Patras is the third biggest city in Greece, the metropolitan centre of the Region of Western Greece regarded as the “gate” of the country to the West. With a population of over two hundred thousand inhabitants, it extends over an area of 333,14km2 that perfectly matches a long coastal line in front and mountainous areas in the back. Since roman times, Patras has been an important port and cosmopolitan centre of the Eastern Mediterranean basin, the place of Saint Andrew's martyrdom, a crossroad of civilizations that has become a bridge of cultures through the years, believing in building an inclusive equal society for all. The economy of the city mostly depends on a thriving service sector, whose main activities include retailing, logistics, financial and public sector services. Patras had suffered a severe problem of deindustrialization during the decades of 1980s and 1990s; where a number of major productive units closed down in successive order. As a result, the city underwent a great economic hit and a huge rise of unemployment. It managed to overcome those conditions and improved by investing mainly in smart technologies, science and innovation, environment and energy, tourism and culture. The Municipality of Patras is administered by a 49-member Municipal Council, the Mayoral Committee and the Mayor. The Mayor is assisted by Deputy Mayors who are elected municipal councillors themselves that have been appointed by the Mayor for these tasks. The Municipal Council makes all decisions on issues that concern the Municipality except on those issues that fall under the jurisdiction of the Mayor and/or the Mayoral Committee. The Municipality of Patras consists of Directorates for various topics that implement their tasks through a total staff of 1.050 people, dealing with City Planning, Public Works, Traffic Affairs, Environment, Quality of Life and Energy Affairs, Social Services, Public Health, Civil Protection, Education and Sport, Local Economy and Tourism.