Alcala de Xivert Council approves the Municipal Budget for 2012
The accounts for the next financial year amount to 9,163,500 Euros
The Alcala de Xivert Council has approved the budget for 2012 which amounts to 9,163,500 Euros, with Expenses and Income balanced, so that there is no initial deficit, in compliance with the current law. According to the Mayoral Report which accompanies the municipal budget, the 2012 accounts “reflect the insistence and determination with which we are facing the economic situation” as well as the actions we are taking “aiming to improve the infrastructure in our municipality”.
According to the local executive, the forecast for income to meet the budget at all times was objective and based on previous years and took into account “the drastic reduction in transfers from the State. However, we do not envisage taking recourse to loans to finance the forecast investments, and will only use our own funds. The budget does not include any external finance in the form of grants “which will surely be available and then will be incorporated into the budget to increase it. Also, when this financial year 2011 ends, there will be a balance remaining which will enable us to make more investments in 2012”. Drawing up the budget has been marked by the policy of contention in public expense and by the debts from previous financial years. To be precise, thanks to the repayment of the debt, which amounted 194,576.70 Euros, “the money which we paid out to pay the bank can now be devoted to investments”. This together with the contention and rationalisation of the expense means that the resources destined for investment have increased from 139,088.69 Euros in 2011 to 255,771.70 Euros for 2012, which is an increase of nearly 84%.
Social and Cultural expenses
In the section on social Action, assistance for social emergencies is being increased by 7.7%; services for the elderly rises by 34%, as well as everything related to culture; with education increasing by 4.27%, the library by 5.81% and cultural promotion by 11.12%.
Aiming to promote our cultural heritage to compliment the tourist sun and beach facilities, with sponsorship from the Diputación de Castellón, there will be events in Xivert Castle, we will put together the Castell de Xivert museum graphic collection, with all the items to be displayed catalogued. This, in addition to the Museo de Traver Calzada in the Parish Church, the Bell Tower and the Capilla de los Desamparados, will be a very interesting cultural attraction, to which will be added the recently restored Ermita de San Antonio, with its unique relief altarpiece. In relation to this, we plan to build a new access ramp to the Church.
Support for cultural groups and associations will continue, and a programme will be set up to bring local culture and history to young people.
Quality Tourism
Actions to be taken regarding tourism make special reference to maintaining the “Q” for quality certification for the Tourist Office, as well as the ISO and QUALITUR certifications for the beaches. We will also continue working to maintain the five blue flags.
One of the new items envisaged in the municipal 2012 accounts is setting up Mapping, an advanced place search system which will enable tourists and residents to find information on how to reach any point in Spain using their mobile phone, so that they can find all the services, location, facilities, monuments and how to get to the selected place.
Equally, the health transport service will continue and so will Life Saving and Rescue services on the beaches.
Investments
The Alcala de Xivert Council’s 2012 budget envisages a series of works, described by the local Executive as “small but important”, such as the enlargement of the Alcossebre Health Centre, and the continuation of the procedures for the construction of the new Health Centre in Alcala.
The municipal government will continue to remove architectural barriers for the disabled, as well as refurbishing the swimming pool and changing rooms, completing the conservation and maintenance works.
The former slaughterhouse will be reformed to convert it into a municipal archive and a small plot in the calle Hospital will be cleared to create a recreation and rest area there. The services to the Calvario will also be refurbished, replacing those parts which are in a bad state. In the same way, rural roadways will be maintained and new niches will be constructed in the Municipal Cemetery.
With regard to making improvements on the beaches, foot-baths will be installed as well as the existing showers.
In respect of actions for the environment and management of waste, there will be a new island of refuse bins in Alcala, to prioritise selective collection “with the aim of increasing the efficiency of the service. We will invest not only in the infrastructure but also in campaigns spreading awareness of recycling in the schools and press. This has resulted in out town being top in the province in recycling light packaging and second in collecting paper and card.
Sports Promotion
Within the tourism/sport pairing which has been shown to be an important tourist resource, the walking routes have been approved and now form part of the Senda Verda (Comunitat Valenciana) and the Spanish Walking Routes Network.
During this financial year, we want to offer a wide variety of sports for all ages, so the council will maintain its collaboration with the local groups in organising popular sports events, both competitive and non-competitive (VII Marxa a Peu Serra d’Irta, Spinning Master Class, 10km on Alcossebre Beaches, BTT routes).
There will also be investment in a plan to maintain sports installations, increasing them as far as possible. We are also going to acquire two defibrillators so that the municipal sports facilities can be safer, as well as organising training to teach people how to use them.
Forecasts for using the balance remaining from 2011
Although not included in the 2012 budget, two projects are forecast to be carried out using the balance from the 2011 budget, the analysis and diagnostic of the centre of Alcala de Xivert and the establishment of strategies to put new energy into the town and a plan of events, as well as the refurbishment of children’s play-parks, tarmacking streets and roads.
Measures to encourage employment
Initiatives aimed at creating jobs in the municipality are also included in the budget. “We will try to encourage employment among our towns-people, helping them with free training and classes for the unemployed which will enable them to look for employment with greater chances of success”, as well as looking for professional advice for all those young enterprising young people who want to start their own business.
The Alcala de Xivert Council has approved the budget for 2012 which amounts to 9,163,500 Euros, with Expenses and Income balanced, so that there is no initial deficit, in compliance with the current law. According to the Mayoral Report which accompanies the municipal budget, the 2012 accounts “reflect the insistence and determination with which we are facing the economic situation” as well as the actions we are taking “aiming to improve the infrastructure in our municipality”.
According to the local executive, the forecast for income to meet the budget at all times was objective and based on previous years and took into account “the drastic reduction in transfers from the State. However, we do not envisage taking recourse to loans to finance the forecast investments, and will only use our own funds. The budget does not include any external finance in the form of grants “which will surely be available and then will be incorporated into the budget to increase it. Also, when this financial year 2011 ends, there will be a balance remaining which will enable us to make more investments in 2012”. Drawing up the budget has been marked by the policy of contention in public expense and by the debts from previous financial years. To be precise, thanks to the repayment of the debt, which amounted 194,576.70 Euros, “the money which we paid out to pay the bank can now be devoted to investments”. This together with the contention and rationalisation of the expense means that the resources destined for investment have increased from 139,088.69 Euros in 2011 to 255,771.70 Euros for 2012, which is an increase of nearly 84%.
Social and Cultural expenses
In the section on social Action, assistance for social emergencies is being increased by 7.7%; services for the elderly rises by 34%, as well as everything related to culture; with education increasing by 4.27%, the library by 5.81% and cultural promotion by 11.12%.
Aiming to promote our cultural heritage to compliment the tourist sun and beach facilities, with sponsorship from the Diputación de Castellón, there will be events in Xivert Castle, we will put together the Castell de Xivert museum graphic collection, with all the items to be displayed catalogued. This, in addition to the Museo de Traver Calzada in the Parish Church, the Bell Tower and the Capilla de los Desamparados, will be a very interesting cultural attraction, to which will be added the recently restored Ermita de San Antonio, with its unique relief altarpiece. In relation to this, we plan to build a new access ramp to the Church.
Support for cultural groups and associations will continue, and a programme will be set up to bring local culture and history to young people.
Quality Tourism
Actions to be taken regarding tourism make special reference to maintaining the “Q” for quality certification for the Tourist Office, as well as the ISO and QUALITUR certifications for the beaches. We will also continue working to maintain the five blue flags.
One of the new items envisaged in the municipal 2012 accounts is setting up Mapping, an advanced place search system which will enable tourists and residents to find information on how to reach any point in Spain using their mobile phone, so that they can find all the services, location, facilities, monuments and how to get to the selected place.
Equally, the health transport service will continue and so will Life Saving and Rescue services on the beaches.
Investments
The Alcala de Xivert Council’s 2012 budget envisages a series of works, described by the local Executive as “small but important”, such as the enlargement of the Alcossebre Health Centre, and the continuation of the procedures for the construction of the new Health Centre in Alcala.
The municipal government will continue to remove architectural barriers for the disabled, as well as refurbishing the swimming pool and changing rooms, completing the conservation and maintenance works.
The former slaughterhouse will be reformed to convert it into a municipal archive and a small plot in the calle Hospital will be cleared to create a recreation and rest area there. The services to the Calvario will also be refurbished, replacing those parts which are in a bad state. In the same way, rural roadways will be maintained and new niches will be constructed in the Municipal Cemetery.
With regard to making improvements on the beaches, foot-baths will be installed as well as the existing showers.
In respect of actions for the environment and management of waste, there will be a new island of refuse bins in Alcala, to prioritise selective collection “with the aim of increasing the efficiency of the service. We will invest not only in the infrastructure but also in campaigns spreading awareness of recycling in the schools and press. This has resulted in out town being top in the province in recycling light packaging and second in collecting paper and card.
Sports Promotion
Within the tourism/sport pairing which has been shown to be an important tourist resource, the walking routes have been approved and now form part of the Senda Verda (Comunitat Valenciana) and the Spanish Walking Routes Network.
During this financial year, we want to offer a wide variety of sports for all ages, so the council will maintain its collaboration with the local groups in organising popular sports events, both competitive and non-competitive (VII Marxa a Peu Serra d’Irta, Spinning Master Class, 10km on Alcossebre Beaches, BTT routes).
There will also be investment in a plan to maintain sports installations, increasing them as far as possible. We are also going to acquire two defibrillators so that the municipal sports facilities can be safer, as well as organising training to teach people how to use them.
Forecasts for using the balance remaining from 2011
Although not included in the 2012 budget, two projects are forecast to be carried out using the balance from the 2011 budget, the analysis and diagnostic of the centre of Alcala de Xivert and the establishment of strategies to put new energy into the town and a plan of events, as well as the refurbishment of children’s play-parks, tarmacking streets and roads.
Measures to encourage employment
Initiatives aimed at creating jobs in the municipality are also included in the budget. “We will try to encourage employment among our towns-people, helping them with free training and classes for the unemployed which will enable them to look for employment with greater chances of success”, as well as looking for professional advice for all those young enterprising young people who want to start their own business.
