by Maria Jesus Corrales
La Línea city council is to double its budget allocation for improving public services by 2025, according to the draft document that will be approved in the council session on December 5.
The 64-million-euro draft budget also includes plans to repay six million of the 121 million euros owed by the council with mayor Juan Franco reminding the city that “City Hall continues to be under Treasury-imposed special measures.”
Public services will receive two million euros in 2025 and, within this allocation, street cleaning and gardening receive an 50% increase.
“We hope that little by little we will be alleviating one of our most important needs, which is to improve these services demanded by residents,” Mr Franco said.
The draft will continue to comply with the Spanish Treasury’s adjustment plan. In the past year, one million euros was allocated to debt amortisation, a “priority” according to the mayor who has also confirmed that the city council plans to repay 6 million euros more in 2025.
“In 2015, this council had 177 million euros of debt,” Mr Franco said.
“Thanks to the management carried out, we have gone to being 121 million in debt, that is 56 million less.”
“Our work will be aimed at continuing to pay this amount and achieve the economic stability that the council and, certainly, the city needs,’ he said.
The draft proposal will also provide a significant 10.3 million euros for home help.
Since La Línea remains under Treasury-imposed special measures, the council will send the draft to Madrid for approval.
In other news, the city council will undertake a major refurbishment of the Palacio de Congresos, with a budget of 890,000 euros via a Diputación de Cádiz grant.
Among other refurbishments to ensure that the close to 200 events the building is host to annually can go ahead, there are plans to repair the roofs.