Finansowanie inwestycji jako narzędzie sterowania rozwojem układów osadniczych

The superior role of local authorities in the development process of towns and administrative rural communes is commonly recognized and often underlined. It is also sanctioned by appropriate regulations. The present system of planning and managing the development of towns and rural communes is considered to be not sufficiently effective. Thus there should be taken into account possibilities of better application by local authorities of the exiating tools of management, and provision of new tools. Of great importance in this respects is proper allocation of investment outlays for implementation of development programmes as well as poasibilities of local authorities in the area of accumulating financial means and their uae in line with the requirements of a given area. This article is an attempt at estimation of the present system of financing investment projects from the viewpoint of needs of local authorities. It aims at formulating such solutions which might allow the authorities to utilize the financing system of investments in a way promoting increased effectiveness of steering the deyelopment of settlement structures. The methodological scheme of this work was based on simultaneous conducting of researches in two directions, of which one was of a more general character, and of theoretical type, while the other one was largely empirical. The theoretical studies encompassed problems of development of settlement structures and the present financinig system of investment projects. On the other hand, the empirical analysis aimed at determining the subjects and financing sources of the development of a definite settlement structure. The reaults provided by researches conducted in these two directions allowed to perform an assessment of the present situation in the field of financing the development of seetlement structures. Against this background, there wers formulated propositions of changes in the present role played by local authorities in this area, and thus - of changes in the present system of financing investment projects. In the author's opinion they should pave the way for more effective steering of the development of towns and rural administrative communes by local authorities.