Post by pigeonpie on Dec 22, 2009 22:19:13 GMT
Island Council to double this year’s investment in 2010
At an extraordinary meeting to be held today, the Island Council will debate the 2010 budget which will see 98.5 million euros coming to Menorca, 32% more than last year due to increased contributions from both the Balearic and State Governments which together account for 90.8% of the total budget.
During the presentation of next year’s accounts, the president of the Island Council, Marc Pons, said that the resources would be used “to tackle the economic situation” but also, in the long term, to look for infrastructure which would play a key role in a new economy in the second decade of the XXI century.
Although the governmental contributions have increased, the Councillor for General Services, Biel Subirats, pointed out that available current income is down 3.1% on this year, equivalent to one million euros less. This situation has forced the Island Council to contain spending and make cutbacks so that lines of aid to the production sector can be strengthened together with promotional actions and social protection. For this reason those in power have decided to freeze politicians’ salaries for the third consecutive year and also the budgets for communication and publicity. In addition, there will be cutbacks of between 10% and 20% in current transfers to third parties except where these are linked to social protection or the development of production sectors.
Subirats pointed out that the Island Council’s forecasted investment of 44.9 million euros for 2010 will be double this year’s and will equate to 500 euros per inhabitant compared to the 2009 figure of 245 euros.
At 25.4 million euros, expenditure on roads will account for the major part of the resources, with 19 million euros being earmarked for the Ferreries bypass alone.
The Councillor stressed that the sum set aside for social protection and promotion will be increased by 11% to 29.1 million euros, of which 10.4 million will be used to cover the care of the elderly and handicapped, 3.5 million for aid programmes for the most vulnerable sectors and 1.2 million to implement the necessary measures to take care of women who have been the victims of violence, drug addicts and immigrants.
The Island Council is also to increase the sum set aside for the production sector by 8% to 10.8 million euros, with aid for the tourist, agricultural, fashion jewellery and shoe manufacturing sectors amongst others and training for the unemployed.
Funds for the Town Councils will be kept at this year’s level of 13.2 million euros.
At an extraordinary meeting to be held today, the Island Council will debate the 2010 budget which will see 98.5 million euros coming to Menorca, 32% more than last year due to increased contributions from both the Balearic and State Governments which together account for 90.8% of the total budget.
During the presentation of next year’s accounts, the president of the Island Council, Marc Pons, said that the resources would be used “to tackle the economic situation” but also, in the long term, to look for infrastructure which would play a key role in a new economy in the second decade of the XXI century.
Although the governmental contributions have increased, the Councillor for General Services, Biel Subirats, pointed out that available current income is down 3.1% on this year, equivalent to one million euros less. This situation has forced the Island Council to contain spending and make cutbacks so that lines of aid to the production sector can be strengthened together with promotional actions and social protection. For this reason those in power have decided to freeze politicians’ salaries for the third consecutive year and also the budgets for communication and publicity. In addition, there will be cutbacks of between 10% and 20% in current transfers to third parties except where these are linked to social protection or the development of production sectors.
Subirats pointed out that the Island Council’s forecasted investment of 44.9 million euros for 2010 will be double this year’s and will equate to 500 euros per inhabitant compared to the 2009 figure of 245 euros.
At 25.4 million euros, expenditure on roads will account for the major part of the resources, with 19 million euros being earmarked for the Ferreries bypass alone.
The Councillor stressed that the sum set aside for social protection and promotion will be increased by 11% to 29.1 million euros, of which 10.4 million will be used to cover the care of the elderly and handicapped, 3.5 million for aid programmes for the most vulnerable sectors and 1.2 million to implement the necessary measures to take care of women who have been the victims of violence, drug addicts and immigrants.
The Island Council is also to increase the sum set aside for the production sector by 8% to 10.8 million euros, with aid for the tourist, agricultural, fashion jewellery and shoe manufacturing sectors amongst others and training for the unemployed.
Funds for the Town Councils will be kept at this year’s level of 13.2 million euros.
