City Council approves 2025 municipal budget and closes the year with inherited debt reduced to 24 million euros

The Consistory finishes another year with all the economic magnitudes in positive and a surplus that will reach 45 million euros.

The municipal budget for next year exceeds 121 million euros and includes an investment effort for neighborhoods, suburbs and young people.

The Plenary of the Estepona City Council today gave the green light to the final approval of the municipal budget for 2025, which exceeds 121 million euros. On the other hand, it has been reported that the municipal debt inherited by the Consistory from previous governments will be reduced to 24 million euros at the close of this year 2024.

The agility in meeting the obligations of the Consistory in terms of debt repayment, which inherited in June 2011 and that in all concepts reached 304 million euros, has allowed that more than 90% has already been paid, leaving only bank debt. The significant rate of amortization that has been carried out by the current government team has also resulted in considerable savings to the municipal coffers by avoiding the payment of interest generated.

In the last 13 years, the 60 million of inherited debt with the Social Security Treasury has been completely settled, as well as the debt for the totality of the unaccounted invoices, the so-called ‘invoices in the drawers’ (33 million Euros), and the totality of the inherited debt with the Junta de Andalucía for the improper or unjustified use of subsidies granted by the autonomous administration to the previous socialist government (6 million Euros) was paid in full. In addition, the debt also inherited with the Tax Agency (18 million euros), and paid the entire debt, also inherited, with the concessionaire of the water service (8 million euros).

Proof of the good economic management that has been applied is that the City Council accumulates several consecutive years with all economic magnitudes in positive. An example of this is that in the last financial year (2023), the Consistory achieved a surplus of 37.8 million euros. The forecast of the municipal technicians is that 2024 will close with a surplus of 45 million euros.

The various parameters that measure the financial health of public administrations continue to be in the green for another year, which corroborates the excellent work that the City Council of Estepona does every day in this area. This is reflected in the municipal budget for 2025 finally approved today, which reaches 121 million euros. The accounts include an investment effort, especially aimed at young people and improvements in neighborhoods and suburban areas.

Specifically, investments for the year 2025 amount to 17.3 million euros. It is worth highlighting the item earmarked for the construction of the Boulevard, the project that is the culmination of the great urban transformation that has taken place in the city and that has led to international recognition in the form of prizes and awards. It will continue with new sections of the Coastal Corridor and expanding the network of public parking lots at a cost of 1 euro per day.

Expansion of video surveillance

In terms of security, one of the main measures included in the budget is the expansion of the current video surveillance system that has been in operation since last year and are intended for urban traffic control. The system was a pioneer in the province due to the type of technology it uses. This camera circuit allows the Consistory to act more quickly and provide a rapid response if necessary, since the management of this system is done from the Control Center of the Local Police Headquarters, although it is also available to other law enforcement agencies that require it.

Another of the novelties of this system is that the patrol vehicles of the Local Police have a technical assistance device that allows them to access the traffic cameras installed on public roads. Likewise, the installation of artificial intelligence sensors also makes it possible to control the areas of the city where there is a large influx of traffic.

On the other hand, the police force will continue to be provided with both material and human resources. In addition to the new positions that have been announced for the Local Police Headquarters, those corresponding to the next call that is scheduled for 2025 will be added. The forecast is that another ten positions will be created. The support to local agents will also be evident with the acquisition of new vehicles for its fleet.

New sports equipment

The municipal budget for 2025 continues to address another of the most important citizen demands, such as the creation of new sports facilities that allow the practice of more disciplines in the city. Thus, it includes the construction of a new indoor swimming pool in the area of Las Mesas, which is already in tender, which will be complemented with several tracks to practice other sports, and the construction of an ambitious complex dedicated to cycling where new modalities can be performed in the city such as rugby.

Likewise, there is still a commitment to new infrastructure to ensure water supply in the face of the drought situation. In this sense, the accounts include the construction of the desalination plant, which will complete the installation of a desalination plant in which work is being done.

During the year 2025 will strengthen the attention to the group of young people with initiatives that will be promoted from the various municipal delegations. In addition to feeling more represented in the actions of the City Council, the different acts and events that will be organized will go in the line that youth have more educational offerings, more opportunities to socialize, more options to help and engage with their environment, and more activities of various kinds to do in their free time.

The budget continues to support families to continue without raising taxes. In addition, it has a strong social character, where the economic amounts linked to aid and social programs for the most vulnerable groups are still ‘expandable items’; that is, they will be unlimited and may be increased according to the needs that arise during the financial year.

In cultural key, the accounts continue to collect items for the various cultural awards and competitions organized by the City of Estepona to promote the creation and the different artistic disciplines, such as international awards for novels and poetry, competitions that support young talents in classical music performance, or the award that recognizes symphonic compositions for our Municipal Band.

In addition, we will continue working on the dissemination of the history and heritage of the city with the expansion of the current Municipal Archaeological Museum, an intervention that has already gone out to tender and which will double the current exhibition space of the museum.