Public-private
collaboration for
the benefit of the
community
The main subject of the Seminar for Public-
Private Collaboration for Citizen Services was
an analysis of the various formulas for collabo-
ration between the administration and com-
panies in the private sector. The seminar was
organized by the online newspaper, El Confi-
dencial, with the support of FCC. Inaugurate
by Antonio Beteta, Secretary of State for Pu-
blic Administrations, the participants included
Iñigo de la Serna, the mayor of Santander
and chairman of the Spanish Federation of
Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP, Spanish
acronym) and the Spanish Network of Smart
Cities (RECI); Ibone Bengoetxea, deputy ma-
yor of Bilbao and chairwoman of EUDEL (the
Association of Basque Municipalities); Lluis
Cases, layer, expert in administrative law and
a member of the legal firm Garrigues; and Fé-
lix Parra, CEO of FCC Aqualia. Alberto Artero,
general director of El Confidencial acted as
the host and moderator.
The New Rationality and Sustainability Act
of the Local Administration was the subject
of the presentation by the secretary of state.
Beteta described public-private collaboration
as an “misunderstood issue” and wagered
on this formula in order to enhance efficiency
by modifying the current concession-award
scenario which, he indicated, “should be
provided at the lowest cost possible, combi-
ned with quality and efficiency and taking as
much advantage as possible of resources”.
Lastly, he stressed that “in this year, 101 mu-
nicipalities so far have taken advantage of
the extraordinary financial support measures
whereas another 161 cities and towns ex-
periencing problems have been able to sig-
nificantly improve their financial situation in
2013”.
The Secretary of State also mentioned in his
speech that the “law introduces the neces-
sary flexibility so that each local entity can
agree on the most efficient provision of pu-
blic services that comply with the requisites of
Seminar organised by
El Confidencial, an online
newspaper, with the
collaboration of FCC to
analyse challenges and
opportunities for
optimising the services
provided to people in their
municipalities.
