M-Spice: URBACT II Local Support Group meeting, Zalau

This launch meeting under the chairmanship of the City Manager brought together representatives from: the city economic department, property services and social services departments, the city architect; parallel services at the Salaj County Council level; the City Prefecture; the local water company; the city heating plan agency; property owners association; researchers from Western University (‘Vasile Goldis’) and the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca; and finally from the local business community. The participation of such a broad stakeholder group in this first exploratory debate demonstrates the level of interest already generated in the city in relation to the M-Spice project. Animated discussion addressed the role and contribution of the group and its individual members, the question of informing and communicating with local inhabitants, and the connection with the political process and different administrative levels and competencies.

Zalau is facing a number of challenges such as:

• the need to renew or even install basic infrastructure and utilities in parts of the existing urban fabric;
• the ambition to prepare new areas for development (particularly industrial) with appropriate and sustainable utility and service provision;
• a desire to develop effective policy and actions to improve provision of green space in the city and quality of public open space
•  the need to tackle problems of declining and ageing population, and find housing solutions for lowest income groups
• theobjective to achieve a more sustainable system of transportation and mobility

On the other hand the city benefits from having a skilled labour force, and a strong presence of (regionally) important production plants, as well as a developing educational offer and growing cultural, sport and leisure opportunities.

Within this context the city takes a clear position in its approach to participation in the M-Spice project. The project team are looking to build on the strategic plan which the city produced in consultation with sector working groups (sustainable urban development - economic development, human resources and education - socio-medical development, and – community development, culture, leisure, sport, associations) for the period 2008-2013. There is a broad consensus that elaboration of the City Strategic Plan, for the period 2014 to 2020, will be the focus of the Local Action Plan, enriched by the construction of a monitoring system based on objective-linked output/outcome indicators. In order to do this the city intends to work within the Reference Framework tool for Sustainable Cities. This further confirms the serious interest of the city and its stakeholders to compare and exchange (ideas, practice and methods) with other urban areas across Europe and further contribute to joint-learning equally within URBACT.