The budget for 2025 exceeds 121 million euros, with an investment effort for suburbs, outskirts and young people

17.3 million in investments to expand sports facilities with a new indoor swimming pool and a cycling complex.

It maintains the unlimited nature of social spending items, which may be increased economically in accordance with the needs that arise during the fiscal year.

It continues to pay the inherited debt of 304 million euros, which is expected to be reduced to 16 million euros in 2025.

The City Council of Estepona will submit to the Plenary of the Corporation, which will take place on Thursday, October 31, the initial approval of the municipal Budget for the year 2025, which stands at 121.7 million euros. The accounts include an investment effort, especially aimed at young people and improvements in neighborhoods and suburban areas.

The Mayor of Estepona, José María García Urbano, emphasizes that “for the next fiscal year we will continue to be governed by the principles of rigor, seriousness, containment and prudence in spending. These have been and will continue to be the keys to our management model, which have made it possible for the Estepona of today to be admired by all who know it, which have made it a benchmark of credibility and institutional seriousness, and which have made it possible for it to be an inspiration and a source of pride”.

In this sense, the mayor has highlighted the implementation of pioneering initiatives such as a Comprehensive Infrastructure Remodeling Plan, a Special Lighting Plan in the coastal corridor and the suburbs or the project ‘One day, one street’, which will allow workers from different municipal services to concentrate on a road or public space for improvement. In addition, the VI Municipal Plan of Asphalting that will be executed in almost fifty streets in the city center and the suburbs, or the Comprehensive Plan for the Remodeling of Playgrounds and Leisure planned.

Specifically, the investments for the year 2025 amount to 17.3 million euros. It is worth highlighting the item earmarked for the construction of the Central Park 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. New sections of the Corredor Litoral will continue to be built and the network of public parking lots will be expanded at a cost of 1 euro per day.

Expansion of video surveillance

In terms of security, one of the main measures contemplated in the budget is the expansion of the current video surveillance system that has been in operation since last year and which 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 new feature of this system is that the patrol vehicles of the Local Police have a technical assistance device that allows them to access the traffic video 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 the local agents will also be evidenced by the acquisition of new vehicles for their fleet, which will be added to the three new units incorporated in these days.

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, which will be complemented by several sports courts to practice other sports, and the construction of an ambitious complex dedicated to cycling where new sports such as rugby can be practiced in the city.

Likewise, there is still a commitment to new infrastructures aimed at guaranteeing the 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 on which work is underway.

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 action of the City Council, the various acts and events organized will be in line with the 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 perform in their free time.

The mayor, José María García Urbano, also explained that the budget continues to support families by continuing 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 remain ‘expandable items’, ie, will be unlimited and may be increased according to the needs that occur 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 to work on the dissemination of the history and heritage of the city with the expansion of the current Municipal Archaeological Museum. The current building, which is located in the central Plaza de Blas Infante, will be expanded with more rooms that will allow a greater exposure of the archaeological collections of the city.

Payment of inherited debt

The municipal budget continues to deal responsibly with the economic management of the past. In this regard, it continues with the payment of the debt of 304 million euros inherited in June 2011, which currently stands at 25 million euros, and will be reduced to 16 million euros at the end of the 2025 financial year. The rapid payment of this debt has resulted in significant savings in the interest payments accrued on this debt.

Proof of the good economic management is that this City Council accumulates several consecutive years with all the 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 can be closed with a surplus of 45 million euros.

Estepona is once again one of the first in our country to approve its accounts for next year. Submitting it to its initial approval in October, the government team begins its processing so that it can enter into force on January 1, 2025.

This government team, in addition to managing to place all its economic magnitudes in positive, as accredited by the General Accounts of previous years, complies with all economic commitments, including transparency and accountability to the supramunicipal control bodies.