Community councils affiliated with regional executive authorities: how to ensure expert balance? (by the example of Sverdlovsk region)[Общественные Советы При Региональных Органах Исполнительной Власти: Как Обеспечить Экспертную Сбалансированность? (На Примере Свердловской Области)]

the article is devoted to the analysis of the composition of public councils affiliated with executive authorities from the point of view of the relationship between experts-professionals who possess specialized (including scientific) knowledge about a particular field of activity of the authorities, and lay experts who have life experience related to this area, including the experience of solving problems and protecting their interests, i.e. are representatives of "concerned communities". The methodological basis of the article is the approach to advisory bodies as a tool for solving the problem of "principal-agent", which allows us to distinguish two main groups of experts. The analysis is complex. The article analyzes legal framework governing the development of public councils in Sverdlovsk region and quantitative analysis of the composition of public councils (based on the lists of members of public councils affiliated with the executive bodies of Sverdlovsk region, available on the open Internet). Additionally, the results of a series of focused interviews conducted with leaders and members of public councils were used. According to the results of the study, it was concluded that in the public councils of the Sverdlovsk region there is a tendency to the predominance of lay experts over professional ones. The Public chamber of Sverdlovsk region has a significant influence on the development of public councils (it nominates half of the members), opting for representatives of interested communities. In addition, the composition of public councils depends on what sphere the sphere of life of society is included in the powers of a particular authority. The predominance of lay experts is in the public councils of social sphere. The members of the expert councils themselves are rather supporters of "parity» between lay experts and professional ones. Competence is the most important characteristic of a member of the public Council, and low-qualified members cause sharp criticism. Scientific novelty lies both in the approach to advisory bodies as a tool for solving the "principal-agent" problem, and in the analysis of the composition of public councils from the standpoint of expert balance. Such an analysis at the regional level was carried out for the first time in the Russian literature.