Abstract. Subject of the study: the components of the mechanisms of public management of the economy of Ukraine in the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic. Objective of the study: development of theoretical foundations and elaboration of methodological recommendations on substantiation of directions of improvement of mechanisms of public administration of economy in the conditions of COVID-19 pandemic as well as formation of theoretical model of their use in Ukraine on the basis of the studied positive experience of other countries. Study Methodology: laws and principles of dialectical logic, the provisions of economic theory, the concepts of prominent scientists on the problems of public administration and management. Methods of system analysis were used when studying the essence of the mechanism of public administration and its tools, structural-logical methods — when substantiating the directions of improving the existing mechanisms of public administration. Methods of analytical-synthetic processing of information and modeling became key in the construction of the model of administrative and legal support of public administration. The article analyzes the approaches of different scholars in the field of public administration to the definitions of «public administration», «mechanism of public administration», «public administration» and «mechanism of public administration». The historical link between public administration and public management, transitional form of which was public administration, was established. The structure of administrative and legal support of public administration, which contains certain elements, has been proposed. It was found that a positive source for the formation of domestic models of public administration is the experience of European countries, for which the issues of modernization of public administration, overcoming global socio-economic challenges and creating an effective system of response are the key areas of work. It is noted that the country forms the basis for the progressive transformation of the system of public administration by creating new opportunities for the development potential of territorial communities and territories, new centers of concentration of resources. The structure of administrative and legal support of public administration, taking into account the allocation of objects, subjects, rules and forms, as well as the means of protecting the rights, freedoms and legitimate interests of individuals in the field of public administration is justified. At present, the state bodies of Ukraine in order to improve the mechanisms of public administration of the economy of Ukraine should use the experience of the UK in their activities, namely the active use of «big data» to determine the effectiveness of public spending by applying the practice of online surveys, in particular based on the use of social networks. Keywords: public administration, public management, public management mechanism, decentralization, territorial community, e-government, economy, Ukraine, COVID-19. JEL Classification O11 Formulas: 0; fig.: 4; tabl.: 2; bibl.: 21.

Досліджено взаємовідносини інститутів громадянського суспільства і органів державної влади в умовах децентралізації. Показано, що новітні тенденції розвитку України, які пов’язані з розширенням громадської участі, активізацією різноманітних соціальних спільнот, що самоорганізуються та інтенсивним збільшенням кількості та впливу недержавних, некомерційних рухів, об’єднань і організацій, з якими все інтенсивніше взаємодіють органи державної влади, вимагають більш ретельного дослідження. Досвід Великої Британії, як країни зі сталими демократичними інститутами є цінним для України, розвитку більш інтенсивної взаємодії громадянського суспільства та органів державної влади в умовах децентралізації. Велика Британія є зразком децентралізованого політичного управління, заснованого на культурі громадянського суспільства і представництві місцевих інтересів у національному уряді. Дослідження активної і багатосторонньої діяльності НДО уможливлюють більш глибоке розуміння сутності громадянського суспільства, ретельно проаналізувати питаннях взаємовідносин громадянського суспільства і держави.

The article analyses preconditions and stages of devolution in the UK. It is shown, that the decentralization of public administration in the UK means the devolution of central government and increasing the responsibility of local government in the expansion and development of various forms of interaction between state and society. In this context, devolution is primarily a process of transferring power from the central to the lower level. Devolution has become the most important event of recent decades in the political and socio-economic development of Great Britain. In contrast to decentralization, devolution aims at a more substantial transformation of the territorial system of government – the transfer of not only executive powers but also some legislative ones. Thus, the decentralization of power, which has signs of devolution in Britain, is complex and ambiguous process. The process of devolution in the UK is characterized by asymmetry, as evidenced by the lack of legislative powers of England. In this context, it is stated that the procedure of interaction between public authorities at different levels is not well established. Today, there are a significant number of control functions, levers of administrative and financial pressure on central offices, as well as the lack of clear recommendations by which local authorities could determine what is within their competence and address urgent issues more effectively.

The main purpose of the article is to analyze the devolutionary processes in Great Britain, which have intensified and institutionalized since the late twentieth century and continue to the present days, as well as their impact on the political and socio-economic development of its member countries – England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Theoretical and methodological basis of the study are scientific methods and methodological approaches to understanding the process of interaction of public authorities under conditions of devolution. An important condition of the chosen research strategy is the observance of the principles of objectivity, multifactoriality and systematicity. The study is based on methodological principles of a systematic approach. Using a systems approach makes it possible to study the interaction of public authorities in the UK in the context of devolution as a single system. Based on the fact that devolution involves the creation of certain institutions, as well as institutional adaptation to a management system that adapts to new conditions, the main methodological approach to analysis was the institutional approach. The article emphasizes that for a long time the United Kingdom has been a model of decentralized political governance based on the culture of civil society and the representation of local interests in the national government. To a large extent, Britain's sustainable development depends on a periodic political compromise. It can alleviate the main contradiction of the British political system – the dichotomy of the principles of the supremacy of parliament and regional self-government. It is proved that the decentralization of public administration in the UK means the devolution of central government and increasing the responsibility of local government in the expansion and development of various forms of interaction between state and society. In general, the process of decentralization of power in the UK is complex and ambiguous one. The process of devolution in the UK is characterized by asymmetry, as evidenced by the lack of legislative powers of England. In this context, it is stated that the procedure of interaction between public authorities at different levels is not well established. Today there is a significant number of control functions, levers of administrative and financial pressure on central offices, as well as the lack of clear recommendations by which local authorities could determine what is within their competence and address urgent issues more effectively.