The Plenary approves the Budget for 2025 with 122 million and historic economic data for the municipality

The accounts contemplate a major investment effort that prioritizes neighborhoods, suburbs and young people, while continuing with the transformation of the city to improve its quality of life.

The inherited debt of 304 million euros continues to be paid, which is expected to be reduced to 16 million euros in 2025.

The City Council of Estepona has held today a plenary session of the Corporation with a minute of silence for the victims of the DANA, given the dramatic situation that is being experienced in the country. The session was held in view of the urgency of approving the municipal budget for its necessary entry into force in 2025.

Thus, the session has given the green light to the initial approval of the municipal budget for the year 2025, which reaches 122 million euros and presents the best economic data for the municipality. The accounts include a major investment effort, especially aimed at young people and improvements in neighborhoods and suburban areas, as well as to continue the transformation of the city that has abounded in improving the quality of life in Estepona. Thus, the municipality becomes one of the first to approve its accounts, which guarantees its processing for entry into force, as required, on January 1, 2025.

The mayor of Estepona, José María García Urbano, stressed that these are accounts with historical magnitudes, which include investments amounting to 17.3 million euros. Among the planned actions include some already underway as the construction of the Central Park Boulevard, the project that is the culmination of the great urban transformation that has occurred in the city and has led to international recognition in the form of prizes and awards. It will also continue with new sections of the Corredor Litoral and expanding the network of public parking lots at a cost of 1 euro per day.

“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, and which have made it a benchmark of credibility and institutional seriousness,” said García Urbano.

The budget includes 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 will be executed in almost fifty streets in the city center and the outskirts, or the Integral Plan of Remodeling of Playgrounds and Leisure planned.

Likewise, new infrastructures aimed at guaranteeing water supply in the face of the drought situation continue to be implemented. In this sense, the construction of the desalination plant is included, which will complete the installation of a desalination plant on which work is being carried out.

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 that are 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 budget also continues to support families by not 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 continue to be ‘expandable items’; that is, they will be unlimited and may be increased according to the needs that arise during the financial year.

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 which has been in operation since last year and which is 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 security forces 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.

Payment of inherited debt

The municipal budget continues to responsibly address 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 which 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. For the ninth consecutive year, the Consistory has managed to place all the economic magnitudes in positive and has taken off economically exceeding all expectations.

The forecast of the municipal technicians is that 2024 could close 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 achieving positive figures for all its economic magnitudes, as accredited by the General Accounts of previous years, complies with all economic commitments, including transparency and accountability to the supramunicipal control bodies. The average payment period to suppliers has also been drastically reduced, going from 1,492 days in June 2011 to an average of 15.82 days, as shown in the General Account for 2023.

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, the 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 greater exposure of the archaeological collections of the city.

Modification of the garbage tax of the central government

On the other hand, the Plenary has given the green light to the provisional approval of the modification of the Tax Ordinance regulating the Rate for Collection, Treatment and Disposal of Garbage and other Urban Waste after the requirement of the central government that requires municipalities to an increase in the costs of collection, transport and treatment.

This ‘tax on garbage’ imposed by the central government, without dialogue or prior agreement, obliges the municipalities to raise the bill, compulsorily, from April 1, 2025.

The change of model in waste management is determined by a European directive, although each State is given the power to articulate the development of the same. In the case of the Spanish Government, it has opted to force the municipalities to raise the bill.

The mayor explained that from the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP) is going to ask the Government of Spain a reform of the law that has created rates on the collection, transport and recycling of waste, understanding that does not respect local autonomy.

In the case of Estepona the planned increase (still pending the state law) would be cushioned by the efforts that the government team has been making since 2011 with tax reduction measures. It should be recalled that a 15% garbage rate reduction was already applied in the 2018 financial year. In addition, the CPI has not been updated since then to the rate, thus avoiding that this rate has risen more than 20%.

Estepona’s tax ordinance maintains the already existing bonuses. Retirees and long-term unemployed registered in the town are exempt from payment. To these will now be added another of 3% on the full amount of the tax.