The City Council of Estepona (Malaga) will submit to the plenary session of the corporation to be held on Wednesday, September 30, the initial approval of the municipal budget for the year 2021. The economic document forecasts revenues of more than 101.4 million euros, places expenses at 98 million euros and forecasts a surplus of 3.3 million euros.
The mayor of Estepona, José María García Urbano, explained that “these are the accounts of a new recovery”, which maintain “rigor, credibility and compliance with the regulations applicable to it”. He also pointed out that it is a document with a strong social character, in which the financial amounts related to aid and social programs for the most vulnerable groups have been declared “expandable”, that is- that is, they will be unlimited and will have a positive impact on the economy.
In this regard, he indicated that the government team will continue the investment approach that has marked the management of the past nine years, with the conviction that, faced with the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, administrations must be engine and stimulate the economy and the creation of wealth, in order to help maintain and create jobs.
He thus recalled that after the start of the pandemic, the City Council launched an action plan to stimulate economic and social recovery, which has mobilized 42 million euros so far, out of a total of 80 million. which should be put into circulation through municipal projects and the promotion of other initiatives.
Specifically, the items for productive investments included in the budget rose to 16.2 million euros, the highest figure ever recorded in the history of the city.
He said that the sums involved are sufficient to continue the works already in progress, such as the new building of the town hall, which will consolidate the municipal offices and improve the service to the citizens; the municipal plan for underground car parks, which plans to advance the works of the car park for half a thousand vehicles in Plaza del Ajedrez and the redevelopment of this area.
It also includes elements for the completion and maintenance of the coastal corridor project that unites the entire seafront, as well as for the continuity of the process of remodeling and beautification of the urban center, which has more than 130 renovated streets. in all its infrastructures, the improvement of public facilities, the creation of green spaces and playgrounds, the conservation and acquisition of materials for beaches and gardens and the maintenance of educational centers and garden centres.
Likewise, funds are incorporated for the execution of projects co-financed by the European Edusi funds, among which the redevelopment of the second phase of the central avenue of Andalucía and the redevelopment of the promenade. They also specified that public security is being reinforced with the acquisition of vehicles for the local police and civil protection, as well as the supply of articles for the coverage of the public appeal for nine places of agents.
SOCIAL INVESTMENT With regard to social investment, this exercise will be marked by particular attention to the social needs arising from the impact of the pandemic. Thus, more than six million euros are devoted to programmes, aid and initiatives aimed at supporting citizens who find themselves in a situation of vulnerability.
In this sense, they have had an impact on a position – which can be extended – of half a million euros for the Municipal Plan for Employment; as well as the increase in the amounts for non-profit associations that provide assistance to the most disadvantaged, with more than 150,000 euros. Likewise, social emergency aid will be unlimited, being granted to all people who find themselves in the corresponding situation for this aid.
Likewise, the grants for pioneering health programs are increased, such as early detection of gynecological and urological cancer (197,000 euros), early detection and prevention of heart disease “Estepona, Ciudad Cardiosaludable” (131,000 euros), the economic and family assistance and the habitability fund for repairs in the properties of citizens with limited resources.
PAYMENT OF DEBT Another relevant aspect included in the 2021 budget is the continuation of the payment of the inherited debt of 300 million euros in June 2011. In concrete terms, it is planned to allocate 15 million euros to this chapter in the next financial year so that this debt is reduced to 70 million euros, which means having paid more than 76% of the total of this initial debt. .
In this sense, they highlighted “the dizzying rate of depreciation in recent years, with an average of 30 and 40 million euros per year, which allows considerable savings to be made in the municipal coffers by avoiding the payment of The objective set by the government team is to reach “zero debt” in 2023-2024, so that at that time a 50% reduction in property tax (IBI) will be carried out.
Regarding the repayment of this inherited debt, it should be recalled that the City Council has fully repaid the inherited debt to the Tax Office, for which more than 18 million euros have been paid. As well as all the debts inherited with the Junta de Andalucía due to the misuse of the subsidies granted to the previous socialist government; and those contracted – during the same period – with the Patronato de Recaudacion Provincial and with the concessionary companies, the total amount of which amounted to more than 20 million euros.
Finally, he pointed out that the Estepona City Council “fulfills, once again, its obligation to present the municipal budget for next year on time, being one of the first in the country to carry out this procedure”.
Source: Europapress of September 24, 2020 .