SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 23 Sep. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Councillor for Social Action of the Cabildo de Tenerife, Águeda Fumero, has unveiled new online tools for citizen engagement today. These resources are being made accessible to the local councils across the island of Tenerife.
During her unveiling, Fumero was joined by Emilio Navarro, the mayor of Santiago del Teide, where this initiative has been established as a “pilot project,” and the island’s director of Citizen Engagement, Alberto Lemus.
Starting today, the 31 municipalities of Tenerife will benefit from a web space (Cabildo Abierto) created by the Cabildo, enabling them to conduct citizen consultations and participatory processes. This initiative aims to “enhance citizen involvement in shaping public policies.”
Águeda Fumero emphasised that citizen participation represents “a method of understanding governance, as it engages citizens in the decision-making process.” She noted that “this website is specifically targeted at municipalities with around 20,000 residents or fewer, offering a service that these councils would not have to fund with their own resources, thus demonstrating a commitment to technical and professional advancement while also being a cost-saving measure.”
The councillor indicated, “This also signifies our adherence to the Island Strategy for Citizen Participation, which was sanctioned by the Tenerife Island Council this year and outlines six lines of action, one of which involves the provision of systems such as the one we are launching today.”
Emilio Navarro, the Mayor of Santiago del Teide, expressed gratitude to the Cabildo for its attentiveness towards the island’s local councils, stating that in Santiago del Teide they fully recognise the significance of this tool, which aids in enhancing transparency and facilitates a close rapport with citizens.
This new online tool offers a singular shared solution, hosted on Cabildo servers, with distinct access for each council, allowing them to manage their own content.
The arrangement of having the websites on Cabildo’s servers means that local councils will not incur costs or resources for contract management.
In 2024, a total of 20 municipalities have expressed interest in joining the project through the Modernisation Plan. Among the applicants, aside from Santiago del Teide, which was the first to launch, the municipalities currently under development include Buenavista del Norte, Güímar, Tegueste, Los Silos, El Tanque, La Matanza, and Fasnia.
