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The Autonomous University of Barcelona, through the research group Sound Communication, Strategy and Transparency (ComSET), contributes with Segell Infoparticipa in the promotion of information transparency on the websites of the municipalities of Catalonia. To make it possible, it establishes 52 indicators that municipal entities must exceed in the highest possible percentage of cases. These are basic issues such as who are the political representatives of the Corporation, how collective and economic resources are managed, what information they provide about the municipality, the management of collective resources, as well as the tools they offer for citizen participation.
The study recognizes that the evolution is positive, since there is a clear upward trend. In the first edition, in 2013, only 48 municipalities were awarded; this year there have been 116. Despite this, the researchers conclude that Catalonia does not overcome the low levels of transparency, considering that, after eleven years, it has not yet been possible to grant the distinction to even 20% of the Catalan councils.
In this year's edition, the 52 indicators used to evaluate the information published on the websites have been modified to raise the level of qualitative requirements. As regards the websites of the regional councils, 49 indicators adapted to their powers have been applied, the same as for the Provincial Councils. In relation to the previous edition, 4 requirements have been added that refer to the publication of the code of ethics, judicial rulings, access to the information request form in compliance with the right of access and the report on the requests received and their resolution. .
The body in charge of the evaluation does not consider websites that do not have up-to-date information, are not very understandable or cannot be found very easily; especially thinking about all that information that refers to councilors, deputies and regional councillors. According to analysts, it is advisable that they show the declarations of assets and activities of the positions individually.
Segell Inforparticipa analyzes the websites of the 947 municipalities of Catalonia and for each of them to achieve the distinction, it is necessary that they exceed a certain percentage of indicators based on the number of inhabitants they have. Thus, municipalities with less than a thousand people will have to meet at least 75% of the requirements. Municipalities with between one thousand and five thousand inhabitants, 80%; those who range between five thousand one and ten thousand, 85%, those who have between ten thousand one and fifty thousand, 90% and, finally, those with more than fifty thousand neighbors, 95%
The report warns that, in the 11 continuous editions of these evaluations of the city council websites, in no case has it reached 20% distinctions. The team of evaluators remember that practically no institution would be worthy of the Seal. “It is later with the advice and support we provide on how information should be presented and numbers, updates and where it should be located, that the scores improve until reaching the definitive results that are presented,” they explain.
As a notable fact, there is a decrease in the number of approved students. 202 while in previous editions there were 218.
