Municipalities’ good governance initiatives submitted for public evaluation

The initiatives that received the highest scores from the jury in the “Good Governance in Municipalities” competition have been selected. Residents will now evaluate the best initiatives from Liepāja, Daugavpils, Ādaži, Valmiera, Cēsis, and Alūksne municipalities, assessing their relevance, usefulness, and benefits for the community. A total of 33 initiatives were submitted to the competition.

The competition is organized to highlight examples of effective, transparent, and resident-oriented governance. The Ombudsman’s Office together with the Civic Alliance of Latvia will visit the municipalities with the highest-rated initiatives until 31 August, gathering residents’ opinions on the impact and importance of the projects. Information about the meetings will follow.

Good Governance in Service Delivery

Residents will evaluate:

• Liepāja City Municipality – improvements to the Liepāja e-services portal, which have increased accessibility and convenience of digital municipal services. The portal now offers 75 e-services and has seen a significant growth in users.
• Daugavpils City Municipality – the QTicket online appointment system, which makes it easier for residents to access municipal specialists. More than 1,300 appointments have been made through the system since its introduction.
• Ādaži Municipality – the competition “A Society with a Soul”, which supports resident-led public benefit projects through municipal co-financing, improving local spaces and community activities.

Good Governance in Communication with Residents

The nominees include:

• Liepāja City Municipality – the election communication campaign “Liepāja Is Your Voice!”, which combined digital communication, accessible information, community involvement, and youth participation.
• Valmiera Municipality – the discussion format “Afternoon with the Mayor”, creating direct dialogue between the municipality, businesses, and residents.
• Ādaži Municipality – the creation of a community expert position, strengthening communication with local communities and supporting resident engagement.

Good Governance in Citizen Engagement

Residents will also evaluate:

• Ādaži Municipality – individual village development plans created together with local communities to support balanced and sustainable development.
• Alūksne Municipality – Community Festivals, developed together with residents, businesses, NGOs, and the municipality to strengthen cooperation and shared responsibility.
• Cēsis Municipality – “Cēsis 2025 – European Capital of Culture”, which involved thousands of residents in cultural activities and community initiatives.

Applications were submitted by municipalities across Latvia, including Liepāja, Valmiera, Daugavpils, Bauska, Ādaži, Cēsis, Jelgava, Riga, and others. The largest number of initiatives focused on citizen engagement and communication, showing municipalities’ growing commitment to involving residents in decision-making.

The competition winners will be announced at the award ceremony on 17 September 2026.

Dalies: