REPRESENTATIVES OF FOUR UK BEACON COUNCILS VISIT BOSNIA

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (September 25,2007) - Yesterday was the first day of a weeklong visit by representatives of four United Kingdom Beacon Councils to Bosnia. The visitors will also participate in the launch of the Third Round of the Bosnian Beacon Scheme in Sarajevo on 27 September 2007.

The Beacon Scheme, launched in 2005 by the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and the Council of Europe, seeks to raise standards in local governance and reward excellence in municipal service delivery to the Bosnian citizens.

Co-operation with the UK Beacon Scheme was essential from the beginning and remains important even as the Scheme has become an integral part of local government in Bosnia,the OSCE Mission to Bosnia said.

This week’s visit re-enforces the good co-operation between the Bosnian and UK Beacon Schemes. It reciprocates the learning exchange visit made by six Bosnian Beacon municipalities – Banja Luka, Posusje, Bosanska Krupa, Laktasi, Pale and Bosanski Samac – to the UK in June 2007. They will now host their peers from Staffordshire Connects, Forest Heath District Council, Lichfield District Council and South Norfolk District Council.

Around 75 per cent of the Bosnian municipalities have been involved in the Beacon Scheme in various ways since its introduction in 2005. Local partners such as the Associations of Towns and Municipalities of Bosnia have contributed to its success.

It is hoped that many municipalities will apply for the Third Round of the Bosnian Beacon Scheme. At the launch event on 27 September, the new themes will be announced and members of the Beacon Scheme advisory panel will explain the application procedure for municipalities willing to compete for Beacon status in the Third Round. The deadline for applications is 16 November 2007,the OSCE said.