Barriers to development of small county centres. The case of Brzozów

The increase in disproportions in economic development and the faster dynamic of development of urban agglomerations leads to stagnation or socio-economic crisis of small towns located outside urban agglomerations and those small towns whose economic functions are based on close economic links with rural surroundings. Such small urban centres suffer from permanent negative trends of demographic and social development combined with the lack of perspectives for economic growth. These trends may be slowed down or reversed if broadly understood local community is able to make use of new development trends emerging in Poland after 1989. The currently observed main factors deciding on the level of local development presented in the article show that for small towns located outside the sphere of influence of larger urban agglomerations – such as Brzozów – there are no easy solutions which would transform their development path into a more favourable one. Such state of affairs is connected with the compounding of negative factors of development of both internal and external character. Development perspectives of Brzozów would be significantly better if transport access to Rzeszów – the regional growth centre – and to town of Krosno – a growth centre of sub-regional importance – improved. On the one hand, it would mean an improved possibility of access to more diversified labour markets, on the other, residential and recreational attractiveness of Brzozów County (powiat) could grow, taking into account its above regional and above national average qualities. For towns such as Brzozów the key to success also consists of strengthening the local development resources, such as well educated and dynamic residents. People returning from abroad, richer in experiences, with a positive attitude and a capital to invest, who seem to be more prone to actively engage in the local small business sector may be regarded as such future chance for development.