La reestructuración del mapa local: el papel de las provincias: (del “coste estándar” al “coste efectivo”)

Abstract

The rationalization of public local services has led to several reforms in countries around us. In general, these reforms pursue to remove the inefficiencies of the so called “inframunicipalism”. Although in Spain there are also many voices that argue in favor of a more efficient organization, the differences regarding the ways to address the reforms are really huge. At the end of August, the Spanish Government sent to the Parliament (Cortes Generales) the Bill regarding the rationalization and sustainability of the local administration. One of the objectives of this Bill is to strengthen the provincial councils (diputaciones provinciales) through their assumption of competences which belong to small municipalities. This article is focused on how this assumption of competences is done, taking into account that that this process has changed due to the warnings of the Council of State (Consejo de Estado).

Keywords:

local administration, local autonomy, local competences, inframunicipalism, budget stability, provinces, provincial councils (diputaciones provinciales), municipalities, standard cost, efficient cost, Council of State (Consejo de Estado), local reform, Bill regarding the rationalization and sustainability of the local administration