CCSE questions on Regions, provinces and municipalities

✓ Las comunidades autónomas

Health care is a power of the comunidades autónomas (the regions with self-government): each one organises its own hospitals and health centres. The State sets the basic rules so that everyone gets similar care. The ayuntamientos (town councils) take care of local services such as cleaning, water or parks. So, if there is a problem with your health centre, it depends on the health service of your comunidad (for example, the Servicio Andaluz de Salud or the Servei Català de la Salut).

✓ Estatuto de Autonomía

Each comunidad autónoma (region with self-government) has an Estatuto de Autonomía, which is its basic institutional rule. It defines its name, its territory, its institutions and the powers it takes on. It is approved as a ley orgánica (organic law) by the Cortes Generales (the Spanish parliament), in line with the Constitution. That is why there are 17 statutes plus those of Ceuta and Melilla. Do not confuse it with the Constitution, which is the common law for the whole State, or with the ordenanzas (local by-laws), which are rules of the ayuntamientos (town councils).

✓ El ayuntamiento

Local cultural and sports facilities, such as the municipal swimming pool, the sports centre or the neighbourhood library, are the responsibility of the ayuntamiento (town council). It is the administration closest to the citizen. It also takes care of cleaning, street lighting, water, urban transport and the local police. The ministries set general policies for the whole country, but they do not manage these day-to-day services. Remember: close to you equals ayuntamiento.