In the absence of a large enough minority to govern without too many conflicts, the mayor of Barcelona, ??the socialist Jaume Collboni, has decided to complete the team of ten councilors that he heads with the appointment of eight commissioners, with whom he will face the first months of mandate while waiting for an alliance with other formations to be made later. The four lieutenants already appointed – Laia Bonet, Maria Eugènia Gay, Albert Batlle and Jordi Valls – responsible for the four macro areas of the government, are now given fifteen portfolios to attend to specific areas.
It is noteworthy that two key issues that focused much of the 28-M campaign, mobility and tourism, do not have councilors or commissioners. In the presentation of the card, yesterday, Collboni overlooked it and it was in response to journalists when he specified that it will be the deputy mayors Bonet and Valls who will assume them, respectively, and implied that they will have a relevance special The macro area of ??the latter – Economy, Finance, Economic Promotion and Tourism – does include the area referred to in its name. however, it is not included in the name of the first, which is called Urbanism, Ecological Transition, Urban Services and Housing. In addition, Bonet will represent the City Council on the board of directors of the port.
The eight commissioners have experience in municipal management, either because they were councilors or held other executive positions. Seven of them worked in areas that were already controlled by the Socialists in the previous government. Only one, Sonia Fuertes, who continues as commissioner of Social Action, comes from an area that was held by the communes, specifically the one led as deputy mayor by Laura Pérez, who appointed her in 2019.
“We are a progressive, solid, pluralistic government,” stressed Collboni. He reminded his councilors that they have “the most beautiful job, but the most demanding” and that “the city is governed on the street, with the office door always open and answering WhatsApp messages. Finally he told them: “Listen to everyone, be firm and flexible in decisions and brave; as maestro Johan Cruyff said, go out and have fun”.
The councilor for the Neighborhood Plan, Lluís Rabell, will report directly to the mayor’s office. “It is intended for the most vulnerable neighborhoods, which we will define – explained Collboni – but we also want it to be the investment channel for urban regeneration”. The Councilor for Sports, who continues to be David Escudé, and the Commissioner for International Relations and City Promotion, Pau Solanilla, will also report directly to the mayor’s office.
The housing commissioner, former councilor Joan Ramon Riera, will depend on the first tenure, that of Laia Bonet. In the technical part of this area, the previous manager, Javier Buron, one of the star signings of former mayor Ada Colau, will not continue, because he has refused to be an adviser to Collboni. The commissioner of Strategic Projects and Agenda 2030, Bárbara Pons, and the commissioner of Urban Innovation, Michael Donaldson, will also depend on this macro area.
The second tenure – Social Rights, Culture, Education and Life Cycles, led by Maria Eugènia Gay – will have the councilor for Education and Seniors, which is also assumed by Lluís Rabell; the councilor for Health, People with Disabilities and Strategy against Loneliness, Marta Villanueva; that of Feminisms, Equality and Democratic Memory, Raquel Gil; the commissioner of Culture and Creative Industries, former councilor Xavier Marcé; the aforementioned Commissioner Fuertes, and the Commissioner for Childhood, Adolescence, Youth and LGBTI Policies, Javier Rodríguez.
The macro-area of ??Prevention, Security, Coexistence and Interior Regime, controlled by Albert Batlle, incorporates Ivan Pera as commissioner of the Pact for Old City, to strengthen the action in this district, “the number one of the City Council – emphasized Collboni- , which will be the first in priority, the one we all love as if it were our own”.
Deputy mayor Jordi Valls will report to councilor Raquel Gil, who will also deal with Economic Promotion and Work, and Rosa Alarcón, who will deal with Commerce, Restaurants and Markets.
