In order to improve the quality of the work of the Riga City Council's Spatial Planning and Mobility Department (SPMD) and to continue the ongoing changes, Chairperson of the Riga City Council Vilnis Ķirsis has appointed Ingūna Urtāne, the former Deputy Head of the Urban Development Department for Construction, as the Acting Head of the SPMD. The current Acting Head of SPMD, Rudīte Reveliņa, will continue as Head of the Traffic Organisation and Project Management Administration.
V. Ķirsis stresses that the workload of the Department's staff is very high, so it is important that the institution's structures can function to their full potential with respected and professional managers. "This year, the team of the SPMD has not been spared by various events. However, conflicts at management level must not prevent staff from fully performing their duties. After the reorganisation, the department will become one of the largest in the municipality. Public expectations of the department's performance are also steadily rising. At the same time, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the previous Acting Head of the Department, Rudīte Reveliņa, who took over the management of the institution during this stressful time," notes the Mayor, noting that the decision to promote I. Urtāne to the position of Acting Head of the Department has been carefully considered.
I. Urtāne considers her main task to be the completion of the ongoing reorganisation process of the SPMD, organising the structure of the institution, improving internal processes, and her long-term goal is to restore the reputation of the department and to promote cooperation with the public. "The results of the work of the Spatial and Mobility Department are felt most directly by everyone who lives in or visits the city, so it is vital that the changes that have been started in the department are completed. And there are new challenges, for example, the department this winter will have to clean pavements all over the city. Also, street maintenance procurements need to be finalised, pavement resurfacing works need to be completed, and a work plan for next year needs to be prepared in parallel so that construction contracts can be concluded on time," says I. Urtāne.
The city's Chief Executive Officer, Jānis Lange, was pleased that Urtāne had accepted the challenge: "The reorganisation of the Spatial Planning and Mobility Department aims to reduce fragmentation and increase the transparency and efficiency of structures. Unfortunately, the recruitment process for an independent Head of Department was unsuccessful, so we were looking for a professional with an understanding of public space development, construction processes, planning documents and the work of the municipality. The challenges in this position are considerable - you have to organise the work in a structured way, pay attention to quality control, technological processes and repair work methods," says Jānis Lange, Chief Executive Officer of Riga City.
I. Urtāne is an experienced municipal employee, she was the head of the Construction Board of Ādaži Municipality and later also the Head of the Territorial Planning Department, she has also worked for a long time in the state administration as the Head of the Spatial Planning Department of the Ministry of Smart Administration and Regional Development, she has also worked in the private sector. Since January 2023, she has been Deputy Head of the City Development Department responsible for construction. I. Urtāne obtained a Master's degree in Environmental Science and Administration from the University of Latvia. She has gained expertise in spatial planning, public administration and drafting laws and regulations through internships in various countries, internship training programmes and international projects.
I. Urtāne will start her new position at the SPMD on 26 August.
It has already been announced that in March this year, following criminal proceedings by the Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (CPCB), the Mayor of Riga immediately issued an order to dismiss the former Head of the SPMD, Jānis Vaivods, and to appoint R. Reveliņa in his place.
Information was prepared by: Head of the Riga Municipality Communications Department Uģis Vidauskis, e-mail: ugis.vidauskis@riga.lv
