Association of Municipalities for a Coordinated Local Development in Eix de la Riera de Caldes

Riera de Caldes is a set of municipalities in the Caldes river basin in the Metropolitan Region of Barcelona that have been traditionally defined by a high concentration of economic and industrial activities. Despite the fact that it is one the most productive areas, it has some structural deficits. Therefore, to collaborate and provide better services to local residents, companies and entrepreneurs alike, an Association of Municipalities of Eix de la Riera de Caldes (AMERC) was created.

The initiative comes from the political will of the City Councils to work in a coordinated way in order to be more efficient in the provision of services to its citizens. The action has motivated institutional changes which ensure a fairer distribution of resources and opportunities among these municipalities. Working in the framework of the association allows municipalities to gain competitiveness in accessing other opportunities and gain stronger relevance in the intermunicipal metropolitan governance networks.

Additionally, the Association has also become a strong tool that has has increased the negotiation capacity with higher administrative levels. Nevertheless, the association does not have a fixed structure and this is seen as one of the main limitations in regards to reaching and contributing to the procedural justice. In order to avoid the complexities related to the lack of formal structure, a reflexive process has been initiated regarding the associations legal structure.

For more information on this Case Study, please contact: Oriol Biosca or Laura Noguera, Mcrit; obiosca@mcrit.com, lnoguera@mcrit.com