Benidorm postpones the payment of tables and chairs until the end of March 2021 to support the hospitality industry

The Municipal Corporation of Benidorm has unanimously approved today to suspend definitively the collection of the fee for the installation of tables and chairs corresponding to the period between 14 March 2020 and 31 March, 2021, to “mitigate the situation that the hospitality and catering sector as a result of the Covid-19 crisis ”. The initial proposal of the mayor, Toni Pérez, has been amended by the government itself and the socialist municipal group, and modifies Fiscal Ordinance number 20 regulating the rate for private use and special use of the local public domain, to include the suspension of the collection in the indicated period, "thus greatly reducing the tax burden for this concept of the establishments."

The Councilor for Finance, Aida García Mayor, has stressed that this part of "the conviction that they have to seek and promote whatever measures are legally feasible to help the sector" of the hotel and restaurant industry and "the productive fabric of our city ", Avoiding or reducing" as far as possible "the" tax burdens "that could lead to" closures and job destruction, affecting and aggravating the economic situation of many families. "

García Mayor has emphasized that "by legal imperative", the City Council must send the establishments a proportional settlement for the period elapsed between January 1 and the entry into force of the state of alarm; a period in which they exercised their activity normally.

The plenary session has set the expenditure item for the 2020 accounts, which will remain unavailable to guarantee budget balance, while the 2021 budget will have to take into account the decrease in income derived from this rate.

This modification must now be submitted to public information for a period of one month before entering into force.

By majority, the modification of Mobility Ordinance number 1 was also initially approved. The councilor of the department, José Ramón González de Zárate has indicated that in recent years the City Council has developed instruments to organize the mobility of Benidorm from sustainability, a line that is now being deepened by aligning the new document with the Development Goals Sustainable (ODS) and with the 2030 Agenda.

De Zárate has indicated that the changes to the ordinance are in consonance with the new regulations of the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) or with the future regulations already announced by this body. At the same time, the suggestions made in the Mobility Advisory Council have been taken into account, as well as those sent to the Mayor's Office by different entities during and after the lock down. Among the main novelties, the mayor has referred to the current Residents Zone will be converted into the Orange Zone, the Red Zone and the Green Zone, all of which are free for people registered in Benidorm who pay their traffic tax in the city, as well as for companies with tax domicile in the town.

The allowed parking time will be different in each of them. Thus, in the Green Zone residents will be able to park for a maximum time of 48 hours and for 10 days in the Orange Zone. In the Red Zone, the maximum parking time will be determined once these regulated parking modalities are established.

In addition, the request sent by AICO, Abreca and Ociobal ​​to promote consumption in the city is included, enabling parking in Orange Zone also for non-residents when they prove that they have consumed in establishments in Benidorm. The allowed parking time will be from one to three hours depending on the accredited consumption.

Another novelty of the new text is that the speed in the urban area is limited to 30 kilometers per hour in general, and to 20 kilometers on the one-way roads.

Unanimously, the Corporation has given the green light to an institutional declaration in relation to the two towers 'Gemelos 28' in Punta Llisera on which there is a demolition order issued by the Supreme Court, and whose execution process is in the hands of the Superior Court of Justice of the Valencian Community (TSJ).

After the Mediation process closed without an agreement, Benidorm Corporation maintains in the announcement, proposed within the Board of Spokespersons, that "non-demolition is a matter of municipal interest and public utility" taking into account the "damage that can be done to the collective economic, environmental and tourist interests and to the inefficiency of the demolition ", since later there is" the possible rebuilding "of the same" a few meters (7/8 linear meters) set back from the current line that occupies the facade". The announcement also affects "the very high cost of executing the sentence" - set by the Generalitat at about 130 million euros-; as well as "the impossibility of using, by the general public, the protected easement space, which continues to be private property."

The proposal advocates "promoting possible legal channels" for the "recognition of this public utility not only for the City Council but also in the state, regional and judicial administrative spheres."

With the vote of all councilors, it has been approved to attend the call for the Sustainable Tourism Plans in Destinations program, proposed by the Secretary of State for Tourism, with a project of 4 million euros. The local government spokesperson, Lourdes Caselles, recalled that the proposal includes the development and execution of "19 actions provided for in Benidorm DTI + Safe Plan", within a period of 3 years and that, if selected, they would be financed 33% by the three administrations involved. Thus, the City Council should contribute a total of 1,335,000 euros throughout the period, at a rate of 445,000 euros per year. With this same amount, the Central Government and the Generalitat Valenciana would also participate until reaching 4 million euros.

Caselles has specified that the actions included in the project include a new phase -the 4th- of the musealization of the Castellum del Tossal de La Cala; the construction of Aula del Mar and creation of a public garden in front of Levante seafront; incorporation of cycle paths in green infrastructures; and renovation of the ornamental lighting of Levante Promenade together with the incorporation of smart signage. In addition, the implementation of the Plan for Adaptation to Climate Change and Circular Economy is also foreseen; implementation of environmental sensors and entry filters to low emission areas; the implementation of a sustainability observatory; the improvement of the implementation of quality in destinations and companies, 'Big Data' tools and smart tourism, as well as the incorporation of risk management programs and safety and hygiene protocols, and with the training of both managers and organizations for the creation and management of safer tourist experiences.

By majority, it has been agreed to award a long-term loan for the amount of 1,326,535.06 euros. The head of the Treasury has stressed that the arrangement of the loans seeks "not to reduce the City Council's liquidity capacity or generate treasury tensions" when meeting two spending obligations. This is the City Council's second contribution to Red.es program for an amount of 800,000 euros, claimed by the Government of Spain although the program has not been tendered; and the modification of the remodeling work on Mediterráneo Avenue.

García Mayor recalled that “the City Council currently has a 5.7 million euros surplus for 2019 that we cannot have despite having demanded the Central Government to authorize its use to meet municipal needs and expenses, derived from the economic and social crisis derived from the health emergency caused by Covid-19 ”.

Subsequently, and with the same result, the government completed the file for the modification of works for the first phase of the remodeling of Mediterráneo Avenue, which has been drawn up by municipal technicians. The Councilor for Works, José Ramón González de Zárate, has influenced the “complexity” of this remodeling, which has included works in the subsoil at depths above 4 meters and has been carried out “without paralyzing the activity of the establishments ”in the area.

De Zárate has clarified that in the development of this work “supervening circumstances” have arisen, as the municipal technicians have confirmed and that “justify” this modification, which amounts to 2,125,509.59 euros. Of this amount, 521,923 euros will be paid using the City Council's financial resources - through the concerted credit operation - and 1,603,586.29 using the resources of the water and sewerage service. The councillor recalled that in addition to the remodeling of the avenue itself, the project has also included the renovation of La Hispanidad square and the surrounding streets (Puente, Valencia, Esperanto, Periodicta y Escritor Emilio Romero, Doctor Pérez Llorca and Bilbao) , as well as Europa Avenue.

By majority, the plenary session has shown "the express support of Benidorm City Council to the appeal of unconstitutionality that the Popular Group in the Congress of Deputies will present against Royal Decree-law 27/2020" in relation to the surpluses of local administrations to "Defend the interests of all local entities and the savings of all neighbors." Likewise, the motion, jointly by the PP and Cs groups, has transferred "the profound rejection of this City Council to the negotiating procedure that the Government of Spain has maintained with the FEMP" in relation to this decree to "achieve an agreement that would give an appearance of unanimous support of local entities ”for such document. The agreement includes requesting the disapproval of the president of the FEMP, Abel Caballero; as well as rejecting "any measure of the Government of Spain aimed at appropriating the savings accumulated by the residents of the Spanish municipalities."

With the majority vote of the Corporation, a motion presented by the popular municipal group to urge the Government of Spain to adopt measures in favor of the tourism sector has been successful. Among the measures requested is to allocate "at least 30% of the fund to support the solvency of strategic companies" and the European Recovery Fund to businesses in the tourism sector. In addition, specific fiscal measures are called for such as a super-reduced VAT rate for the tourism sector during 2020 and 2021; reduction of airport charges by 25%; elimination of those that tax overnight stays; and incentives to reactivate consumption in tourist activities.

The motion includes the request for an extension of the temporary regulation of employment until the end of the year, even until the first quarter of 2021; the expansion of the ICO lines; and that adequate detection and protection equipment be provided at all airports, ports and railway stations with international traffic. Likewise, an international promotion campaign is demanded coordinated with the Communities, destinations and sector to value the Spain brand as a safe tourist destination.

With the unanimous vote of the Corporation, the procedure has been initiated to ask the Generalitat Valenciana to grant the Merit Cross for Police with a blue badge for the Local Police agent Enrique Tortosa for his more than 10 years of service and to be in possession of two Public Congratulations individually.