The plenary session approves initially a budget of more than 93 million with the votes of the government, Cs and CBM

The mayor of the Treasury stresses that budgets are "solidary and balanced, agreed with the groups that have wanted to contribute with their proposals"

With regard to the accounts for 2016, the items related to social expenditure and investment in works and projects increase

The plenary session of the corporation has approved this Friday the municipal budget of 2017 with the favorable vote of the local government of the PP and of the groups Ciudadanos (Cs) and Ciudadanos por Benidorm (CBM). The councilors of the PSOE, Liberales de Benidorm (LiBE) and Compromís-Los Verdes have voted against the accounts for the current exercise, while the non-attached councillor, Leopoldo Bernabeu, has opted for abstention.

The municipal budget of 2017 amounts to 93,638,954.72 euros. A 12% of the expenses section -11,245,000 euros- is intended to pay public debt, while the section on real investments in works and projects stands at 4,634,849.18 euros. To this amount must be added the investments included in the current expenditure chapter and also referred to works.

The document discussed and voted in full included all the economic amendments passed in recent weeks by Ciudadanos (Cs) and Ciudadanos por Benidorm (CBM), as well as five passed during the session by various opposition groups.

The Councilor for Finance, Lourdes Caselles, has indicated that this is a budget "balanced and supportive," and thanked "work" and "consensus" reached with two opposition groups, Cs and CBM. Caselles has pointed out that after the inclusion of the amendments tabled by both groups the number of actions included in the draft budget has increased from 25 to 33.

Among the most outstanding investments are the construction of the roundabout and access road to the industrial estate and the remodeling of the Mediterráneo avenue, both multi-year projects. There is also a consignment for the Parc de la Séquia Mare, the pedestrianization of Gerona Street between Orts Llorca and Esperanto, accessibility, asphalting, a plan to improve sports facilities, the demolition of a block of teachers' homes in Leonor Canalejas school, Improvements in the health center of the Rincón de Loix, as well as investment in Historical Heritage and further progress in the objective of Intelligent Tourist Destination.

In addition, funds have been included for the asphalting of the section of Avenida Mediterraneo that will not be able to execute the integral project of reform planned for the next years; The conditioning of a gourmet area in the Municipal Market, the remodeling of the children's playground in La Cala, the lighting of the Avenida de Bernat de Sarriá; The construction of a footbridge connecting the street Italia with the Palau d'Esports l'Illa; And the improvement of the park of l'Aigüera.

Besides the increase in investment in works and projects, Caselles has highlighted the increase in various items compared to the 2016 budget, such as those related to social spending. In addition, chapter 2 of the budget contemplates the contribution of 500,000 euros to Fundación Visit Benidorm. The provision for the Local Police Needs Plan is also multiplied by two up to 100,000 euros; The aid to the Protective Society of Animals and Plants is increased by 25% -40,000 euros; 90,000 euros are reserved for subsidies for sports clubs, which must be selected in competitive competition; And another 300,000 for the displacements of these equipment.

In addition, 235,000 euros have been earmarked for the Participatory Budget, just over 5% of the real investments in the 2017 accounts.

Amendments adopted during the sitting

During the plenary debate, five amendments tabled by corporate groups were approved. The first, from the municipal group Cs and registered this morning, establishes a grant of 10,000 euros for the women's soccer team of the City of Benidorm. Likewise, an amendment to the PSOE has been added to the budget to increase by 200,000 euros the item for the maintenance of the schools of Infantil and Primaria de Benidorm; And another from the same group to allocate 5,000 euros to furnish furniture the youth information center.

A joint amendment of the PSOE, Liberales and Compromís-Los Verdes groups has also been incorporated into the budget to devote 25,000 euros to the temporary recruitment of an Equality agent.

Likewise, an amendment of Compromís-Los Verdes has prospered so that all the municipal documentation related to the budget is drafted in Valencian.