The new Intermunicipal Council of AMAL – Algarve Intermunicipal Community, which brings together the 16 mayors of the region, met for the first time this Friday and re-elected Jorge Botelho (PS) as its president for four years of “a lot of work”, during which the Algarve's mayors will have to manage the announced process of decentralization of powers from the State to the local authorities.
Despite being a new board, it only changed one face, compared to the previous term. All the mayors who re-run won the election. In Vila Real de Santo António, Luís Gomes could not propose votes again, having reached the limit of terms of office, but gave the testimony to Conceição Cabrita, who was already vice-president of this Chamber.
On the board of directors, there is also something new, as José Amarelinho made his position as vice-president available because he considered that there should be rotation, being replaced by the socialist Osvaldo Gonçalves (president of the Alcoutim Chamber). Rui André (PSD) remains the other vice president of the body.
The election of the members of the board was quick and consensual. In both cases, single lists were presented, which were unanimously approved.
The new AMAL executive secretary is yet to be appointed, a position that is being held on an interim basis by João Graça since Miguel Freitas left the government. The choice of a new name for the position was part of the agenda, but the mayors of the Algarve chose to just decide that they will have a secretary (the law allows for two) and that he will be paid. Names will only be discussed at the next meeting, scheduled for November 24th.
Next month's meeting can be considered the first “to count”. But the debate did not go far from today's meeting, even because the Government has shown itself willing to delegate more powers to the municipalities.
A measure that the different aedes welcome, but not without reservations. There are still many doubts about exactly which competences are intended to be transferred to the Local Government, as well as which financial package will accompany this delegation of attributions.
A topic that, as noted, promises to give rise to much debate. Perhaps that's why presidents-elect decided to meet more often and hold meetings twice a month instead of just once.
A measure proposed by Jorge Botelho himself and which, says AMAL's president, aims to «create more dynamics and sharing and will allow for discussion of the points in greater depth».
A reinforcement that was applauded by Isilda Gomes, mayor of Portimão (PS), who argued that "very demanding times are approaching" and that with decentralization, the mayors will have "much to discuss". "The more we debate and the closer we are, the better it is for the region," he defended.
From today's session, the decision was also made to hold one meeting per month outside the AMAL headquarters, in Faro, and in the different municipalities of the region.
Closely following the process of decentralization of competences will be one of AMAL's main purposes over the next four years, but it is not the only flag that this organization will carry, as revealed by Jorge Botelho to Sul Informação.
“We will continue to implement the strategic plan that we designed for AMAL. We also have a set of projects that must be pursued, such as PAMUS, in sustainable mobility, a project linked to entrepreneurship and the articulation of regional partners, administrative modernization and the implementation of CRESC Algarve 2020, in which we are very involved» , he said.
As for the delegation of competences, Jorge Botelho considers that the focus should be on «issues of spatial planning, mobility and, of course, the multi-annual investment plan for the region. The Government is seeking a consensus on the structural works for the region and we will have to have a say».
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