Benidorm will organize a tribute to recognize the entire local hospitality industry

Benidorm City Council will pay tribute to the city's entire hospitality industry as a show of support for the importance this sector has played in Benidorm's progress over the years and continues to play today. This was unanimously approved today at the June plenary session as part of a motion by the Councillor for Historical and Cultural Heritage, Ana Pellicer.

The motion in question proposed accepting the donation to the City Council of the historic sign advertising the Aitona restaurant by its owner, Jaime Pérez Sales, as well as restoring the aforementioned commercial sign. The next step in the proposal is to promote a tribute in recognition of the hospitality industry and its role in the town's growth, which was unanimously agreed upon by all groups.

The Aitona restaurant sign, a 2.60-meter diameter paella pan by Alberto Medán, was installed in the early 1970s and perfectly served its purpose as a major advertising appeal. Over the years, Pellicer recalled, "it became another element of the urban fabric, giving identity not only to the establishment but also to that section of Ruzafa Street." Upon the restaurant's closure, the owner expressed his desire for the sign to become part of the municipal heritage "as a characteristic symbol of the growth and development of Benidorm's restaurant industry."

The Councilor for Heritage indicated that her department has always shown interest in "preserving signs and commercial signage because, based on this graphic material, a story can be drawn up about the city's evolution," and this donation "will be incorporated into the Catalog of Municipal Assets, which is currently being compiled." In this regard, the councillor expressed her intention for the sign to "return to the street" in honour of the restaurant industry agreed upon at the meeting.

With the votes in favour of the PP and PSOE and the vote against from Vox, an institutional declaration was approved on International LGBTI Pride Day. The motion reiterates the "firm commitment" of the City Council and the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces "to the democratic values ​​of equality, respect, freedom, and dignity," while emphasizing the role of local governments "in promoting safe, inclusive, and respectful environments, in which diversity is understood as a shared value that enriches community life," according to the Councilor for Equality, Ángela Zaragozí. The approved proposal considers it "essential" that institutions act "with determination against discourses that promote intolerance, establishing effective mechanisms to prevent and address potential situations of discrimination."

The motion urges the Spanish Government to provide a specific and sustained budget to local governments so they can continue working on specific protocols for comprehensive care for victims of attacks motivated by intolerance, for training municipal staff on sexual and gender diversity, and for the development of educational and awareness-raising campaigns that promote coexistence, tolerance, and respect for all people. Thus, the City Council expressed its support "for all public policies that promote equal opportunities and mutual respect, and we underline the importance of education, awareness-raising, and dialogue as fundamental tools for strengthening social cohesion and tolerance."

A motion from the Vox group was also approved, although amended by the PP and PSOE, on the occasion of World Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Day. It basically consists of demanding that the administrations provide more financial resources for the proper development and effective implementation of the recently approved ALS Law. Following the approved amendments, the motion expressed support and recognition for those affected by the disease, as well as their families and caregivers, gratitude to the organizations of all kinds working to improve their quality of life and advance effective treatments, and the City Council's commitment to continue collaborating with the administrations to guarantee comprehensive care, home care, technical and psychological support, and adequate resources for these individuals.

Similarly, all public administrations with jurisdiction over health are urged "to allocate more tax money to sustain our public services and support the most vulnerable, guaranteeing the defence of quality public healthcare."

Today's session also saw the majority approval of a list of invoices under the jurisdiction of the plenary session, totalling €1,452,937.95. "This involves paying invoices for services that have been provided," stated Aida García, Councillor for Finance, who emphasised that in these cases, "we always listen to what the municipal technicians tell us."

Furthermore, the management agreement between Benidorm City Council and the Waste Consortium of Zonal Plan 6, A1 was also unanimously approved. The purpose of this agreement is to ensure the regular and operational functioning of the Consortium through collaboration with City Council personnel, in this case, an administrative officer and a technical engineer, to carry out the Consortium's specific functions.