Networks and cities' news

Challenges and Ambitions for Baena, the Lead Partner of URBACT AGRI-URBAN project.

AGRI-URBAN is about Rethinking Agri-Food Production in Small and Medium sized Cities.

Interview with Jesús Rojano Aguilera, Mayor of the city of Baena, and with the project coordination team, António Zafra and Raquel Moreno.

Interviewed by Miguel Sousa, Lead Expert of the URBACT AGRI-URBAN project.

Railway Hubs: Changing track in stakeholder engagement

Railway station locations are increasingly being re-invented as vibrant, multi-functional, multi-modal urban attraction poles. This inspired the URBACT ENTER.HUB network to explore opportunities which the “Railway Hub” concept can bring to cities. This innovative transformation can also help in understanding new governance and participation models.

Temporary use European good practices

In occasion of the TUTUR final conference some good practices on Temporary Use Agencies from around Europe were invited to share their experience with the participants and allow for the enrichment of new ideas and insights. During the TUTUR project the experience from the ZwischenZeitZentrale in Bremen was the basis for the work developed in Rome and Alba Iulia, but in occasion of the final conference the idea was to look also into other models, such as the case of the Lakatlan from Budapest, Meanwhilespace from London, Coopolis from Berlin and Stipo from Rotterdam. What was particularly relevant of these other examples is that, unlike what was developed by TUTUR, these are agencies initiated by private bodies and only partially connected to public administration, therefore providing a valuable comparison of approaches within the discussions of the conference. 

Combining horizontal and vertical integration

There are many different interpretations and meanings attached to the integrated approach. These include balancing environmental quality, social cohesion and economic compeitiveness, bringing together all relevant departments to address a challenge, complementing ‘hard’ investments with ‘soft’ investments, and combining European Social Fund with European Regional Development Fund. URBACT II has pioneered integrated approaches to policy challenges as diverse as Roma inclusion and the regeneration of historic city centres. Maybe it is better to acknowledge that there are many integrated approaches, each adapted to specific policy aims. To compound the confusion, the word integration is often used in policy debates alongside holistic approaches and joined-up government to describe a process in which people with different professional backgrounds from different parts of government at all levels are engaged together in a common task. Not to mention the specific use of the term integration in relation to migrants.

What are Integrated Territorial Investments?

An Integrated Territorial Investment (ITI) is an instrument which provides for integrated delivery arrangements for investments under more than one priority axes of one or more operational programmes. Funding from several priority axes and programmes can be bundled into an integrated investment strategy for a certain territory or functional area. This can take the form of an integrated strategy for urban development, but also for inter-municipal cooperation in specific territories. It allows the managing authorities to delegate the implementation of parts of different priority axes to one body (a local authority) to ensure that investments are undertaken in a complementary manner. Within an ITI some components can be undertaken through community led development combining the two approaches.

The importance for Local Authorities to be active participants in the development of good social inclusion practices

Roma-NeT invited Dr Soryia Siddique BSc (Hon), MSc, PhD, an elected Elected member Glasgow City Council, to present at ROMACT/ROMED Conference in Roma Inclusion in Brussels.