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Territorial participation bodies

The territorial participatory bodies are:

  • City Participation Council
  • District Citizen Council
  • Neighbourhood Council
  • District Public Hearing
 
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Territorial participation bodies

CITY PARTICIPATION COUNCIL

What does it do?

The City Participation Council is Barcelona City Council's highest body for public consultation and participation, a forum where representatives of the City Council and the public discuss the main affairs of the city. Its functions include advising the City Council on defining major policy lines and municipal management, knowing and debating the municipal action programme and municipal by-laws and regulations and debating municipal budgets and indicator results for municipal management.

The City Participation Council may also propose points for the Municipal Council's agenda (up to twice a year), present candidates for the Barcelona Medal of Honour, validate the creation of a new participatory body and request the initiation of a participatory process.

The City Participation Council also includes the Protection Committee, the body that watches over citizens' rights regarding participation.

How is it organised?

The City Participation Council is made up of the following members:

  • The Mayor, who is the chair of the Council
  • A councillor representing each of the municipal groups
  • Representatives from each of the district citizens' councils
  • Representatives from each of the city-wide participatory bodies
  • Representatives from the city's most significant institutions
  • Representatives from associations listed in the General File of Citizen Associations
  • A maximum of 15 renowned city residents  
  • A maximum of 25 citizens, fifteen of whom will be chosen at random from the Citizens' Registry and ten by means of a draw from the municipal register.
  • The Commissioner for Citizen Participation

The City Participation Council has a permanent committee, which is the body responsible for proper functioning and dynamics of the City Participation Council, as well as assisting the Council chair with his or her functions.

How can I take part?

The city residents who wish to take part in the City Participation Council must be listed in the Citizens' Registry.

Barcelona City Council's Citizens' Registry is a way of grouping together citizens who have demonstrated their willingness to take part in the city's affairs through the City Participation Council or the Neighbourhood Council Monitoring Committee, which are municipal participation bodies.

More information
DISTRICT CITIZEN COUNCIL

What does it do?

District Citizen Councils are the highest consultative and public-participatory body in each district for all matters under their jurisdiction. Their aim is to advise the District Council.

The functions of the District Citizen Council is to know and debate the programme of municipal actions, the district's by-laws and general regulations, and to know and debate municipal budgets and the territory's large-scale projects, as well as providing support for the district's sectorial municipal councils.

The Citizen Council may also make proposals for the District Council's agenda, as well as proposing citizen initiatives and requesting public hearings at a district level.

The conclusions and agreements reached in the District Citizen Council will be considered as recommendations to the district's governing bodies.

How is it organised?

The District Citizen Council is made up of the following members:

  • The president of the District Council
  • The District Councillor
  • The councillors assigned to the district
  • The district advisers
  • Representatives from district organisations and associations, chosen according to each district's internal regulations
  • Local residents chosen at random from the district census, making up one third of the total.
  • A representative from each District Sectorial Council
  • Head of the Technical Secretariat

The Council will be open to all city residents and its function is governed by each district's internal regulations.

How can I take part?

The city residents who take part in the District Citizen Council are chosen at random from the people listed on the district's census.

NEIGHBOURHOOD COUNCIL
Sóc de barri

What does it do?

A neighbourhood council is a community empowerment and political participatory body for local residents regarding neighbourhood matters.

A Neighbourhood Council is a channel for citizen participation in the development of local-community public policies, which fosters social cohesion and improves the quality of city life.

How is it organised?

Neighbourhood Council sessions are open to all local residents. It meets at least twice a year. They can also be convened through citizen initiatives, or a proposal from the Monitoring Committee from the same district, if there is a majority in favour.

The Neighbourhood Council sessions are divided into four parts: the first is for monitoring the main agreements adopted in previous sessions. In the second, the main points of order on the agenda concerning neighbourhood actions are discussed. In the third part, information is given, where necessary, on the current state of participatory processes, public consultations and citizen initiatives that are of interest to that neighbourhood.  The last part is a question and answer period for the general public, where they can ask questions about any subject concerning the neighbourhood.

The agenda will always be displayed on the municipal website prior to the session being convened, and any local resident may suggest the inclusion of a new point of order to the Monitoring Committee.

The Neighbourhood Council may take questions to the Full District Meeting through the Monitoring Committee, provided that a majority is in favour.

The Neighbourhood Council is made up of the following members:

  • The District Councillor chairs the Neighbourhood Council.  
  • There are two vice-chairs. The first is a citizen with a recognised career linked to the neighbourhood's social life or association network. The second is the councillor who received most neighbourhood votes in the municipal elections.
  • A district councillor from every municipal group.
  • Neighbourhood organisations and associations, existing groups and platforms, as well as any citizens and local residents who wish to attend.

The district technician assigned to that neighbourhood acts as secretary.

The Neighbourhood Council has a Monitoring Committee, which is responsible for monitoring the issues raised at the Neighbourhood Council and for drafting the agenda for subsequent sessions.

Neighbourhood Council Monitoring Committee

Every Neighbourhood Council has to form a Monitoring Committee that fulfils the following functions: drawing up the agenda for Neighbourhood Council sessions, ensuring that the minutes are written up within a maximum of 15 days, sending the minutes to the people who have attended the Neighbourhood Council session, publishing the minutes and all relevant documents on the digital platform and lastly, monitoring the subjects raised in previous sessions.

Furthermore, the Neighbourhood Council's Monitoring Committee can convene sessions and working committees in order to study, work on and debate certain matters that have to be submitted for approval by the Neighbourhood Council.

The Neighbourhood Council's Monitoring Committee is made up of:

  • Representatives from the district policy and technical department.
  • A district councillor from every municipal group.
  • Representatives from neighbourhood organisations chosen by them during the first Neighbourhood Council session.
  • City residents who do not belong to any association and who were chosen at the Neighbourhood Council session that formalised the Monitoring Committee.

How can I take part?

The Neighbourhood Council sessions are open, and any city residents, local residents and existing groups and platforms may take part, along with public service and public facility professionals connected to the neighbourhood, determined by the District, where the Neighbourhood Council considers this collaboration to be convenient and appropriate.

In order to intervene in a Neighbourhood Council, you may request which question or subject you wish to discuss by notifying the Monitoring Committee at least two days before the session. You can also ask for the right to speak during the session.  

District
DISTRICT PUBLIC HEARING

What does it do?

A Public Hearing is a periodic meeting between municipal officials and the general public, so that they may receive information, as well as present and debate proposals concerning one of the district's public actions or activities.

How is it organised?

A District Public Hearing is chaired by the president of the district. It meets every two months and it is open to all city residents.  

During a Public Hearing session, there will be a municipal presentation and stance, followed by a question and answer period where organisations and individuals may ask questions, make comments and discuss the presented matter. The municipal groups may also intervene after every question and answer session, if they so desire.

Its specific composition and functions are regulated by each district's internal regulations.

How can I take part?

Any city resident attending the session may take part in a District Public Hearing and may refer to any subject relating to the district.

Public Hearings are convened every two months and can be found on the websites of each district.

Public hearings by district

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