SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND MUNICIPALITIES TERRITORIAL PLANNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM TRANSFORMATION: CHELYABINSK REGION URBAN DISTRICTS

Abstract

Introduction. The article is devoted to the key problem of coordinating the processes of strategic socio-economic and territorial planning at the regional and municipal levels in the context of a change in the management system in the Russian Federation. The study is particularly relevant due to a fundamental change in legislation – the transition from a decentralized management model (Federal Law – 131) to a centralized one (Federal Law – 33). This transition requires not only an analysis of the readiness of regional systems for the upcoming transformation, but also identification of potential risks and advantages of the new management system. The scientific novelty of the research lies in the development of a typology of municipal management models, the establishment of a direct correlation between the municipality's resource basis and the quality of planning, as well as the identification of an imbalance between the formal information of citizens and their real involvement in the decision-making process, which is important for increasing the legitimacy of urban planning policy.

Materials and methods. The empirical basis of the study was the urban districts of the Chelyabinsk region. The methodology is based on a systematic approach that includes a comparative analysis of the organizational structures of local governments based on official administrative data (structures, regulations on departments), data on budgets and population. The analysis of statistical data from official public surveys on satisfaction with the quality of management for the period 2019–2024 and data from the digital transformation rating has been carried out as well.

Results and conclusions. In the course of the research, a typology of organizational management models has been developed, including a model of functional alignment, partial and complete functional differentiation. A direct correlation has been established between the complexity of the administrative model, depending on the resource base of the municipality, and the quality of the study of highly specialized issues of territorial planning. An analysis of the dynamics of population satisfaction revealed a decrease in the overall indicator in 2024 after a period of growth. A specific imbalance has been found between the high level of formal informing of citizens through digital platforms and their low real involvement in the decision-making process.

Discussion. The results obtained during the study indicate that the identified heterogeneity of existing management models (functional combination, partial and complete differentiation) is due to the resource basis and scale of each municipality. This fact indicates that a unified approach to the centralization of powers, without taking into account the specifics of local conditions, will be potentially ineffective and may lead to the destabilization of municipal government. Consequently, the success of the innovations provided for by the Federal Law of 03/20/2025 Federal Law № 33 – Federal Law will depend entirely on the ability of regional authorities to develop and build a differentiated and flexible system of interaction with municipalities based on their typology and actual capabilities. This implies not only the redistribution of functions, but also the creation of support mechanisms, methodological support and selective delegation of powers to those municipalities that have sufficient resources and personnel basis for their effective implementation. The key challenge for the new centralized system is bridging the gap between formal information and real citizen engagement, which is necessary to increase the legitimacy of urban planning decisions.