The plenary finally approves the municipal budget of 2018

The plenary session of the municipal corporation of Benidorm has approved today the 2018 budget definitively, after dismissing the two claims that had been raised to the accounts. A budget that amounts to just over 102 million euros, 9.6% more than the previous year and that has been ratified in extraordinary session with the favorable vote of the municipal groups of Partido Popular (PP), Ciudadanos por Benidorm ( CBM) and Ciudadanos (Cs).

The Councilor for Finance, Lourdes Caselles, explained that the two allegations to the budget, submitted by an individual, have been dismissed on the basis of the technical reports. The first called for the inclusion of a line item to revise biannually the valuation of municipally owned real estate; and the second demanded consignment for the realization of the Acoustic Plan of Benidorm. The technicians have proposed to dismiss both allegations because "the City Council is already acting". Thus, "an application for asset management has already been hired" with which "21 properties have already been valued", and because "a credit retention of just over 18,000 euros has already been processed" to complete the Acoustic Plan after of the work done in the last two years.

On the other hand, Caselles has reported that "since the initial approval" of the budget, the City Council "has received a response to the appeal filed regarding the interests" of the expropriation of land in El Moralet owned by Incobe. The councillor has indicated that in the interest budget there is not enough appropriation to assume them derived from that expropriation set by the Superior Court of Justice of the Valencian Community, so it has been approved to increase it by 950,000 euros. An amount obtained by reducing the item for the industrial estate, since, according to the schedule of this work, the planned amount for this infrastructure will not be depleted in the current year.

After the final approval of the budget, a recess has been indicated to gather new legal reports on the second item on the agenda: the approval of the sheet of economic-administrative clauses for redevelopment and remodeling of Mediterráneo Avenue Phase 1. The session is continue at 12.45.

Summary of accounts

The budget approved today definitely meets the expenditure rule, the Adjustment Plan and the stability principle, while ensuring the economic balance of the City Council. As indicated by the councilor of the Treasury on the occasion of the initial approval of the accounts, "the important savings achieved" & nbsp; they will "reinvest in the quality of services provided to citizens" and in investments, which will eventually amount to more than 13 million euros. Of these, 5.7 million correspond to "transfers that are expected to be received from other public administrations" in the form of subsidies for the execution of important projects.

Among the investments included in the budget are the development of the industrial estate, the remodeling of the avenue of the Mediterranean, the third phase of pedestrianization of Tomás Ortuño street and the former Hogar del Camarada, or the improvement of accessibility and sports facilities; as well as the proposals raised by the neighbors through the participatory budget, which reaches 400,000 euros.

The Personnel item is increased by 1.75% "to incorporate the Public Offer of Employment approved in previous years and that foreseen for this year; as also the global income section grows. This increase in revenue is linked, among other factors, to the development of three partial plans-PP 2/1, 3/1 and El Murtal-and the foreseeable increase in urban planning licenses. However, there is a decrease in income from ICIO (Tax on Constructions, Works and Installations), capital gains and surcharge.

The funds provided for the beaches also grow; for sports, cultural and library and archives activities; and for sports transport and social spending as a whole; while the investment for the maintenance and conservation of schools is practically doubled. It also increases the municipal contribution to the Visit Benidorm Foundation - up to 550,000 euros; and an important item is contemplated to face the Red.es project, which, if granted, will make it possible to move forward in "the goal of being the first certified intelligent tourist destination in the world".