The Utiel City Council has launched a new edition of its Participatory Budgets, a direct democracy system that allows residents to decide on the investment of a portion of public funds. Through this process, citizens identify the municipality's needs, submit proposals, and vote on projects that the local administration will execute.
For this 2026-2027 cycle, the council invites Utiel residents to focus their initiatives on two priority strategic axes. Firstly, projects are sought to improve road safety and accessibility, aiming to create safer, more walkable, and inclusive urban environments. Secondly, the focus is on tourism, seeking proposals that enhance the municipality's rich heritage and boost the local economy.
The first phase, for proposal submission, will take place from September 14 to 20. Any individual, as well as various associations and entities in the municipality, can participate in this initial stage. There is no limit to the number of ideas that can be submitted. Projects that fall under the municipality's strict purview, are technically and legally viable, are not already planned or underway, and hold general interest will advance to the final phase.
Subsequently, starting from September 24, the decisive voting phase will commence. In this case, the right to vote is exclusively reserved for individuals registered in Utiel who are over 16 years old. Each voter can support a maximum of two proposals: one from the road safety and accessibility block, and another from the tourism section.
To bring the administration closer to citizens, in addition to the online channel, the City Council will set up participation stands. The first, on September 15, will assist with proposal submission, while a second stand dedicated to voting will be set up on September 29. Both attention points will be available from 9 am to 1 pm at the City Council's entrance.
This edition is driven by the Utiel City Council and has been funded by a 2026 grant aimed at promoting citizen participation, transparency, and good governance in municipalities with fewer than 20,000 inhabitants in the province. The project has the economic and institutional backing of the Conselleria de Justicia, Transparencia y Participación of the Generalitat Valenciana, as well as the Open Government and Institutional Integrity area of the Provincial Council of Valencia.
