The extraordinary plenary session held on Friday morning in the Mijas Town Hall has finally approved the Budget for this year, which reaches 129,687,168.70 euros, representing an increase of 15.9% over the previous one, which had been extended from 2022. The document has gone ahead with the votes in favour of the government team (PP, Vox and PMP). The opposition, which includes PSOE and Ciudadanos, voted against the accounts. The mayoress of the city, Ana Mata (PP), stressed that it is "a document adjusted to the reality of the municipality that includes fundamental actions for the future of the town". 

The mayoress said that "they are the best Budgets for 2024. They will be the roadmap of this government team and surely there will be some modifications along the way, but each and every one of the 'Mijeños' will know what that path is, because we will be telling you about it. And, above all, because we want to bring order to a Town Hall that still has many issues to sort out for the proper functioning of the administration".

In the course of the plenary session, the two allegations presented were rejected; the first, by the councillor for the Treasury of the previous government team, the socialist Roy Pérez; and the second, by a former person of trust linked to the Treasury department during the last term of office. "As for the allegation presented by the previous councillor for the Treasury, it is not admitted because it is considered that the councillors are notified of the resolutions of the plenary session in which we participate. Therefore, the period for formulating these allegations begins at the time of the plenary session, regardless of whether one is a councillor or a citizen", explained the deputy spokesman of the PP Municipal Group and councillor for Economy and Finance, Mario Bravo. On the second, the Popular councillor pointed out that this "reproaches the government team for not having approved, presented or incorporated a series of documents referring to municipal companies", to which he added that among the companies referred to is Mijas Avanza, "which is obliged to be dissolved because it no longer has any activity", "it is difficult to present an investment plan, it is difficult to present a report of activities when we are forced by law to dissolve this company", explained Bravo. 

The socialist bench expressed their position against the approval of a budget that they described as "doped". "From the socialist group, as could not be otherwise, in the face of budgets that do not correspond to the reality of this municipality, that have been made in haste, that being doped in income of more than 20 million, with cuts to essential departments such as Social Services, we cannot agree", said the spokesman of the PSOE Municipal Group, Roy Perez.    

For its part, Ciudadanos, although it did not present allegations to the general accounts of the Mijas Town Hall for 2024, also voted against the approval of the document, which it considers "compromised" and which the spokesperson of the Municipal Group Ciudadanos, José Carlos Martín, assures that it will require budgetary modifications: "In one month, three or four, I don't know how long it will take to bring this budget amendment, so let's see how you explain now that you are going to bring one for a certain amount of money and you are not going to commit all the remainder you have to investments that are very necessary for this municipality, right? Well, we will see in the coming months", Martín said. 

Faced with criticism from the opposition, the local government maintained the validity of the Budget and highlighted the speed with which they have worked since their arrival in government to present it in December, "we believe that the Budget is the best that we have been able to produce. We believe that this Budget can be improved, of course, by applying this year's surplus when it is available. But, that it was essential to draw up a budget and that we have done so, I think that leaves no room for doubt", said the councillor for Economy and Finance, who also added, addressing the opposition, that "you should have done this Budget in October and also in the previous year, that also leaves no room for doubt".  

Mijas General Budget 2024 

In a press release following the government team's plenary session, the mayoress, Ana Mata (PP), explained that the accounts have been drawn up in "record time", since in December last year they were taken to the plenary session for initial approval: "They are the best budgets and will be the roadmap of this government team. We want to bring order to a Town Hall that has many issues to resolve for the proper functioning of the administration", said the Mijas mayoress. 

The document allocates 11 million euros for the area of Infrastructures and a further 2.5 million euros for Town Planning. In infrastructures, three initiatives stand out, to which 300,000 euros have been allocated for the corresponding drafts: a project for the reconstruction of the building over La Puente to reinforce the historical-artistic character of the village; new municipal facilities in the area of Cortijo Don Elías in Las Lagunas, which will have administrative, leisure and commercial spaces; and a sports complex in La Cala, in the area of Cortijo Colorado, to meet the demands of the residents and the population growth registered in this area.

Projects 

At the same time, Mata detailed other initiatives on which "the government team is already working", as is the case of the modification of the project for the expansion of the Mijas Pueblo car park towards the Plaza Virgen de la Peña, which will incorporate 618 more spaces, and a study of the expansion and reform of the football field in La Cala. In addition, the access to the Osunillas area is to be remodelled with an investment of one million euros from the Provincial Council. Another aspect highlighted by the government team is the unblocking of the Coastal Path project and a new nature trail that will run from the area of El Lagarejo to the Fuente de la Seda (Mijas Pueblo).

Social investment 

In social investment, the accounts include a total of 7.6 million euros which are distributed between the elderly (which increases by 7.16%), nursery schools (with a rise of 51.38%) and the UP (with an increase of 46.53%). Of the total, 3,307,100 euros will be allocated to Social Services. In addition, 3.5 million euros have been earmarked for the Basic Income programme, a figure that remains the same as in the previous five budget years, although it is not ruled out that it could be extended in 2024.

Employment, mobility, environment and culture 

"Employment is another priority for the government team", says Mata, which is why more than 300,000 euros have been earmarked for Employment Promotion and Business Development. Another of the priorities of the approved municipal accounts is the chapter referring to the Urban Mobility Plan, which has been allocated 68,365.46 euros, "with which a solution will be given to a pending issue in Mijas", according to the government team. In addition, 450,000 euros are earmarked for digital modernisation, "to streamline communication between citizens and the Town Hall itself", they add. In terms of environmental actions and waste collection, more than 6.8 million euros are earmarked, while the cleaning service is allocated more than 4.3 million euros. Among other items, the 1,521,122.75 euros for Culture (an increase of 7%) also stand out. 

Income forecast 

The income forecast foresees 42 million euros for IBI, together with other taxes and fees derived from town planning activity and the participation in the State's income, as Mijas is a municipality with a large population. To this the amounts coming from the Andalusian Regional Government will be added, which will complete the almost 130 million euros of the Budget.

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