After dealing with the complaints made during the public information period and the reports from the General Intervention, the Torrevieja City Council has officially approved the Municipal Budget for 2026. It is worth 187,732,919.75 euros, which is an 11.38% increase over the 2025 budget.
Domingo Paredes, the Councillor for Economy and Finance, said that the opposition municipal groups’ claims “do not meet the legally established requirements to succeed, as clearly and unequivocally demonstrated by the Intervention report.” He also said that this process “is not a political or ideological debate, but a strictly regulated process.”
Domingo Paredes said that the claims made “do not prove a real lack of income or an omission of enforceable obligations,” but instead “bring up political issues that were already discussed and voted on when the budget was first approved and were not brought up by the PSOE when they should have been.”
Rigour in revenue and security in spending
The Finance Councillor has made it clear that the revenue forecasts for the 2026 budget were made “following the criteria of the Ministry of Finance, applying the principle of prudence, with real data on budget execution and multi-year averages.” This means that no one can say that the revenues are unrealistic or inflated.
He said that both the projection for municipal capital gains tax and the forecast for fees and registers “are based on technical reports and the actual evolution of revenue,” which ensures that the accounts are balanced.
Investments and loans that follow the law
Domingo Paredes has been very clear about the funding of investments, saying that “the budget does not include unsupported expenses or commit non-existent resources.” This is because all actions are properly conditioned according to budgetary rules and the Implementation Guidelines.
He also said that the budget fits the goals of stability and long-term financial health. After it is approved, the steps to request withdrawal from the Economic-Financial Plan would begin.
The Intervention Department’s assessment found a mistake in the computation of net savings, which was fixed before final clearance. This meant that net savings were even higher than what was first thought. “This shows rigour, openness, and the ability to fix mistakes,” the councillor said.
The budget that has the most people in it
Domingo Paredes said in his address that the 2026 Budget has the most citizen representation in Torrevieja’s history. This is because it was approved by the whole council and because people and community groups were able to take part directly in a process that was open, regulated, and clear. “This budget comes from the city and includes ideas from people of all backgrounds and neighbourhoods. It doesn’t leave anyone out,” said the Councillor for Economy and Finance.
Torrevieja is now one of the first big cities in Spain to have its budget approved. This gives the City Council stability, legal certainty, and the opportunity to keep moving forward with the city’s transformation.
Real investments of more than 46 million euros
The Investment segment of the 2026 Budget is very interesting because it goes up by 44.03% from the previous year to €46,191,308.29. The planned projects include finishing up large works that are already in progress, starting new programs in mobility, infrastructure, green spaces, and accessibility, as well as urban renewal and energy efficiency programs.
Some of the highlighted investments include 2,260,000 euros for remodelling and improving parks and gardens, including the new Alto de la Casilla park (500,000 euros), as well as the new “Tomás Ballester Herrera” Day Centre for people with Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases, new pedestrian paths, redevelopment of neighbourhoods and better public lighting throughout the municipality of Torrevieja. There are also investments in citizen security and equipment for the Local Police.
On the other hand, some of the main subsidies are: 800,000 euros to local NGOs, 400,000 euros to help pensioners, 300,000 euros for family reunification and maternity leave, 350,000 euros to the Individualised Economic Aid Program (PEIS), 100,000 euros to the Torrevieja Carnival for its self-management, 80,000 euros to the Academic Excellence Awards, 90,000 euros to the CONVEGA Consortium for promoting employment and economic revitalisation, or 200,000 euros for school and educational transport.
Lastly, the budget includes new social aid programmes that will start in 2026. These include 50,000 euros for helping minors with cancer get better, 30,000 euros for helping people with neurodegenerative diseases get better and stay active, and 200,000 euros for helping young people become independent so they can rent their first home.
Author: Derek Appleton
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