Modification of cost keeping in rural communes as an alternative to performance-based budgeting

Abstract

Regardless of times we live in, customs or a governmental system, certain patterns related to control over public spending are passed on to next generations. Commune council is the basic local government unit, which is obliged to perform its own and ordered tasks of both obligatory and non-obligatory nature. Nowadays, the financial activity of communes is influenced by sudden and often controversial changes in law, which makes it particularly difficult to satisfy social needs. Constant attempts to make the society aware of overemployment within administrative bodies cause problems related to practical implementation of all changes introduced by legislative bodies in the area of budget planning and reporting. Many rural communes would be interested in introduction of a performance-based budgeting, yet, due to lack of personnel responsible for this kind of analyses, they are not able to implement this modern management method. This article discusses an innovative solution based on use of the already functioning cost keeping method in rural communes, which constitutes an alternative to performance-based budgeting and does not require increase of expenses related to employment of additional staff. The issue is very important, since communes dealing with financial problems related to introduction of new financial regulations limiting their deficit should declare all perofrmed tasks and expenses. The proposed method enables preparation of statements on actual and full costs related to task performance and control over the accepted value of the plan. It also prevents from exceeding the expenditure plan within each budget classification section.