The Neighborhood Board of the Decentralized Municipal Entity (EMD) of Bellaterra reactivated an old claim last week by submitting a formal request for separation from Cerdanyola and incorporation into Sant Cugat. Cordón stressed that the final decision rests with the Generalitat de Catalunya, but insisted that the process could "generate a very dangerous precedent" for the territorial model.
“"The relationship between the two local governments is at the worst possible moment. This is not how municipalities should relate to each other."
The Cerdanyola mayor directly accused the Sant Cugat del Vallès City Council (Junts) of "institutional disloyalty" for supporting the annexation, arguing that it is based on "economic and electoral interests." This political clash occurs despite supramunicipal bodies agreeing that any territorial alteration should involve an agreement between the affected municipalities, a path Cordón currently sees as unviable.
One of the main arguments behind the segregation is the economic affinity with Sant Cugat, as the average annual per capita income in Bellaterra (25,799 euros) is significantly higher than that of Cerdanyola (13,953 euros). Cordón warned that segregation would open a precedent based on income, questioning the model of social cohesion and allowing areas with greater purchasing power to detach from the rest.
The conflict reopened after a ruling by the High Court of Justice of Catalonia (TSJC) in June 2024 forced the Cerdanyola council to open the technical file, even though the city council can position itself against it. The Cerdanyola City Council is now working on a technical report to justify the inviability of the neighborhood proposal, which is expected to be made public between February and March.
