The Councillor for the Coast of the municipality of Orihuela, Manuel Mestre, has held an information meeting for the residents of Orihuela Costa to explain the relevance of the 2024 budgets to their neighbourhoods.
The meeting addressed the challenges and solutions contemplated in the new budget, as well as the specific projects that will be developed in the coastal area.
Since 2018, Orihuela City Council has operated under budget extensions, which has generated a series of problems, such as services being operated without a contract, absence of investments and an inefficient internal structure. The new budgets address these issues through the implementation of contracted services, an ambitious investment plan and a more efficient internal structure.
The Councillor detailed the 2024 budgets that impact Orihuela Costa, explaining the planned investments that reach close to 20 million euros.
The larger projects include the following:
– Construction of a new drinking water tank in Orihuela Costa with an investment of 2,800,000
– The civic centre and auditorium of Orihuela Costa, with a budget of 1,149,440.85 euros.
– The AP-7 Lomas de Cabo Roig walkway/pedestrian bridge, with an investment of 1,370,000 euros.
– The Bellavista urbanization project in Cabo Roig with an amount of €600,000
There will also be considerable investments in beaches that total almost 2,000,000 euros. These include:
– Urban furniture and playgrounds.
– Beach access walkways.
– Lifts to access the beaches.
– Cleaning of public areas.
During the meeting, the councillor also detailed the summary of expenses for 2024, including items for personnel, goods and services, financial and other concepts, as well as the income budget.
Information has also been provided on the contracts managed by the Costa Department, such as road maintenance, the management entrustment to ILDO, public lighting, the channel cleaning agreement with the CHS, and the fee for beach bars and lifeguards.
Continuing with the improvements detailed in the budget, the road safety of the VillamartÃn and San Miguel de Salinas main roads was highlighted. The replacement of trees and palm trees in Orihuela Costa is also contemplated, as well as security on the beaches and the management of cleaning points and pruning.
Restore confidence
Finally, the Councillor has stressed that the approval of these budgets, after such a long period of extension, will help restore residents’ confidence in municipal institutions and in the ability of local government to fulfil its basic responsibilities. “This is essential to strengthen the link between our neighbours of Orihuela Costa and the Costa Department, guarantee adequate financial management and compliance with municipal obligations,” Mestre concluded.
Ending the meeting, the Councillor, said: “We intend to improve people’s lives, we want to create excitement and a feeling of belonging in the municipality.”
Once the meeting was over, it was followed by requests and questions, where residents had the opportunity to express their concerns and receive direct answers from the Councillor.