Społeczna perspektywa oceny organów samorządu terytorialnego – zagadnienia wybrane

The reactivation and functioning of local government in Poland are accompanied by the process of building and strengthening civil society. The subject of social control is also the local government, its bodies, but also councillors and local government employees. In our legal order, there is still a complex catalogue of instruments of this control that applies only to local government. It is an institutional (having a clear normative basis) form of social control over the local government. However, a feature of social control is also the use of non-institutional forms, among which social opinion occupies a special place. Although it is a non-legal control, its results may (and do) have specific importance in the legal sphere. It is clearly appreciated in politics, while in local government the importance of social opinion is not yet common. Undoubtedly, public opinion is increasingly appreciated by commune heads (mayors, city presidents). The purpose of the article is to search for an answer to the question about the appreciation of the importance of public opinion by councillors. As the above-mentioned example illustrates, there are attitudes among councillors that raise serious concern, indicating that the importance of this form of control is underestimated. This situation requires a change in the social and legal awareness of councillors.