Summary

In the assessment process of the Lidera Plan projects, one of the criteria used was the impact of each project on the SDGs of the 2030 Agenda. For this purpose, an innovative methodology owned by the consultancy Smart&City Solutions S.L. was used to carry out the project. It integrates six items for project assessment:

1. Scope: Overlap between the project definition and the analyzed target.

2. Quality: Project definition and capacity to influence the indicator.
3. Size: Size or scale of the project (how much of the population it affects).
4. Scale: Measure of how many projects are aligned with the same target, creating synergies and economies of scale effects.
5. Individual indirect impacts: Using the DUI-SDG indirect impact calculation and monitoring tool, the targets on which the project has an indirect impact are identified.
6. “Systemic” bonus: This refers to a transversal project with the capacity to change the city model or to serve as a demonstration pilot for that systemic change.

The result of this work provides an impact assessment for each project on a scale of 1 to 5, regarding the SDGs of the 2030 Agenda and the Spanish Urban Agenda.

Project Classification

It is a project. Alignment of existing plans with the SDGs of the 2030 Agenda.

Timeline

From September 15, 2022, to January 15, 2023.

Self-assessment Block

PLANNING What were the objectives set for the project?

General objectives:

– Alignment of Strategic Plan projects with the 2030 Agenda.

– Determine the impact of each project on the SDGs.

Specific objectives:

– Alignment of projects with an SDG target.

– Definition of an indicator for monitoring each of the targets.

– Identify synergies and economies of scale.

– Evaluate indirect impacts.

– Identify driving projects for systemic change.

INNOVATION What are the most novel aspects? What challenge/problem is addressed?

This initiative is primarily aimed at internal reorganization or restructuring, adapting our procedures and work methodologies to the principles set by the 2030 Agenda (for example, localization of the A2030, design of implementation plans or alignment of existing plans with the A2030, budgetary alignment, identification and construction of measurement indicators…).

What is the target population?

The entire population – 121,000 inhabitants.

METHODOLOGY What was the methodology followed for its implementation?

The initiative is coordinated by the planning department. Five criteria are taken into account for project assessment:
1.- SDG IMPACT (the criterion at hand)
2.- FINANCING POSSIBILITY
3.- TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY
4.- STAKEHOLDERS
5.- CITY IMAGE.

The first three criteria are technical: the planning department makes a proposal to the other areas, which is validated by the Steering Committee. Once validated, it is transferred to the CSC (City Social Council) so that, along with the other criteria, it can provide its contributions.

Can you indicate the main actions developed by the initiative?

Alignment of projects with the structure of the strategy, i.e., axis and scope.

Alignment of projects with the SDGs and their targets.

Determine an indicator for each project, with its baseline value, the current threshold, the objective or target to be achieved, and the distance remaining to achieve the target.

Furthermore, this methodology determines the affected population; synergies and economies of scale; indirect impacts on other SDGs, whether positive or negative; and highlights the identification of driving projects that generate change.

CONDITIONING FACTORS What conditions must be met for the project to be successfully replicated (in a similar context)?

The involvement of the institution and its interest in the city continuing to advance in its commitment to the 2030 Agenda.

Thanks to the drive of the various departments involved, coordinated by the planning department.

Experience in 2030 Agenda matters: The city council began its involvement with the 2030 Agenda in 2018, aligning the results obtained from the evaluation of the previous strategic plan with the 17 SDGs.

REPLICABILITY/SCALABILITY/TRANSFERABILITY What elements should be considered for the project to be replicated in another Local Entity?

Institutional support.

A committed and multidisciplinary team, and change management.

Expertise in SDG implementation issues.

RESOURCES What technical, human, and economic resources have been used?

The resources used were, on one hand, the planning department focused on the city’s Strategic Plan project “Lidera Alcobendas 2030” and, on the other, specialized SDG consultancy work.

STAKEHOLDER INVOLVEMENT Which local actors have been involved in the project (citizens, third-sector organizations, private sector, academic field, etc.)? How was this involvement achieved?

The Social Council, as the highest participatory body in Alcobendas, is composed of representatives from the organizations with the greatest impact in the municipality and neighborhood representatives. It meets at least twice a year, with one session being public and open, to address the most relevant issues affecting the city.

It is composed of:
The President of the Council: the Mayor
The Vice-President: the Councilor responsible for Citizen Participation,
The Councilor President of each of the Districts of Alcobendas or their delegate.
Three representatives from the Sectoral Participation Bodies.
One neighborhood representative for each District from among those elected in the District Assembly.
One member for each political group with representation in the municipal Plenary.
Two members representing the trade union organizations that have achieved the status of most representative in the municipality.
A maximum of two representatives from economic organizations proposed by the organizations themselves.
One representative from the Alcobendas Youth Council.
The Councilor responsible for the City Observatory.
One representative from the Autonomous University of Madrid.
One representative from the Comillas Pontifical University.
One representative from the European University of Madrid.

Briefly, what role has each one played or is playing?

They participate in the development of two of the five project prioritization criteria and also present observations and suggestions, assisting in decision-making.

ALLIANCES. Have other institutions been involved in achieving the set objectives?

No

Has the implementation of the initiative involved local actors outside the local corporation?

Yes

If you answered affirmatively to the previous question, could you indicate what process was followed to achieve the involvement of the different actors?

– Public-private collaboration with a consultancy.

– Other agents of the ecosystem, insofar as they have validated the prioritization criteria and their assessment through the City Social Council, where all agents participate: social, economic, academic, private sector, political sphere…

Is there any participation body or established structure with the different actors?

Through the CSC, City Social Council.

RESULTS/MEASUREMENT Have the project results been measured based on local indicators?

– No. of projects aligned per SDG

– No. of prioritized projects

TRIPLE IMPACT Is the project sustainable from an environmental, economic, and social point of view?

The new strategic plan is structured into 4 major axes and 21 scopes, with three of these axes being precisely these impacts.

AXES: URBAN AND NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, and TRANSFORMATION.

SCOPES: Environment, Security, Urban and Natural Habitat, Energy Efficiency, Housing, Mobility, Culture, Social Reactivation, Education, Sport and Health, Families and Gender Equality, Infrastructure, Employment, Business Promotion, Commerce, City Innovation, Talent, Simplification, Digitalization and Innovation, Sustainability, Efficiency and Evidence, Integrity and Transparency, Asset Management.

Through this structure, strategic projects, indicators for their monitoring, and assessment are fitted. One of the five assessment criteria is the “Impact on the SDGs,” the Best Practice at hand.

OBSTACLES What were the main obstacles encountered in all phases of the project?

There is no standard for the assessment of projects and plans regarding the 2030 Agenda.

The uncertain scenario and standstill that took place with the Covid-19 pandemic.

Resistance to change and such a broad participatory methodology pose difficulties for consensus.

CONCLUSION. Project impact and utility.

The projects received during the participatory design of the Plan have been grouped by field of action and assigned an indicator for subsequent monitoring and evaluation. Additionally, an impact analysis of each project on the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda has been conducted. Subsequently, projects were prioritized based on their attributes and the following criteria: impact on the 2030 Agenda, financing possibility, technical difficulty (evaluated at a technical level), impact on stakeholders, and reinforcement or increase of Alcobendas’ prestige (assessed by the City Social Council and the government team).

Information Block

FURTHER INFORMATION

The diagnosis of the Alcobendas 2030 Strategic Plan:

https://www.alcobendas.org/es/ayuntamiento/planificacion-municipal/plan-estrategico/que-es

https://www.alcobendas.org/sites/default/files/2023-03/Libro%20Plan%20Lidera.pdf

https://www.alcobendas.org/sites/default/files/2021-07/Diagnostico_Plan_Estrategico_2030.pdf

 

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