The political transformation initiated in 1989 brought far-reaching changes not only in the economic and social sphere, but also in the local dimension, which seems to be a symbolic sign of the creation of local government administration. Against this background, the social perception and assessment of the perception and functioning of local governments in Poland seem to be particularly interesting cognitively. It depends on whether Poles define local authority as an element of public authority – an efficient manager and administrator who is de facto a “local extension of central authority”, or whether it becomes an important point of reference for local activities using the synergy effect consisting in stimulating various actors and entities present in the social space for the good of the local community? The conducted analyses allow to unequivocally reject the veracity of the alternative defined in this way. Local government performs both functions, which synergistically increase its importance and impact. This is also a social expectation. Local communities want to see in local authorities both “good hosts” and “animators and creators” of social reality. This is also confirmed by the analyzed case studies. This may be explained, at least in part, by the high social expectation of decentralisation and the transfer of competences and resources to local authorities.