Consell d'Entitats welcomes return of Participatory Spending and in-person encounters

foto 2022iii CdE AYesterday at 7.30pm the Consell d'Entitats convened for an ordinary session in the Consell de Formentera auditorium, next to the adult day care facility. On the agenda was the first discussion of Participatory Spending in 2022, which was attended by 17 association representatives.

Ana Juan, President of the Consell de Formentera, welcomed the fact that the island's council of associations could meet again to discuss Participatory Spending and more after two years of pandemic. President Juan praised the associations' participation and encouraged them "to present projects for the benefit of the whole island".

Vanessa Parellada, Councillor of Citizen Participation, explained that the session was the first to focus on Participatory Spending in 2022. Councillor Parellada pointed out that the Consell de Formentera had already set aside €325,000, and that that figure would be supplemented with "money for pending participatory budget projects from previous years that are under implementation".

Timeline

As of Wednesday 16 March, associations are invited to submit new projects proposals. Groups may consult with their members and submit proposals until 29 March. Association representatives agreed that the projects presented for the 2020 run of the Participatory Spending initiative, which were upended by the declaration of emergency orders, will be revisited.

On 12 April, the Consell d'Entitats will convene again to present the projects that are most viable according to technical and legal criteria of Consell staff. From 12 to 26 April, associations may vote on the projects through the Citizen Information Office (OAC) and Virtual Citizen Information Office (OVAC). Selected projects will be announced at a third Participatory Spending session on 26 April.

Bartomeu Escandell, Councillor of Economy and Finance, presented the Consell de Formentera's 2022 budget so that the representatives of the associations could have a first-hand idea about its basic lines. However, he stressed that "with the current situation of uncertainty generated by COVID-19 and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, investments will have to be adapted based on how the situation evolves".

Attendees of the session also heard an account of the newest associations to register in the Consell d'Entitats and a review of the status of Participatory Spending projects from previous years. In 2020 and 2021, funding allocations from the Participatory Spending initiative were earmarked for various measures to alleviate the effects of COVID-19. These measures were detailed in the session and association representatives were thanked once again for their generosity.

15 March 2022
Communications Office
Consell de Formentera