Murcia has seen a large increase in the use of the already implemented e-governance processes that started in 2015 and allow for citizens to complete over 209 bureaucratic procedures online (83% of all procedures in 2020 have been completed on-line) and also the citizen engagement and participation tools developed by Murcia City Hall. The following are two tools that Murcia is finding particularly useful during the crisis:
The first tool is Murcia’s transparency and participation portal, where citizens can directly participate in local governance through the online consultations. Citizen participation in these consultations has multiplied during the crisis, with the amount of responses increasing between 4.3 and 8.7 times the highest scoring consultation previously. See the platform here.
The other tool is the Murcia City Social Council, a multidisciplinary work-group with representatives of all sectors of society, e.g. social groups of different areas, collectives of professionals, citizen clusters, experts, etc. which is presided over by the Mayor, and facilitates opinion, input and coordination for municipal initiatives and strategies.
The Social Council usually functions through thematic working groups when involved in a specific project e.g. the Murcia City Strategy, the Municipal Urban Agenda 2030 (where Murcia is a National Pilot Experience), etc. and has seen an increase of over 70% in members’ participation.
Murcia City Hall has developed these tools and procedures in accordance with United Nations SDGs 11 and 16 that reflect the need to enhance citizen participation and develop new tools that favour the participation of all, as well as the Urban Agenda for the European Union, using new citizen participation tools for working together to maximize cities’ growth potential and to successfully face local challenges.
Contact: Mercedes Hernández