Benidorm plenary session enables the injection of 6 million euros 'extra' for aid to families and the productive fabric

The plenary session of Benidorm City Council has approved today by majority, with the votes of the government team, the budget modification to increase municipal aid to families by 3 million euros and in the same amount the allocation of aid to the self-employed and companies, in such a way that each of these lines reaches 5.5 million euros.

The Councilor for Finance, Aida García Mayor, has indicated that the resources of the Department of Social Welfare are also increased by 100,000 euros "for agreements with Cáritas and other NGOs", and explained that these 6.1 million euros come from the remainder Treasury for General Expenses for the year 2020; that is to say, of the savings obtained by the City Council in the past financial year, which amounts to 12.9 million euros.

García Mayor pointed out that when preparing the 2021 budget it was considered that “from the local government, in such an exceptional situation and beyond our powers, we should help the people and companies most affected as a result of the crisis and to serve as an instrument to promote the recovery of the economic fabric of the municipality, collaborating in the survival of our companies and their jobs ”. For this reason, “the provision of aid to families and companies was increased compared to the previous year”, which now grow again by a total of 6 million euros, and “a significant investment effort was made to renew and innovate our urban scene , financed largely by grants from other administrations ".

To assume the part that corresponded to the City Council of these works, it was foreseen to resort to loans. However, "when we approved the budget, we assumed the commitment to replace this financing with credits with the remaining Treasury, a commitment that we now fulfill" by allocating part of the savings achieved in 2020 to financing these projects and also to "new investments to improve the services provided by the city ”.

With the vote of the entire Corporation, the Generalitat Valenciana has been asked to extend the ECOVID Employment Promotion program by six months, in such a way that the final duration of the program is one year. The motion of the Councilor for Employment, Mónica Gómez, has been amended by PSOE so that if the Valencian government "rejects the petition even though it is within its exclusive competence" it is "the City Council itself that assumes the expansion of this program", a option - the councillor has specified - that "it was already being studied."

The councilor recalled that through this ECOVID program last November 55 unemployed people were hired for a period of six months full-time - many of them due to the health crisis - to meet needs derived from the pandemic, and that they provide service in different municipal facilities and spaces.

During this time, this staff has developed actions of general and social interest linked to the prevention and fight against the pandemic, among them, information work and verification of compliance with anti-Covid protection measures in vaccination campaigns, information to users of the beaches or distribution of masks among the population "

Gómez has stressed that the situation that led to the launch of this employment promotion program by LABORA "is still evident and hence we consider it convenient to continue to practically cover the entire year 2021", to "contribute to reducing in as much as possible the unemployment levels in Benidorm ”and to“ prolong prevention actions against Covid, something absolutely necessary at a time when we must not lower our guard ”.

Likewise, and through a transactional amendment made by the local government, it has been agreed that the City Council, "if the regulations allow it and assuming the powers of the Generalitat", "a specific Employment Plan for assistance services in COVID matter and reinforce other municipal departments will be established ”.

With the same result, the plenary session has set the services to be provided on the beaches during the month of May, adapting them "to the evolution of the pandemic." The mayor of the area, Mónica Gómez, has reported that "the model continues" that has operated on the beaches since June of last year.

Thus, during the month of May “the subdivision of the sandy areas is maintained, with spaces of 16 square meters to ensure physical distance; a surveillance and rescue service made up of 19 personnel and with a boat and ambulance; as well as an extensive cleaning device at the foot of beaches and coves in morning and afternoon shifts, complementing the usual night service ”. The cost of these services has been set at 193,180.70 euros. Sunbeds and umbrellas rental service will continue to be suspended throughout the month.

As he recalled, last February it was agreed that at the end of April the services that "were to be provided as of May, taking into account the evolution of the pandemic and current restrictions" would be approved. However, the services for May are now being determined and later those to be provided in June and in summer will be set, "while waiting for a more favorable scenario" at the tourist level.

Gómez has advanced that "the services of our beaches will be put into operation according to the demand and use of the same, always under the premise of sanitary security, guaranteeing capacity and physical distance and ensuring at the same time the enjoyment of all users ”.

Also with the vote of all councilors, the Interior Reform Plan (PRI) has been approved, which allows changing the use of the lot of Plaza Doctor Fleming number 1, which was previously occupied by the Central Post Office. The Councilor for Urbanism, Lourdes Caselles, has indicated that through this PRI, the use of the land goes from endowment to "residential compatible with tertiary".

Caselles explained that this document also includes "the financial compensation" that the property will deliver to the City Council "for the increase in buildability" and that it has been set at 276,337.87 euros; an amount that "will be allocated entirely to the municipal land patrimony."

At the time of approving this PRI, which has all the favorable technical reports, “some allegations made by service provider companies” have been estimated.

Again unanimously, the plenary session has accepted the free transfer of the right of public use of the staircase between Peru and Ricardo Bayona avenues, owned by the Community of Owners of the Holland building. The Councilor for General Heritage, Jaime Jesús Pérez, explained that the transfer of the use of this staircase improves the connection between both avenues and therefore benefits the "general interest" of citizens by reducing "pedestrian routes" and "improving accessibility pedestrian".

With the same result, a motion of the Popular Municipal Group has been approved to urge the Government of Spain and the Ministry of Ecological Transition to stop, immediately, any legal or regulatory instrument intended to modify the exploitation rules of the Tagus Transfer. Safe. The group's spokesperson, Lourdes Caselles, has indicated that the modification proposed by the Government is “untimely, arbitrary, lacking due justification, not supported by hydrological reasons and that it even interferes in the review process of the Tagus Hydrological Plan, that is being developed ”.

Caselles stressed that "in the province of Alicante we all go hand in hand" against this modification, which reduces the flow "from 38 to 27 cubic hectometres per month".

By majority, the motion of the Councilor for Education, Maite Moreno, to demand that the Consell withdraw "the project to organize the educational and professional orientation of the Valencian educational system" that endangers the current School Psychopedagogical Services (the PES) has been successful. ”.

Moreno has pointed out that “it is evident that the project prepared by the Generalitat Valenciana has produced a rejection by a very important part of the educational community, teacher unions, professional associations, organizations related to groups with specific needs, the movement of mothers and fathers of the student body"; as well as the SPE themselves, “those most directly affected”.

Faced with "the concern" that the project "is generating among professionals in the educational field, due to the possible setback in educational inclusion that the new model may cause", the proposal includes urging the Generalitat to create "a negotiating table" with "The most representative sectors of the educational community to seek a consensus that guarantees a quality and inclusive education."

Also by majority, articles 4.8 to 4.13, which had been omitted and which were incorporated in the modifications made in 2016 and 2019, have been incorporated into the consolidated text of Mobility Ordinance number 1.

Unanimously, the procedure has been initiated for the Generalitat Valenciana to grant public congratulations to agents Francisco Javier Sánchez and Mario César Martínez for their interventions during last February, which allowed the detection of 9,290 expired items that were for sale in various establishments selling food products.

In the same session, it was reported the acceptance by the Ministry of Finance of the 5,300-meter plot given by the City Council in the Salt de l’Aigua for the construction of the new Tourism Center (CdT). Likewise, it has become aware of the ruling that dismisses an appeal filed against two plenary agreements of February and July 2020 in relation to the APR-7 urban agreements.

The plenary session has also taken account of the accounting information for the third and fourth quarters of 2020; and the transfer to the Benidorm City Council of the land located on the seafront of Paseo de Colón and Avenida Virgen del Sufragio, which were declared unnecessary for the public-maritime land domain and which will be used for roads and public spaces.

Likewise, it has become aware of the agreement of the Senate Chamber Table in relation to the declaration of support for the State Security Forces adopted by the plenary session in February.