The Diputació de Barcelona has approved €10.5 million to support six municipalities in the province, including Manresa and Vic, in deploying their Pla de Barris (Neighbourhood Plan) projects until 2030. The funding, approved during the ordinary April plenary session, aims to improve urban, environmental, and social conditions in local neighbourhoods.
Gemma Badia, delegated president of the Urban Planning, Housing, and Urban Regeneration Area and PSC deputy, told reporters that the initiative continues the philosophy of the Generalitat's plan to “dignify urban, environmental and social aspects of neighbourhoods”. The recipient municipalities are Manresa, Mataró, Sant Joan Despí, Santa Coloma de Gramenet, Santa Perpètua de Mogoda, and Vic.
Each municipality will receive financial aid to strengthen its technical, administrative, and organisational structures. This support is for developing their Programmes Memòria d'Intervenció Integral (PMII), which define necessary improvements for neighbourhoods and are a condition for Generalitat funding.
First Catalan Council to Offer Such Support
Badia stated that the Diputació de Barcelona is the first Catalan provincial council to offer this type of support to municipalities. She also announced that a second round of funding for new calls under the Llei de Barris (Neighbourhood Law) is already being prepared.
The €10.5 million allocation is divided into two lines. €4.5 million will cover regular expenses for local offices and staff managing the plan between 2026 and 2030. The remaining €6 million is for specific resources, tailored to each municipality's needs over the first three years.
Santa Coloma de Gramenet will receive the largest share, with €2.48 million. Mataró follows with €2.3 million, Vic with €2 million, Manresa with €1.9 million, Sant Joan Despí with €1.09 million, and Santa Perpètua de Mogoda with €642,000.
These local councils must formally accept the programme's resources by 1 June 2026. All related actions must be completed by 31 December 2030.
Plenary Session Debates
Beyond the funding approval, the plenary session saw debate over the inability to unanimously approve three institutional declarations. These included statements for the International Day Against LGBTI-phobia, Europe Day, and an urgent declaration supporting the Global Sumud Flotilla, following the detention of some of its members by the Israeli Army.
The sole Vox deputy's dissenting vote prevented unanimous approval, as has happened before. This led to criticism from other groups, who noted that such declarations were approved despite ideological differences before Vox's representation. The Global Sumud Flotilla support motion was presented as an unprecedented request by the Comuns parliamentary group, citing the urgency of the events, according to deputy Aïda Llauradó.
The request was approved by a majority, with votes from PSC, ERC, Comuns, and Tot per Terrassa. Vox and PP voted against it, while Junts, Junts per Igualada, and Impulsem el Penedès abstained. The latter two groups argued that while they agreed with the message, it was inappropriate to bypass standard procedure, despite the urgency.
Plenary president Lluïsa Moret apologised for how the vote was conducted, taking full responsibility. She concluded, “Regulations must be followed, but sometimes it is necessary to compromise with the rule for the dignity of human rights.”
