Informing and providing clarifications on administrative procedures, addressing inquiries… From May 19th to 23rd, the Parla City Council takes to the streets during the ‘Open Administration Week’. It will do so by setting up two tents in 5 different locations in the city (one each day), where staff from the Department of Citizen Participation will assist all those who wish to approach and learn more about local administration.
The Open Government Week (OGW) is an initiative promoted by the Open Government Partnership (Open Gov Week) globally, aiming to disseminate its principles and practices to create a culture shared by public administrations and citizens, based on the values of transparency and integrity, civic participation, promotion of fundamental rights, as well as accountability. Spain has been a member of the Open Government Partnership since 2011 and has participated in the organization and celebration of six editions since then.
«With the aim of getting closer to the citizens, promoting participation and the culture of open government, the Parla City Council, through the Department of Citizen Participation, joins this initiative and takes to the streets to address whatever our neighbors want to raise,» says Andrés Correa Barbado, Councilor for Citizen Participation.
From today until the 23rd, there will be tents in 5 locations to assist the citizens
From today until the 23rd, two tents will be set up in 5 different locations in the city (one each day), where staff from the Department of Citizen Participation will assist all those who wish to approach and learn more about local administration. These tents will operate in the morning from 11:00 to 13:00 on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; and in the afternoon from 18:00 to 20:00 on Tuesday and Thursday.
Therefore, today Monday they will be at Bulevar Norte, Francisco Tomás y Valiente (from 11:00 to 13:00). On Tuesday, in the vicinity of Avenida de los Planetas with Calle Planeta Venus (from 18:00 to 20:00). On Wednesday, in the surroundings of the street market (from 11:00 to 13:00). On Thursday, at Plaza de la Guardia Civil (from 18:00 to 20:00). And finally on Friday, at Bulevar Sur Miguel Ángel Blanco (from 11:00 to 13:00).
Response to demands identified in a study on Public Administration
With this initiative, as Correa emphasizes, «we also respond to some of the demands identified in a sociological study on Public Administration carried out by the Department of Citizen Participation in collaboration with Red Cimas, in which both residents of Parla on an individual basis and entities and associations of Parla participated.»
Through four discussion groups, two with entities (more than twenty) and two with individual residents (more than fifty people, with profiles of all ages, genders, neighborhoods, etc.), this study aimed to understand the perception of citizens regarding Administration in general and in Parla in particular, in order to continue creating tools that enable participation and engagement with citizens.
«The challenges involve, at a general level, advancing in reducing the digital divide and simplifying many bureaucratic procedures, starting from empathy and closeness with the residents that allow us to break that historical barrier of distance that exists in general terms, globally, between administrations and individuals. That is our goal,» adds the Councilor for Participation.
