption of an internal directive establishing the Co-Laboratory as an accepted tool for public policy-making. In this context, the successful adoption and implementation of the directive will require the city leadership to endorse its content and act as key guarantors of its implementation, followed by its practical application by municipal staff.
A general risk remains that the commitment may face limited acceptance among employees due to resistance to changes in established organizational and working practices.
We would also recommend a partial revision of the title of the commitment so that it refers to the governance agenda of the City of Banská Bystrica rather than solely to the Municipal Office, as the latter does not fully capture the substance and scope of the commitment.
2 Commitment :
Development of the active base of OGP ambassadors and building capacities to support innovations in open government/ governance
2.1 Is the commitment verifiable?
Yes
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
The commitment was clearly formulated in response to an identified problem, namely the absence of broader and more active support for the OGP Local initiative among local stakeholders. Existing mechanisms, such as the Co-Laboratory and the Co-Laboratory Council, are not sufficiently active, while broader and more systematic support for open government innovation is also lacking within the Municipal Office.
The milestones and implementation timeline related to the fulfillment of the commitment are clearly defined. They include specific outputs that can be measured in order to assess progress, as well as a mechanism for monitoring implementation through an online shared document showing the status of each individual output.
However, based on interviews conducted with members of the project team, it was also found that the status information in the shared document is not updated on a regular basis and that progress is not systematically communicated on an ongoing basis.
2.2 Does the commitment language/activities clearly justify relevance to OGP values?
Yes
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
The defined commitment, its milestones, and expected outputs contribute primarily to strengthening participation and supporting participatory approaches in public policy-making. By promoting innovation in the field of open government, the commitment also creates further opportunities to enhance transparency.
2.3 Please select one option that best describes the commitment:
a continuation of ongoing practice in line with existing legislationCreating and passing legislation is one of the most effective ways of ensuring open government reforms have long-lasting effects on government practices. Technical specifications: Act of creating or r..., policies or requirements.
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
The commitment builds on existing local policy-making mechanisms, namely the Co-Laboratory and the Co-Laboratory Council. In order to strengthen the use and effectiveness of these mechanisms, as well as to increase support from within the Municipal Office, the commitment focuses on developing an active network of OGP ambassadors and building institutional capacity to support innovation in open government.
If successfully implemented, these measures could positively contribute to increasing the visibility, uptake, and practical use of existing participatory mechanisms.
2.4 Please select one option that best describes the commitment:
is a positive change to a process, practice or policy but will not generate a binding or institutionalized change across government or specific institution(s).
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
Through its milestones and expected outputs, the commitment will directly contribute to strengthening both the level of activity and the capacity of existing local policy-making mechanisms. At the same time, it is expected to make a positive contribution to the development and uptake of innovation in the field of open government.
2.5 Are there any recommended changes to the design of the commitment to help improve its implementation?
As part of the implementation of this commitment, greater attention could be given to the more active and regular publication of information on the dedicated webpage, including updates on the current status of individual outputs and clear indication of the dates on which information was updated and published.
3 Commitment :
Co-creating the housing development program with the support of CoLaboratory
3.1 Is the commitment verifiable?
Yes
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
The third commitment clearly identifies specific objectives, including the application of the Co-Laboratory as a tool to support the co-creation of the Housing Development Programme and the development of cross-sector innovation partnerships for energyEnsuring universal access to sustainable, dependable, and affordable energy is critical to every aspect of prosperity. Increasing public oversight and transparency in the energy sector can help to ens... More sustainability.
The commitment includes clearly defined, verifiable, and measurable milestones, such as the preparation of final evaluation reports and the delivery of workshops. These constitute concrete outputs that make it possible to assess progress in the implementation of the commitment.
At this stage, implementation of the commitment has not yet been subject to ongoing evaluation.
3.2 Does the commitment language/activities clearly justify relevance to OGP values?
Yes
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
The commitment supports key OGP values, including access to information, civic participation, public accountabilityAccording to OGP’s Articles of Governance, public accountability occurs when ”rules, regulations, and mechanisms in place call upon government actors to justify their actions, act upon criticisms or r... More, collaboration, and transparency.
While the formulation of the commitment is sufficiently clear from the perspective of the assessing body, further consideration should be given to whether it is also expressed in a way that is readily understandable to city residents and to different target groups.
3.3 Please select one option that best describes the commitment:
a continuation of ongoing practice in line with existing legislation, policies or requirements.
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
Several elements of the commitment indicate that it builds on existing strategies and policies related to open government and city governance. The commitment contributes to the implementation of priorities defined in the Open Government Roadmap for Banská Bystrica 2030.
The commitment also draws on financial support provided through the Integrated Territorial Strategy for the Functional Urban Area of Banská Bystrica, within the 2021–2027 programming period.
The Co-Laboratory has already been established as a platform to support participation and innovation in the city. This commitment therefore represents an extension of its application to specific policy areas, namely the co-creation of the Housing Development Program and the development of cross-sector innovation partnerships for energy sustainability.
These links confirm that the commitment is not an entirely new initiative, but rather a continuation and further development of existing city policies and strategies in the field of open government.
3.4 Please select one option that best describes the commitment:
will result in a change of the rules, practices or policies that govern a policy area, public sector and/or relationship between citizens and is binding or institutionalized across government or specific institution(s).
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
The commitment represents a significant step towards strengthening participatory processes and cross-sector collaboration. As a participatory tool, the Co-Laboratory has the potential to influence the governance of housing and energy sustainability policies by facilitating cooperation between the local government, residents, civil society organizations, the private sector, and academic institutions.
Activities under the commitment, including a series of workshops and methodological support, may significantly improve the way the city approaches complex policy challenges, both within the scope of the commitment itself and in future policy-making processes.
By applying the Co-Laboratory as a tool to support co-creation processes in selected areas of the Municipal Office’s agenda, the commitment creates scope for changes in internal institutional procedures and working practices.
3.5 Are there any recommended changes to the design of the commitment to help improve its implementation?
We recommend explicitly addressing the potential resistance of Municipal Office staff to the proposed changes. Such resistance is a common challenge when introducing new approaches into established working practices.
For this reason, we recommend organizing workshops for Municipal Office employees focused on explaining the benefits and practical application of the Co-Laboratory, as well as the broader vision and objectives of the OGP initiative. This could help reduce uncertainty while also increasing staff motivation to engage in new participatory processes.
It should also be taken into account that Municipal Office employees need to be actively involved in the implementation of the commitment from an early stage, particularly if the local government intends to apply the Co-Laboratory approach to additional areas of the Municipal Office’s agenda in the future.
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