Urban decay and management issues reported in Cuneo and Bari

Reports from Cuneo and Bari highlight growing concerns regarding urban decay and the management of public spaces in Italy.

In Cuneo, a local shopkeeper reported spending six hours cleaning the porticos in front of her store after returning from a two-week holiday. She documented animal waste, cigarette butts, and corrosion on storefronts caused by urine. The merchant attributed the issue to three factors: infrequent municipal cleaning cycles, lack of civic responsibility among citizens, and insufficient public maintenance.

In Bari, municipal councilor Luca Bratta has called for increased institutional presence and stricter controls in Piazza Umberto. He reported that the square is frequently occupied by unauthorized vendors using sidewalks, flowerbeds, and even trash bins as makeshift stalls. Bratta criticized current administration efforts, arguing that urban revitalization requires consistent enforcement of rules rather than just new street furniture.