Benidorm joins the regional agreement to inspect tourist accommodation and sanction illegal ones

Benidorm City Council today approved in plenary session its adherence to the framework agreement signed on December 13 by the Generalitat Valenciana (Generalitat Valenciana), through the Ministry of Innovation, Industry, Commerce and Tourism, and the Valencian Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FVMP), to assume the delegation of powers to inspect and sanction tourist accommodation located in the city. The proposal was approved with the support of the 16 local government councillors and the Vox councillor, compared to seven abstentions from the Socialist municipal group. It will make the city one of the first in the Region, along with Valencia, to carry out this inspection task.

With this proposal, presented to the plenary session by the city's mayor, Toni Pérez, the Benidorm City Council continues to make progress in its intention to assume these powers, a formal request made to the Ministry of Tourism in September of last year, which will now begin to materialize. Lourdes Caselles, Councilor for Urban Planning and local government spokesperson, explained that the Tourism, Leisure, and Hospitality Law approved by the regional government of the PSOE and Compromís parties in 2018 already introduced the possibility for city councils to carry out these inspections, "with the difference that previously, city councils were entrusted with all the work except for the collection, which was collected by the Generalitat (Catalan Government). With the latest amendment to the law through Decree Law 9/2024, of August 2, city councils will be allowed to collect the fines imposed" on unregulated tourist accommodation.

Caselles explained that "there have already been several meetings with experts from the Regional Ministry and the city councils who have expressed interest in ensuring that this delegation is effective as quickly as possible" and that, once these powers have been assumed, the City Council will have to compile "a quarterly report on the complaints filed, the procedures initiated, their resolution and whether or not they result in disciplinary proceedings, and the fines imposed that are paid into the municipal coffers." Furthermore, to carry out this function better, the Councilor for Urban Planning explained that the Architecture Department "is working on an ordinance to regulate tourist housing and to provide security and strengthen this type of tourist accommodation, provided that the regulations are complied with." She also noted that the City Council will strengthen the Local Police force by opening 20 positions, meaning that "there will be more material and personnel resources."

The City Council's plenary session also approved, unanimously by all groups, the final text of the Cooperation Agreement for the Financing of Improvements and Replacement of the Sanitation and Wastewater Treatment Facilities of the Municipality of Benidorm. This agreement will provide an investment of €14,520,000 and will address the deficiencies in the electrical and structural installations of the wastewater pumping stations (WPSs) and address the renovation needs of the current Benidorm WWTP, particularly its old line (Line B) and the sludge line.

The Councilor for Water Cycle, José Ramón González de Zárate, noted that thanks to this agreement, of this investment, "only 10%, will be paid by the city of Benidorm, while the remainder will be financed by the EPSAR." Thus, the regional government will assume €13,068,000, and the remaining €1,452,000 will be covered by the City Council. The council member noted that, unlike many other wastewater treatment plants, the WWTP is a municipally owned infrastructure and that the city has been "waiting for these works and demanding their execution for many years." However, he lamented that the previous regional administration, formed by the PSOE (Spanish Socialist Workers' Party) and Compromis (Compromis), "did not want to invest a single euro" in this treatment plant.

Regarding the works to be carried out as a result of this agreement, González de Zárate listed the renovation of the electrical installations at the wastewater treatment plants (WBAR) in Benidorm; the renovation and repair of the WBAR in Parque de Elche; the improvement of the old water treatment line (Plant No. 2) at the WWTP; the improvement of the sludge treatment line at the WWTP; as well as the adaptation of the personnel building, control room, and workshop for this treatment plant.

On the other hand, the plenary session also unanimously agreed to grant compatibility to a municipal civil servant to teach part-time at the University of Alicante, given that all reports were favourable, as explained by the Councilor for Human Resources, Ana Soliveres.

Likewise, two financial agreements were also approved by a large majority: an out-of-court credit recognition for the payment of invoices amounting to €393,122.08 and the approval of other invoices amounting to €687,404.63 to pay for services provided by various public concessionaires in these first months of 2025, contracts for which are pending tender. The Councilor for Finance, Aida García Mayor, emphasized that the payment procedures are "completely legal and have been thoroughly reviewed and vetted by various departments and the Municipal Audit Office." She also noted that "if these payments were not made, we would be causing harm to many municipal providers or losing access to basic services."

The first of these issues was passed with the PP voting in favour and the PSOE and Vox abstaining; while the second also received the PP's vote, the Socialists' vote against, and Vox abstaining.

Finally, the plenary session also debated a motion presented by Vox councillor José Miguel San Martín to unify the aesthetics of shop windows and signage in newly opened businesses in the city. Javier Jordá, the Councilor for Commerce, explained that the technical and aesthetic criteria proposed by this motion already exist in various municipal regulations, including the Municipal General Urban Development Plan itself. He also indicated that tax rebates are already in place, legally regulated and that the Department of Commerce is conducting informational campaigns on the regulations and possible aid, while also working on developing a quality seal for local commerce. He explained that "everything this proposal proposes is already being implemented," while also warning of the need to comply with Article 38 of the Spanish Constitution, which protects freedom of enterprise. The proposal received only a favourable vote from Vox, while the rest of the Council voted against it.