About twenty municipalities in the province of Albacete need to group the Secretariat and Intervention service in order to provide it. They have one thing in common: they have fewer than 1,000 inhabitants and low economic capacity.
Depopulation also affects the provision of services to citizens and in this province, with the help of the Provincial Council, a system has been designed – the group hiring of the secretary-controller position – which has been giving good results since 2017.
And the intervention secretary in a town hall is a “key” position in the fight against the depopulation of rural areas. Their presence and work in the most depopulated areas are essential to maintain the administration and essential public services, thus helping to stop the exodus to the cities.
Llanos Sánchez is deputy of Technical Assistance to Municipalities and explains that it is about “serving municipalities that have less economic and management capacity.” The initiative shows that, in a situation of need, the difference in political sign matters little. “When it comes to grouping together, the ideological barrier is more than overcome. There is no problem, even with the changes made in the successive municipal elections,” he comments.
This is a public call within the framework of a competitive tender regime aimed at municipalities that are grouping together – at least two – or that were already grouped together to finance the position. This is something that they must request from the Vice-Ministry of Local Administration and Administrative Coordination of the Government of Castilla-La Mancha.
When it comes to grouping together, the ideological barrier is more than overcome. There is no problem, even with the changes produced in the successive municipal elections.
The subsidies cover the cost of salaries and Social Security corresponding to this function. The maximum total amount granted per group of municipalities is 30,000 euros, distributed according to the days of dedication of the staff of the Secretariat-Intervention, at a rate of 6,000 euros per day.
Each municipality can receive a maximum of 24,000 euros, which implies a minimum distribution of one day for the municipality that needs it least and four days for the other. They must also certify the days dedicated to each municipality to provide the aid.
“In Albacete, it happens that all the municipalities that participate in the call are grouped two by two, and that all the groups have less than 2,000 inhabitants,” a requirement regarding the population limit included in the regulatory order of the call.
This year, the aid amounts to 330,000 euros. and not only have they consolidated, but their numbers have increased by 52%. “Experience shows us that, despite the initial reluctance of some councils to regroup, it has been a great benefit and a great opportunity. Otherwise, they would not have been able to afford housing.”
Llanos Sánchez is the mayor of Villatoya and a provincial deputy. His town has 115 inhabitants. “This figure is essential for us,” he says. In the case of these small towns, it is not even necessary to receive subsidies since the service is provided directly by the Provincial Council, which has its own staff of professionals from the Secretariat-Intervention. For the grouped service, it is the Vice-Ministry of Local Administration and Administrative Coordination of the Regional Government that issues the national accreditation to the professionals.
The role of the Intervention Secretariat
The position of secretary-intervention plays a crucial role in daily municipal management. Their work ranges from legal advice and economic control to administrative management and control of municipal expenditure. In small towns, where resources are limited, their work is even more necessary, even electronically, although it is usually a face-to-face job.
“We want to ensure that all municipalities, especially the smaller ones, have the necessary resources for efficient and transparent management,” explains the president of the Provincial Institution, Santiago Cabañero.
On the other hand, the Provincial Institution maintains that the initiative contributes to ensuring job stability for those who exercise this function, since interim work and instability can affect both these professionals and the functioning of the town halls.
The Provincial Council of Albacete has implemented various electronic tools and platforms to support the administrative management of municipalities and their personalities. Among them are the SICAL accounting program and the Sedipualb@ electronic administration web portal, which facilitate and modernize administrative processes, not only in Albacete but in other regions of the country that benefit from these tools.
