The scientific and practical aspect of increasing the competence of local self-government officials as a result of introducing innovative approaches to the organization of training, retraining and qualification improvement of local self-government bodies is highlighted. It was found out that the modern system of managerial staff training, taking into account the process of decentralization, does not involve all employees and officials of local self-government, especially training before participation in the competition and after appointment to the post. The contradictions that arise in the process of management activity are analyzed: competence of officials do not meet the growing requirements; a significant staff shortage does not correlate with clear criteria for evaluating the results; exaggerated public expectations often contradict the conditions of financial support of the head. Attention is drawn to the lack of clear requirements for the level of education and qualifications of local self-government officials, as well as citizens who are applying for substitution of positions in municipal authorities. It was emphasized that local self-government bodies conduct educational activity in two main directions: organization of training of local councils’ deputies; raising the skills of officials of local self-government bodies. A list of specific skills to be developed at the classes is proposed: planning and control; analysis of socio-economic development of the administrative-territorial unit; adoption and implementation of effective political and socio-economic decisions; selection and placement of personnel. We have identified the following objectives of motivation for professional training of public officials: the possibility of choosing the amount of knowledge in the chosen areas; gaining the skills of business communication in the process of learning and their application in business relations. The need to expand the autonomy of the system of professional development of local self-government personnel, formulated by governmental representatives of the Council of Europe member states within the framework of the Council of Europe professional review “Reform of the system of training of personnel of local self-government” is emphasized.
The prerequisites and projected results of the creation of a modern system of professional development of local self-government officials and local council members are revealed: participation in the training of all categories of employees of local self-government bodies, deputies of local councils; continuous updating of competencies; providing high quality professional training; introduction of purposeful scientific support for the development of local self-government in Ukraine. 

administrative reform, local government, educational activity, professional education, management