Why does Bellaterra want to move to Sant Cugat?

BarcelonaRicard, born in Sant Cugat del Vallès, has lived in Bellaterra for 50 years. At 27, he bought a plot of land and built a house, like many of the residents of this town, part of Cerdanyola del Vallès, which originated in the 1930s when wealthy families from Barcelona and Sant Cugat built summer villas. The children of those families stayed, and in the 1970s, new residents arrived who, like Ricard, began to build their lives and witnessed the founding of the Autonomous University of Barcelona. Despite some attempts to become an independent municipality, a third option prevailed: in 2009, the residents succeeded in having themselves recognized as a decentralized municipal entity (EMD), with their own government. However, this status was not enough to pacify Bellaterra, which in 2015... It held an independence referendum where the 'yes' vote won with 94% of the supportThe plan foundered when Parliament vetoed the secession. Following this setback, a residents' committee initiated proceedings to join neighboring Sant Cugat, a process that is now gaining momentum despite staunch opposition from the Cerdanyola City Council, which warns it will fight to avoid losing the territory. "It's normal that they resist. They don't want to lose the goose that lays the golden eggs. And Sant Cugat is letting itself be courted," Ricard summarized in ARA.

The conflict between Cerdanyola del Vallès and Sant Cugat over the future of Cerdanyola erupted publicly this week with the release of a report by the Sant Cugat council deeming annexation viable. The mayor of Cerdanyola, Carlos Cordón (PSC), accused the mayor of Sant Cugat, Josep Maria Vallès (Junts), of acting with "disloyalty" for having notified him via WhatsApp on Three Kings' Night that his town council would issue a favorable opinion, despite having previously assured him that they had no interest in it. Deputy Mayor Jordi Puigneró denied the accusations and asserted that they had simply carried out a technical assessment of the project's viability, as required by law, from an urban planning and public service provision perspective.

More like Sant Cugat?

What are the residents of Bellaterra saying about all this? The president of the local council, Josep Maria Riba (Bellaterra Endavant), emphasizes the "democratic mandate" behind the separation process: it began because 61% of the residents of this beautiful area voted in favor. In fact, Bellaterra had to go to court because Cerdanyola refused to initiate the procedure, something they were ultimately forced to do by court order. Riba highlights Bellaterra's better geographical and rail connections to the town center of Sant Cugat, which is easily accessible by public transport; from Cerdanyola, on the other hand, they are separated by the UAB campus, the AP-7 motorway, and a bike path. But beyond that, there is also a matter of similar "sociological profile," Riba acknowledges.

This sociological profile is reflected in income data. According to the INE (National Institute of Statistics), Cerdanyola has an average household income of €46,621 per year, while Bellaterra's is over €100,000; Sant Cugat's is closer, at €75,000. Proximity is also ideological: in the last regional electionsThe most voted party was Junts, with 40% of the votes; in Sant Cugat it was Junts (30%), while in Cerdanyola the PSC won with 35% of the votes.

Aside from the economic data, access to public services worries residents, who complain that Bellaterra has neither a primary care center (CAP) nor a library. This is explained by one of its promoters, Miquel Vàzquez, who regrets that Cordón assured that they would activate all "political" and "judicial" mechanisms to avoid losing Bellaterra. "It sounded like a local political boss's behavior," he laments, adding that the complaints are not "just a rich people's issue." One of the arguments the mayor put forward is that allowing the secession of a wealthy municipality due to an alleged fiscal deficit would set a very dangerous precedent for "social cohesion." The same scenario could be repeated in Terrassa, where the Font de l'Espardenyera urban development has requested to be transferred to Matadepera, one of the wealthiest municipalities in Catalonia. The Terrassa city council will begin the process this Monday.

The road ahead

The green light from Sant Cugat has pleased many residents who, as some have pointed out, are considering joining the neighboring city solely "from the heart" (or perhaps from a financial perspective: having a Sant Cugat postal code could increase their property values ​​and allow them to benefit from tax breaks). Some are urging pragmatism and a careful weighing of the pros and cons of the move. A report from the Barcelona Provincial Council, consulted by ARA, is relevant here, stating that Bellaterra's incorporation into Sant Cugat would entail the dissolution of its EMD (Municipal Entity of Decentralized Administration) status. In other words, they would become just another neighborhood of Sant Cugat. They would not be able, at least initially, to negotiate improvements bilaterally with the city council—negotiations are currently underway regarding the existing agreement—apply for subsidies independently, or file appeals in court. This is a factor that certain groups are urging residents to consider, although the committee promoting the separation believes the transition is possible while maintaining EMD status. The final decision rests with the Generalitat (Catalan government). Once the Cerdanyola council approves the final report, the Directorate General of Local Administration will have six months to issue its opinion. From there, the file will go to the territorial demarcation commission, and then to the executive council. The commission promoting the separation trusts that the government's involvement, as in Cerdanyola, will not affect the PSC's (Socialist Party of Catalonia) assessment of the file, which should be based on "technical" criteria.