The Plenary Meeting of the Almuñécar Town Council was brief by normal standards, but loaded with importance; the 2013 Budget had to be approved.
The Budget was passed with the backing of all parties except the chief opposition party, the CA. It is a sign of the flavour of local politics that such radically opposed parties as the PP and IU on a national and regional level – conservatives and far left – can join ranks against ‘the common enemy.’
The common enemy, of course, is Juan Carlos Benavides’s Party, even if he doesn’t officially lead it anymore; i.e., he was not their candidate for mayor, neither is he the local party chairman. This curious situation in Almuñécar means that it’s not about being conservative or left wing, but whether you are for Benavides or against him, full stop.
The IU concillors considered that the 2013 Budget increments spending for important social areas and municipal services were necessary. They said that they “weren’t in love with the Budget, but that they liked it enough.”
The centre-left PSOE saw some of their proposals included in the Budget, such as infrastructure work that would provide employment for the Bolsa Social de Empleo (social employment reserve; i.e., a short list of locals in need of work).Their leader, Francisco Prados said: “This has been a negotiated budget where we have had the opportunity to put forward ideas that have been included.”
It was Councillor Eva Gaitan, leader of the CA who broke the consensus to remind all present of the development that the town underwent under Juan Carlos Benavides, referring principally to the hotel sector, the parking facilities and the tourist-attraction installations, as well as the sports facilities.
“You, on the other hand, in two years of being in power, have done little more than cut down trees and speak about Sr Benavides,” she accused.
“You [the CA] have tried to paralyse the Town Hall, however others have understood that in these times we must all pull together. This is an accorded budget proposal, agreed upon by the majority and you are no longer the representatives of the majority,” responded the Mayor.
(News: Almunecar, Costa Tropical, Granada, Andalucia)