Description

Vic is a city, the capital of a county, located in the centre of Catalonia and currently has around 48,000 inhabitants. Vic is rich in contrasts, where tradition and modernity coexist, rurality and historical and cultural heritage, which is manifested by the quality of its museums and historical buildings, the market and commerce and the abundance of associations with civic, cultural and artistic concerns. The economic structure is based on the commercial, industrial and service sectors. Vic is also a university city with fairs and markets of reference.

In recent years, the city has experienced spectacular demographic growth with the arrival of people from different parts of the world. The immigration rate is currently around 25%.  

The Remei neighbourhood, where the action is focused, is one of the most densely populated neighbourhoods with a ratio of 28,500 inhabitants per square kilometre, more than double that of the rest of the city. In 2020 there were 8,139 people registered on the population register, with a high percentage of the population of working age. Of the 8,139 inhabitants, 45% are of foreign origin (54 different nationalities).  

Income distribution in the neighbourhood is 25% lower than in the rest of the city (€9,760 / person) with a high poverty rate of over 21%, which implies a significant risk of social exclusion.

Methodology

The process of elaboration and deployment of the Remei Strategic Plan is developed in different phases:

1) Preparatory and coordination phase, through the drafting of a Framework of Trust document between the City Council and the entities of the neighbourhood. This commitment of trust is drawn up on the basis of 4 sessions to iron out differences between the two parties.

2) Participation phase:

a. Drawing up a participatory diagnosis

• Creation of a Driving Group for the participation process, made up of neighbourhood agents.
• 19 in-depth interviews with people from the neighbourhood
• 8 in-depth interviews with technicians from the City Council: Urban Guard, Urban Planning, Mediation, Activities, Social Services...
• Online survey (pandemic)
• 4 working sessions with the Motor Group

b. Proposals

• Online participation sessions
• 6 information and proposal points in the public space
• Self-managed participation (through a guide to carry out sessions in entities or educational centres)
• Decidim Vic Platform
• Sessions Motor Group

3) Participatory evaluation and drafting of the Plan

4) Approval of the Strategic Plan by the Municipal Plenary.

5) Creation of an operational Neighbourhood Council 

6) Creation of two working commissions

• Public space, housing and space of reference
• Social cohesion of children and young people

7) Participatory process to create a climatic shelter in the Horta de la Sínia park, located in the Remei neighbourhood. https://participa311-vic.diba.cat/processes/hortadelasinia

8) Drafting and implementation of the Comunalitats project led by the Fera Ferotge cooperative, the Neighbourhood Association, Tapís (a social and solidarity economy company) and the City Council.

Impacts and results

The main impacts and new forms of governance of the process have materialised in the following ways:

• The implementation of a cooperative process between citizens and the Administration. 
• A Strategic Plan with a medium and long-term vision for the future, but which specifies actions during the current mandate (2021-2023).
• Access to information, transparency and continuous dialogue between the Administration and the citizens. 
• Creation of a Neighbourhood Council with all the active actors in the neighbourhood and open to new members.
• Guarantee of full participation and governance through the operational Neighbourhood Council and the two working commissions.
• Citizen empowerment and co-creation of projects and processes
• Participatory process for remodelling the Horta de la Sínia park to convert it into a climate shelter 
• Drafting and implementation of the Comunalitats project led by the cooperative la Fera Ferotge, together with the Asociación de Vecinos del Remei, Tapís (social and solidarity economy) and the City Council.
• Upcoming start-up of a reference venue in the neighbourhood under shared management.
• Continuity and growth project linked to the objectives of the Strategic Plan and the needs of the Remei neighbourhood.
• Coordination in the actions promoted by the City Council agreed with the Neighbourhood Council.

Quantitative results of participation: 

Drafting process of the Strategic Plan for the Remei neighbourhood:

• A total of 898 people participated, which represents 13% of the population over the age of 16.
• Of this percentage, 18.18% were non-EU citizens.
• 11 organisations and representatives of the neighbourhood took part, forming the 18-person Driving Group.

Of the 898 people who took part, by age and sex: 

• 77% between 30 and 65 years old
• 14% under 30 years of age
• 9 over 65 years old
• 56.3% women
• 43.7% men

600 people took part in the process of remodelling the Horta de la Sínia park, most of them pupils from the La Sínia school.

More information (in Spanish and Catalan)

• Candidacy file (PDF)

• Seguimiento del proceso: https://participa311-vic.diba.cat/processes/remeiparticipa

• Enlace proceso de participación del parque de l'Horta de la Sínia para convertirlo en refugio climático: https://participa311-vic.diba.cat/processes/hortadelasinia
• Vídeo Instagram Horta de la Sínia: https://www.instagram.com/p/CVEA5KMjwfR/