Social cohesion and
sustainable development at
the heart of Congress debate
Plenary Session of the Congress (27-29 May 2008) Strasbourg, France
Congress calls upon local and regional authorities to support a new energy culture
''Public local and regional action: for a new energy culture'': In response to the urgency raised by climate change and the need for a secure supply of energy at affordable prices, the Congress called upon local and regional authorities to develop a new energy culture incorporating regions' energy performance.
This would depend particularly on use of renewable energy sources, improvement of energy efficiency, and reorganisation of means of transport.
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Cyber-democracy:
E-tools for better interaction between elected representatives
and citizens
The Congress adopted several texts aimed at furthering local government's development of the new technologies and use of the Internet. It invited local authorities to enhance the openness of political decision-making processes, particularly as regards urban projects.
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Child in the city: the Congress calls for local public action to be stepped up
The Congress held two debates on the situation of children, addressing the question of the social reintegration of children living and/or working on the streets, and the challenge of building child-friendly cities. The Congress called on local and regional authorities to design the built environment from the child's perspective and to develop compact cities where housing, schools, child-care facilities, shops and businesses are in close proximity. The Congress also recommended to implement integrated municipal action plans and invited member states to consider establishing a children's ombudsman or mediator. (more...)
Esther
Maurer: ''Housing must not be a factor of discrimination against
migrants''
The Congress adopted a recommendation and a resolution on integration of migrants through local housing policies. These texts arise out of the findings on migrants' housing made by the CLIP (Cities for Local Integration Policies) Network, of which the Congress is a founding member.
Rapporteur Esther Maurer (Switzerland, SOC) stressed in her introduction that integration through housing referred to access to affordable and standard quality accommodation meeting culturally diverse housing preferences and needs.
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Yavuz Mildon is the new Congress President, Ian
Micallef was re-elected President of the Chamber of Local
Authorities and Ludmila Sfirloaga was elected President of the
Chamber of Regions
Election of 3 new Presidents