The municipal plan and its diversity: The cornerstone of the territorial model. About a new Law of Local Governments in Catalonia

Abstract

The municipal plan, its configuration, and consequently, the territorial diversity that ensues, is one of the structural elements of any territorial model in a local key. In other words, in order to configure a territorial model, we believe that it is necessary to combine at least three substantive elements: the plant, the local legal regime —organizational, competence and benefits—, as well as its financing system. And for it to be coherent, full, it must be configured as a whole that feeds back on each other, that interrelates at the same time. Precisely for this reason, the municipal structure of a territory, and its diversity, is very substantive, and by connection this will give us a significant approximation of what legal-institutional regime will be necessary, and what financial framework will have to make it viable and operational. In this sense, the study of the municipal plan and its diversity is understood to be the prima facie cornerstone from which to combine the rest of the elements, and at the same time to condition the definition of one or another territorial model very substantively. Moreover, not to approach this element without complexes, and with all political, legal, geographical, economic, social rigor, etc., means that the definition of an entire model, in short, is postponed. In fact, how many municipalities there are in the country, and whether there are enough or too many, not only motivates the reinforcement and configuration of a —at least— supramunicipal and ntermunicipal level, but also makes the rest of the aforementioned elements gravitate from this decision. In this article, which coincides in time with the fortieth anniversary of the 1985 Law on the Bases of the Local Regime —the basic rule on the matter— we will address this issue in particular, especially with regard to our country. And we will do so in the context of a necessary Law of Local Governments of Catalonia that definitively and finally structures a new territorial model.