Clean and tidy city

Perhaps this title is a bit simplistic for an opinion piece, but I remember that when I was mayor, some political groups questioned the municipal budget item allocated to city cleaning for being too high. The concession for waste collection and street cleaning was one of the most important and accounted for approximately 7.5% of the municipal current expenditure.I have always considered that the public space we all share should have a very high level of attention and care.In fact, in most cities, one of the items with the most weight in the municipal budget is the contracting of waste collection and street cleaning, along with items destined for pest elimination, such as rats.

According to data from the Barcelona Provincial Council, out of 46 municipalities participating in a comparative study in 2020 (Source: Intermunicipal Comparison Circles 2020 Barcelona Provincial Council) the current expenditure per inhabitant, which incorporates chapter 1 (personnel), chapter 2 (goods and services) and chapter 4 (current transfers) and depreciation of machinery, amounts to an average of 45.56 euros per inhabitant spent on city cleaning. From the City Councils participating in the study, it is concluded that the percentage of expenditure for street cleaning over the municipal current budget would be around 5% (4.7% to be exact).

However,a significant budget allocation is not enough.A continuous planning and monitoring of cleaning tasks is necessary, and a subsequent inspection is also needed, and I dare to suggest a third very useful instrument:quality control through a joint evaluation with citizens.In the same way that we value the quality of service of a private company, we must be able to value the quality of service of a public company. This will allow us to obtain a return on the work being carried out and define areas for improvement.

In the same way that we value the quality of service of a private company, we must be able to value the quality of service of a public company

It is common for city councils to have the city cleaning management service outsourced to specialized companies. However, the City Council must monitor and control the cleaning contractor company. It is the City Council that must ensure that the contractor and service provider company does its job correctly, and even anticipate certain situations. For example, the falling of leaves from trees in autumn must be foreseen in the tender document, as it will imply more work and specifically a careful cleaning of the drains so that torrential rains do not cause floods. The necessary service reinforcements for reasons such as major festivals, concerts, Three Kings parades, etc., must also be foreseen in the bidding document, and a correct periodicity must also be foreseen within the pest elimination items to be able to face emergency situations. In the case of pests and sanitation, it is necessary to act quickly and decisively at the slightest sign. For this reason, I am particularly interested in the evaluation of the service, establishing an evaluation system is essential to deeply understand which aspects are most important for citizens and to be able to maintain, at all times, control over the concessionalso, through quality surveys of residents. According to the same study referenced above, in 2020 the average rating of citizens in the 46 municipalities participating in the study was 6.32. It is, therefore, a quite positive rating. Why do we, then, have the post-pandemic feeling that cities are dirtier? Are we perhaps making more intensive use of the city? Could it be that climate change also affects pest control and this requires greater frequency?

Why do we, then, have the post-pandemic feeling that cities are dirtier? Are we perhaps making more intensive use of the city?

Surely we are more fastidious than before about the cleanliness and healthiness of the environment, but it would be very interesting to have updated data on municipal spending in this regard, to know if there has been an increase in municipal budget allocations towards this issue and at the same time the level of execution of these. Lest we budget a lot, but the service is not being executed properly. On the other hand,one must face that heatwaves also affect the frequency of waste collection(mainly organic) and in the pest control service, issues that must be foreseen in advance. In the same way that it is already evident that street cleaning treatments with water have increased and that in times of drought tap water cannot be used, the frequencies of the pest control service will have to be reviewed to get a passing grade and, if possible, get a good mark!

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