Social-focused budget for Benitachell
AN EXTRAORDINARY council meeting in December in Benitachell approved ''the most socially focussed budgets in the history of Benitachell', as quoted by the mayor, Miguel Ángel García.
With a total budget of €5,835,818, an amount of €2,672,055.30 allocated to personnel costs will be maintained. In this sense, the mayor indicated his commitment to the promotion of employment in the town using a ‘Plan for the Promotion of Temporary Occupation’. The figures of 2019 will be matched, with a total of 39 people temporarily employed, 13 of them through subsidies.
The council wanted to give top priority to the social services area however, with a substantial budget to end the waiting list for the Home Help Service (SAD), one of the most sensitive services in the town given the large number of inhabitants over 65 years. “When an elderly or dependent person asks for help, they cannot be placed on a waiting list”, said the councillor for social and senior services, Isa Garrido.
Also, for the first time in history, funds have been provided to the areas of equality (€18,000) and youth policies (€7,000), two very important branches in these social budgets.
Funds will also be destined towards the renovation of public parks and the cemetery, improvements to the public pool, the installation of surveillance cameras for greater security in urbanisations, the acquisition of a community composter and the management of sports facilities to improve financial sustainability. “We want to be close to the people, as they are the engine of this town. With the promotion of employment and the financial injection to social services, we are almost certain we have achieved it”, said García, who accentuated the 'six months hard work'` to get budgets approved on time.
The fact they were approved in December is an important milestone for the town, as they had not been presented within the appropriate period for more than a decade.
“This new 2020 budget will allow us to work better from day one”, said García.