New Functions for Portuguese Local Public Administration in the period 2007-2013

Abstract

The aim of this dissertation is to assess the impact of decentralization and delegation of powers from central government to local government in the period between 2007 and 2013.
Through the different stages of this research project – in process design; data collection and interpretation and information contextualization – we decided for a qualitative and quantitative methodology, with a view to validating, explaining and reinterpreting the data obtained from the Municipalities of Vale de Cambra, S. João da Madeira and Santa Maria da Feira.
Supported by this study we analyse the municipality reorganization as well as the process of competencies to be transfered from the central to the municipalities of Vale de Cambra, S.João da Madeira e Santa Maria da Feira. New insights are highlighted by the Law nº 75/2003 of September 18, which presents itself as a decisive factor in the process of functions to be transfered to parishes.