Ximo Segarra: “We assume the reduction of the IBI due to the increase in transfers and the improvement in income from economic activities”
The 2022 budget represents a 9.96% increase of the last budget approved in 2017.
Tuesday 18th January 2022 – CARLOS LÓPEZ with Mike Smith
The government team of Xàbia led by the PSPV has presented what will be the first budgets of the whole legislature, after four years working with accounts extended by the rule of the expense and the restrictions of the law of Rationalization of the Local Administration . These accounts represent a total of 39.31 million euros, to which must be added the 11 million of the budget of the municipal water company of Xàbia (AMJASA).
The breakdown in the main expenditure chapters is as follows:
Personnel: 17 million
Current Expenditure: 18.74 million
Investments: 1.2 million ** (see detail below)
Councillor Ximo Segarra (Finance) has presented the main lines of the draft budget, which he said “has already been provided to the opposition” (hours before the press conference there was an online meeting of party representatives) and that this Thursday will be submitted to a first debate in the Finance Committee, for next Tuesday to be voted definitively and to raise it to the ordinary plenary of the month of January to be held on Thursday 27th January.
According to Segarra, the budget includes the reduction of the IBI approved last year, which will mean a decrease in income of 3 million euros and which he considered was “a brave decision“, but stressed that it is offset by the increase in the transfers of the State, the subsidies of other administrations and the increase of income by economic activities – basically works licenses and ICIO (the tax on levied on construction, installations and works). In addition, in these accounts, there is no item for financial expenses since the Council has already settled all its debt.
He also stressed that the priority of local government “is to continue helping families and people in need, to be close to the local economy, to continue to promote cultural and educational policies, to manage our natural resources responsibly and sustainably, to bet on actions of small town planning (sidewalks, lighting, repairs, painting, mobility…) and to promote actions that unite and excite in the community that we form all the people who live in Xàbia“.
In this line, he explained that the item of social emergency aid rises “by 20%” to 300,000 euros, and a line of aid has been incorporated in the amount of another 300,000 euros for SMEs and the self-employed, “amounts that are initial and can be increased” over the course of the year. There is also a line of scholarships for young people, although the item is endowed with zero euros, with the intention of injecting money as the year progresses.
Investments 2022: all waiting for the treasury surplus
For its part, the investments are included as a minimum – 1.2 million euros – and are mainly to cover the works of the pool, as well as other minor items for the councils.
The bulk of the investments will be included in the budget from March when the 2021 accounts are closed, and it will be known how much theCouncil has certainly paid in and out during that year. The remainder is the amounts that are left over or overpaid.
However, the councillor has advanced that the investments will amount to a total of 14.64 million euros and new projects are planned such as:
- Investment in the Primer Muntanyar: 2.75 million euros
- Renovation of the lighting of the Tossalet urbanization: 2.8 million euros
- Reform of the Cap de Sant Antoni lighthouse building: 1 million euros
And there are projects that are underway:
- Swimming Pool: 1.69 million
- Road Resurfacing Project 2018: 352,000 euros
- Montgó sewage network: 206,000 euros
- Parque Plaza Xàtiva Park: 121,000 euros
- Parque Reina Sofía Park: 281,000 euros
- Carrarroges 1 Urbanization Works (Industrial Estate): 921,000 euros
- Works Urbanization Calle La Barraca: 1 million euros
- Reform of CEIP Trenc d’Alba: 1.03 million
- Reform of CEIP Mediterrània (Vicente Tena): 454,000 euros
Cover Staff Losses
Another of the most important parts of the municipal budget is the staff working in the Council. The positive part of having approved accounts is being able to publish job offers, with which to fill all existing vacancies. In fact, the draft budget significantly increases this item.
In 2017 staff spending was budgeted at 12.64 million euros whilst in 2022 spending is at 17.11 million, which the councillor explained will allow “a budget allocation” for all available places; the budget speaks of 348 (217 officials, 124 temporary workers and 7 positions for positions of trust).
These places are the same ones that the budget of that year accounted for, because new places cannot be created “by the Law of Rationalization of the local Administration”. Only those positions of retired staff may be filled.
However, the local government considered that it is the first step to cover all the demands of personnel that there are and indicated that they will be put to work already. The first challenge is to sit down with the unions to approve precisely the Offer of Public Employment, the next will be the process of functioning of the temporary ones.
The question that has remained unanswered, the sources consulted say that it is not possible to know, is in how many places will the staff of the local police force be increased ? Its is a long-standing demand and it remains to be seen to what extent it can be met over the months.
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