Anna Grzelak

Abstract

Small towns witness a variety of phenomena and processes that pose challenges to their contemporary and future development. Among these are growing expenditure on social welfare, labour-market problems, the transition out of conventional energy sources in the face of simultaneously increased demand, a shortage of drinkable water, and extreme weather phenomena. Focusing on these problems, the authors took on the task of identifying the relevant perceptions and expectations of authorities in Poland’s small towns.

As the main aim was to indicate the relationship between recognised types of such small towns and the manner in which authorities perceive ongoing processes, the authors developed a survey including 26 trends grouped as social, economic or environmental, which was sent out to representatives of the authorities of selected small towns. The rate of return of the survey in the base year totalled 32% of all the small towns targeted. Analysis of the findings progressed via two steps, with the authors first examining the survey results within each trend/process category. Subsequently, towns were categorised in relation to the selected criteria of economic structure, location, and position in the administrative hierarchy. With such a procedure, it was possible to identify differences of opinion among town authorities that could be related to characteristics of the centres they represented; as well as trends representing the most important development challenges in each category of town across a time horizon extending to 2040.

Examination of the results on social trends specifically reveals that representatives of the authorities in small towns foresee negative demographic phenomena in their settlement units, such as the outflow of young inhabitants and a general decline in population. They assess this phenomenon unfavourably, as they believe it denotes increased welfare expenditure and, consequently, cuts in spending in other areas. When it comes to the economic trends, the majority of local town officials share a belief that their towns’ technical infrastructure is going to improve, with this being beneficial to development in general. Relatively consensually, respondents likewise foresee and view as beneficial an improvement in the purity of the natural environment in their settlement units. The process of expansion of green areas received a similar assessment. However, such a change is no longer expected by respondents in such great numbers. The following phase, an analysis of findings by (structural, hierarchical and location-related) categories of town revealed certain significant differences in survey responses. Respondents from towns of specialised structure are less likely to mention a forecast population loss in their centre, and more likely to anticipate increased demand for energy output. A difference in population forecasts is also evident between representatives of the authorities of peripheral cities and those with good transport accessibility. More-peripheral centres are expecting a population decline. A similar pattern occurs amongst towns categorised in line with administrative criteria. Concluding, the research conducted on development trends in relation to a time horizon of 2040 yields findings stated quite commonly in the subject literature.

The classification of small towns in line with the three criteria of economic structure, location and position in the hierarchy points to societal trends (including issues relating to demographic processes) being associated with the most-divergent attitudes and assessments among respondents. The findings thus confirmed greater optimism relating to the forecast occurrence of trends, and the assessments of their impacts, when those involved represent centres generally characterised by a higher level of socioeconomic development (i.e. of specialised economic structure, featuring good transport accessibility, and enjoying a supra-local status).

Keywords: small towns, development challenges, local government, local development

Jerzy Bański [jbanski@twarda.pan.pl], Instytut Geografii i Przestrzennego Zagospodarowania im. S. Leszczyckiego PAN
Damian Mazurek [d.mazurek@twarda.pan.pl], Instytut Geografii i Przestrzennego Zagospodarowania im. S. Leszczyckiego PAN
Anna Grzelak [a.grzelak@twarda.pan.pl], Instytut Geografii i Przestrzennego Zagospodarowania im. S. Leszczyckiego PAN

Citation

APA: Bański, J., Mazurek, D., & Grzelak, A. (2025). Trendy rozwojowe małych miast w opinii przedstawicieli władz lokalnych. Przegląd Geograficzny, 97(2), 165-186. https://doi.org/10.7163/PrzG.2025.2.3
MLA: Bański, Jerzy, et al. "Trendy rozwojowe małych miast w opinii przedstawicieli władz lokalnych". Przegląd Geograficzny, vol. 97, no. 2, 2025, pp. 165-186. https://doi.org/10.7163/PrzG.2025.2.3
Chicago: Bański, Jerzy, Mazurek, Damian, and Grzelak, Anna. "Trendy rozwojowe małych miast w opinii przedstawicieli władz lokalnych". Przegląd Geograficzny 97, no. 2 (2025): 165-186. https://doi.org/10.7163/PrzG.2025.2.3
Harvard: Bański, J., Mazurek, D., & Grzelak, A. 2025. "Trendy rozwojowe małych miast w opinii przedstawicieli władz lokalnych". Przegląd Geograficzny, vol. 97, no. 2, pp. 165-186. https://doi.org/10.7163/PrzG.2025.2.3