KEY ISSUES DEBATED AT PORTUGAL'S MUNICIPAL CLERKS' CONGRESS IN SESIMBRA FROM 4th - 6th NOVEMBER, 2019

Last updated: 25 Apr 2020
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Over 300 municipal clerks from Portugals' municipal association ATAM met in Sesimbra for three days from 4th to 6th November 2019 to debate a wide range of issues affecting local government in Portugal including planning & law use laws, procurement, GDPR, HR and Risk Management. The findings are now being used to inform ATAM's lobbying with national government a follow up seminar programme during 2020.

ATAM (Association of Local Government Employees) convened its national congress in Sesimbra, from 4th to 6th November 2019 that attracted 315 participants. During the three days,  the following key issues were debated:

  • Decentralisation of Responsibilities to Municipalities (the Government will transfer – until 2021 – new municipal responsibilities in 21 areas of competency that are currently executed by the Government, such as health, culture, education, beaches, justice etc;

  • Financial responsibility in Local Government

  • The planning and land use management laws and the legalisation of procedures Short Term Property Rentals;

  • Changes to Public Procurement laws;

  • The application of Artificial Intelligence in municipalities;

  • The Management of Human Resources in the municipalities;

  • Risk Management in local authorities

  • The accounting standardisation systems in local government

  • GDPR and municipalities.

10 excellent speakers engaged a fully packed congress in Sesimbra in a  participative way. Several conclusions were drawn, which ATAM  have shared with Government  and will inform follow up specific hearings on these topics during 2020.  The conclusions of the congress can be found at ATAM's website (in Portuguese).

READ CONFERENCE CONCLUSIONS IN ENGLISH (MACHINE TRANSLATED)

Category: Local Administration and Management