Toni Barea Olmos has been elected as the new president of the Consorci de la Ribera, the supramunicipal body formed by the associations of municipalities of Ribera Alta and Ribera Baixa. He took office during the extraordinary session of the General Meeting of the Consorci de la Ribera, held on Tuesday, 4 November 2025, in Alzira.
The new president is a councillor in the Alginet Town Council and replaces Josep Mur Díaz-Hellín, councillor in the Carlet Town Council, who has resigned from the position in accordance with the agreement reached at the beginning of the legislative term whereby each would assume the presidency for two years. Barea previously held the position of first vice-president of the Consorci de la Ribera and also holds the position of first vice-president of the Mancomunitat de la Ribera Alta.
«It is an immense honour for me to assume the presidency of the Consorci de la Ribera. I do so with respect, humility and full awareness of the responsibility involved in representing an institution that unites municipalities, projects and people with a common goal: to improve life in our region», said the president, who also had words of thanks for Josep Mur: «Thank you, Josep, for your dedication, your serenity and your understanding of public service».
Barea highlighted three fundamental areas that he wants to strengthen during his presidency: first, the efficiency of the Consorci de la Ribera as a public service close to local councils and citizens; second, the commitment to ecological transition and responsible resource management; and finally, the well-being and cohesion of the Ribera, without leaving any municipality behind. «I want this new stage to be one of dialogue and proximity. I want each local council to see the Consorci as an extension of its own work. I want the technical staff to continue to be the driving force behind ideas and initiatives. And I want citizens to see the Consorci as an ally, an institution that listens, responds and builds with them», he added.
The Consorci de la Ribera aims to manage collaboration agreements between the two associations and other bodies and to manage the areas under the Consorci’s responsibility: economic promotion, energy, tourism and environmental education.
In addition, it currently has very ambitious projects underway, such as Canya a la Canya, which will create a large 75-kilometre green corridor on the Xúquer River by eliminating invasive species in its flow.
Furthermore, the institution is ensuring animal welfare with the construction of two shelters for abandoned animals in conjunction with the associations of municipalities of Ribera Alta, Ribera Baixa and Safor: the first centre has recently been inaugurated in Tavernes de la Valldigna and the second, located in l’Alcúdia, will come into service in early 2026.
Other notable projects of the Consorci de la Ribera are EMMA and RISE Resilient Communities, two initiatives to combat disasters that are funded by the European Union through the ERASMUS+ programme. The first will improve the management of volunteers in emergencies, and the second will use adult education, digital learning and innovation.
In the area of energy, this department aims to contribute to the sustainable development of La Ribera by promoting renewable sources and energy saving. Its initiatives include the municipal energy assistance service, which helps local councils to meet their emission reduction commitments, while also combating energy poverty by advising citizens. Innovation is present in projects such as SMART STREET LIGHTING to achieve intelligent public lighting systems, the CEL LA RIBERA project to promote local energy communities, and the ADAPTA CPI project to define a methodology for adapting to climate change and renaturalising urban areas.
