The mayor of Barcelona, ??Jaume Collboni, promised during his campaign the creation of an infrastructure advisory council to debate the issues of the matter with the best professionals in the sector. The new advisory body will become a reality and it will do so with an important signing at the helm: Santi Vila, former Minister of Territories with CiU and current president of the Cercle d’Infraestructures.
Among the issues that the new advisory council will analyze are the expansion of El Prat airport, the limitation of cruise ships in the port of Barcelona and the improvement of the Rodalies network, among other issues in the field of infrastructure that directly affect the term municipal council of Barcelona but also that they go further and have a certain concern over the Catalan capital.
Collboni and Vila have made the agreement public this morning in the Gothic Gallery of Barcelona City Council. The position has no remuneration, is consultative and will hold a minimum of two annual meetings. The chief engineer, Oriol Altisench, will be in charge of coordinating the meetings and analysis work that may arise from the group.
Santi Vila has appreciated the trust and has shown his commitment to respond with rigor and work. Vila explained that “few things have as much impact on the life of a city as infrastructures”, both from the point of view of its economy and from the quality of life of citizens. “When we resolve or do not resolve issues such as mobility well, it has consequences on the day-to-day life of our neighbors,” he indicated.
Vila has ensured that infrastructures can be done in many ways and has opted to form a committee of experts that can work independently, with knowledge and experience, and that is plural and useful.
In this sense, Collboni added that the composition of this committee will be eminently professional and that commitment to the city, its future and excellence will be valued. The Advisory Committee will have a plenary committee, made up of all the members of the Advisory Committee, and a permanent committee, which will bring together a small group of its members. Depending on the issues being discussed, the president may convene specific, short-term working groups.
The committee of the whole will meet a minimum of twice a year. The permanent committee will do it every 2 months approximately, with a minimum of six times a year. The regime of meetings of the working groups will be set by the president.
Santi Vila holds a doctorate in Contemporary History from the UIC and a degree in Philosophy and Letters from the University of Girona. He has been a professor of Contemporary History at the University of Girona, mayor of Figueres (2007-2013), deputy of the Parliament (2006-2015) and Councilor of the Government of Catalonia (2013-2017) with competences in Territory, Culture, Business and Knowledge .
Santi Vila is currently director of Aigües de Banyoles SAU, professor of moral and political philosophy at Ramon Llull University and president of the Cercle d’Infraestructures de Catalunya. He also collaborates as an opinion columnist in La Vanguardia. Vila will receive the Ildefons Cerdà Medal from the College of Road, Canal and Port Engineers of Catalonia and the Medal of Honor from the College of Architects of Catalonia.
