Barcelona City Council is consolidating its plan to guarantee the excellence of public space, entitled Pla Endreça. The budget for 2024 is set to increase to 550 million euros and an investment of 435 million will be made over the current term of office for the maintenance and renovation of urban furniture, lighting, paving, signage and more. The plan is based around eight spheres of action, with a total of 34 measures to have an effect right across the board, in all municipal services working in public space.
The Pla Endreça is designed around eight areas to rethink public space, plan its maintenance and conservation, guarantee coexistence and promote joint responsibility with citizens. The plan was developed with a comprehensive focus and is adapted to tackle current challenges such as climate change and social inequalities. The eight areas are:
- Municipal authority and coexistence
- Urban services
- Mobility
- Joint responsibility and social dimension
- Urban action and buildings
- Animals
- Media
- Governance and budget
Cleaning is a priority in the plan, with neighbourhood graffiti-cleaning teams to continue. As for managing greenery, a drought-resilience plan will be carried out. On joint responsibility, an analysis will be made to improve the conservation of private and public spaces in streets and squares, as well as terraces, waste drop-boxes and power installations.
Comprehensive maintenance plan: prevention to maintain public space
This project falls with the framework of the Pla Endreça, which will have a budget of 435 million euros through to 2026 to guarantee the excellence of public space, with three goals:
- Swift repair of elements in public space
- Planning and renewal of elements at the end of their useful life
- Transformation and definition of new uses in spaces in clear need of renovation
Coexistence plan
Barcelona City Council has developed a plan to prevent anti-social behaviour, match City Police resources accordingly and roll out a specific coexistence plan for nightlife. The by-law on coexistence will be reviewed, with the process for fines and their amounts also to be updated. The City Police and cleaning and waste services will identify the types of behaviour which have generated the most complaints and address these. Strategies will also be established to address behavious and activity not permitted in public space, such as collective binge drinking, not respecting traffic regulations or managing commercial waste incorrectly.
Pla Endreça Office
The Pla Endreça Office is directed by the Municipal Manager’s Office with the collaboration of the other manager’s offices involved in the plan (Security, Urban Services, Territory and Social Action, and Health). The office is tasked with guaranteeing resources, supervising the rollout of the plan and assessing its results, impact and perception.