The plenary session enables the establishment of shops on the first floors of the streets considered ‘commercial hubs’

The plenary session of Benidorm Corporation, unanimously, has approve definitively today the specific modification number 22 of the General Plan regarding the implementation of medium-sized commercial areas and the so-called commercial hubs. The Councilor for Urban Planning, Lourdes Caselles, recalled that this modification, which was initially approved last March, updates and adapts the urban regulations "to the current regional regulations and to the one that will come into force in December" and allows "to increase the sales area in small and medium-sized commercial trays, and "expanding the qualification of 'commercial hubs' to streets with strong commercial demand" thus facilitating the implementation of activity in the first floors.
As explained by the mayor, based on this modification "the sales area in small and medium commercial trays increases to 2,000 square meters for food and 2,500 square meters for the rest"; while Mercado, Gerona, Alameda, Ametlla del Mar and Alicante streets, where pedestrianization has been promoted in recent years, are now considered ‘commercial hubs’. This extension must be reflected, according to the Ministry, in a Local Business Action Plan or in a specific Ordinance.
In addition, with this modification, the establishment of tertiary establishments in the basements of tertiary, hotel and commercial surfaces is made possible; setting the economic compensation or on endowment land that the City Council will receive for this urban use.
Caselles has indicated that during the period of public exposure, five allegations were received from individuals that the expansion of commercial axes will reach more streets than planned; allegations that have been rejected on the understanding that "at this time these routes do not meet the requirements." However, she has stressed that if these circumstances change in the future, this expansion could be addressed through an ordinance or the local Business Action Plan.
By majority, the first Benidorm Youth Plan has been approved, with which it is intended to "place youth at the central axis of community action, participation and development". The mayor of Youth, Jaime Jesús Pérez, explained that this Plan is a "multi-year roadmap of the actions promoted and carried out" by the City Council for "the young population, establishing the objectives and resources" and including "a monitoring system and evaluation ”.
Pérez has reported that this Youth Plan is structured "in three blocks" and establishes different actions, such as increasing the number of Youth Information Points, as well as advice and information to the young population on training options and employment programs , or the promotion of cultural creation and volunteering. The mayor has stressed that it is "a living and open document." The mayor thanked the youth population that has taken part in the participation phases for the preparation of this Plan individually or collectively
Unanimously, a budget modification of 375,059.36 euros has been approved to increase resources to the Department of Social Welfare and to assume part of the cost of the project to expand and improve "Raúl Mesa" pavillion.
The Councilor for Finance, Aida García Mayor, explained that due to the Covid-19 crisis, the Department of Social Welfare has made "a greater economic effort" to "be able to provide suitable care to all those who have needed it" . Thus, among other actions, social centers have been adapted to the new regulations; the telecare service has been assumed; and an urgent home care contract has been made urgently to care for people affected by the pandemic and their families. Given these extraordinary expenses, it is necessary to increase the budget of the Department by 100,000 euros to attend to various actions pointed out by the technicians of the department.
On the other hand, the mayor recalled that the Alicante Provincial Council, within the 'Plan + Cerca 2020', has granted the City Council a subsidy for "the expansion and improvement of universal accessibility of the 'Raúl Mesa' pavilion of the Sports City" for the amount of just over 294,000 euros. Based on the call, the City Council must contribute the remaining cost of the action, 275,059.36 euros. García Mayor has pointed out that this grant is "a great opportunity to update and modernize this sports facility."
By majority, the plenary session has given the green light to another budgetary modification, in this case, for “the construction of a BMX circuit”. García Mayor has indicated that they will be "multipurpose facilities" for use by "professionals" and "amateurs", and will involve an investment of 300,000 euros to be financed through a bank loan. With this installation, a space will be created for "the elite athletes of this type of Benidorm" who compete at the regional, national and international level and who currently "have to travel outside the city to compete and train"; at the same time that there will be a circuit "to organize national and international competitions" with the consequent "economic impact" for the town.
With the vote of the entire Corporation, three proposals by the Councilor for Citizen Security, Lorenzo Martínez, have been approved to request the Generalitat Valenciana to award distinctions and decorations to members of the Benidorm Local Police. Thus, the Police Merit Cross with Blue Distinction is requested for officers José Ramón Fuentes and Núria López for having provided more than ten years of service and having two individual Public Congratulations. In addition, Public Congratulations have been requested for agents Jaime Óscar Grau, David Jiménez, Daniel Jiménez and Andrés Alfonso Romero who on June 20 rescued two people who had suffered a kayak accident at sea under very adverse conditions.
On the other hand, by majority, a motion of the Municipal Group of the Popular Party has succeeded to urge the Government of Spain "to forgive the debt generated by the negative settlement" for the participation in the state taxes (PIE) of 2020 to "alleviate the serious consequences that it will have on city councils in the year 2022 ”. If this measure is not implemented, the motion requires the Government of Pedro Sánchez to "postpone the repayment of said debt for two years and make it possible to divide the payment thereof" into 10 years, as was done in 2012 with the Negative settlements for 2008 and 2009.
In the same session, an order of the Contentious Court number 4 of Alicante that files the incident of execution of sentence raised by an individual in relation to a plenary agreement last May was reported.
Urgent motionsBy a large majority, the plenary session has approved an institutional declaration presented by the Municipal Group of the Popular Party in which “the deep concern about the situation of human rights in Cuba” is expressed, and in which it is requested “the cessation of violence unjustified and arbitrary arrests ”by the island's government. In addition to rejecting “the call to 'combat' by Miguel Díaz-Canel”, the proposal supports “a peaceful transition to democracy in which all the people of Cuba can freely decide their political future without external interference and that lift the economic restrictions that continue to hinder the economic development of the Cuban people ”.