A more straightforward, practical, and streamlined document to enhance the involvement of residents within the municipality. This is the new Citizen Participation Regulation of the Los Silos Town Council, which was ratified in the latest ordinary plenary meeting and published yesterday in the Official Gazette of the Province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife (BOP).
The Councillor for Internal Regulations, Human Resources and Citizen Participation, Andrés Rodríguez González, highlights that the primary innovation of this document is the establishment of neighbourhood assemblies and sectorial councils, alongside the introduction of participatory budgeting. Each financial year will have a budget set aside for projects submitted by residents, which will first be assessed by municipal technicians to determine their feasibility. However, this will also hinge on the Council’s financial circumstances.
This document also outlines participation in the Plenary, affirming the right of all residents to vocalise their opinions during sessions, provided their contributions pertain to items on the agenda in which they possess a legitimate interest.
Additionally, it arranges the formation and functioning of the Municipal Council for Citizen Participation as a conduit for such engagement, which will advocate for the interests of residents and represent their neighbourhood, sector, or group while maintaining regular communication with the City Council’s Governing Bodies.
Through this Regulation, which is significantly less burdensome than the previous one approved in 2016, according to the councillor, the governing group seeks to ensure that the channels and methods of citizen participation are accessible to all individuals and organisations, irrespective of their personal, economic, social, or cultural backgrounds.
The intention is also to bolster the associative network, supporting initiatives by civic groups that encourage a culture of participation and fostering habits, as well as providing both sides with the most thorough information regarding municipal activities by making available existing resources, among other objectives.
