The La Laguna City Council has set a budget for the year 2025 amounting to 210 million euros, reflecting a modest reduction of 3.07% in comparison to 2024 (216,717,720 euros); this equates to a decrease of 6.6 million euros. Meanwhile, the consolidated budget, which encompasses autonomous sports organisations, musical activities, urban planning management, and the public company Muva, totals 226 million euros, which is also somewhat lower than the 2024 figure of 240 million euros.
Representatives from the local government (PSOE-CC) emphasised yesterday that these accounts are dedicated to “initiatives that will positively influence the daily lives of citizens” and promote “equity” across all neighbourhoods and towns, within “a general economic framework of caution and prudence.” This announcement was made by the mayor, Luis Yeray Gutiérrez (PSOE), accompanied by the Councillor for Finance, Paqui Rivero, and the Councillor for Municipal Services, and spokesperson for the coalition government (CC), Fran Hernández, during the budget presentation for 2025.
“These are budgets that demonstrate a clear continuity in social policy and initiatives that will enhance the daily lives of our citizens,” remarked the mayor, who highlighted that the local government is committed to “social justice, the welfare state, equality, culture, support for development projects, and harmony across all communities and neighbourhoods.” Gutiérrez further noted that in his first year as mayor, a budget of 171 million euros was approved, “and now, five years later, we are presenting one that has increased by 54 million euros.” He also pointed out that “since March,” the finance department has been collaborating with neighbourhood groups and entities to gather proposals for the 2025 budget.
The Councillor for Finance explained that while the City Council’s budget has decreased by 3.07%, it “does not factor in external financing” that was available in 2024 through a loan of 18.8 million euros, meaning that if both budgets are compared, excluding this loan, the 2025 budget indicates an increase of 11.8 million euros, or 5.9%.
Regarding how the 3.07% reduction has impacted various sectors, the councillor stated that it is “distributed fairly across many areas,” although he pointed out that the most significant reductions are in works and infrastructure, as these do not encompass projects currently underway funded by the 2024 loan; and in environmental projects, as several initiatives that required substantial investment have already been completed.
Key Areas
In terms of specific areas, the mayor and the councillor highlighted first and foremost social welfare and quality of life, which receives 24 million euros, accounting for 11.42% of the total budget. This includes initiatives such as the increase in the cost of the home care service contract, currently being tendered; as well as allocations to Muvisa for adult revitalisation and accommodation resources, and maintaining funds for emergency aid and subsidies, alongside a plan to tackle unwanted loneliness.
Conversely, works and infrastructure have an allocation of 19.2 million euros for initiatives such as the channeling of the Carnage ravine, which commences today, the renewal of the Mota table surface, consolidation of the Wolf Camino, a new roundabout in Taco, the Plaza de las Chumberas, and the landscaping of the CEIP court in El Ortigal, among others.
The Citizen Security and Mobility sector has a total budget exceeding 30 million euros, which includes a new contract for Titsa and the addition of 17 new police officers through the OPE. Meanwhile, municipal services have been allocated 35.8 million euros, primarily for waste collection and treatment, alongside road cleaning.
In housing, the budget sets aside 6.2 million euros for the creation of 29 affordable homes in the Gracia neighbourhood, rehabilitation of El Cardonal, and a housing initiative in Tejina. “It is important to mention that most municipal actions in housing are handled through Muvisa, which will allocate over 27.5 million euros across various budgets this year,” noted the councillor. This includes around 14 million euros for the rehabilitation of urban areas and assigning municipal land to ICAVI for social housing valued at nearly 1.4 million euros.
Additionally, the mayor asserted that “we will dedicate approximately six million euros, which is nearly 2 million more than in previous years, enabling property owners to offer their assets through Muvisa.”
Fran Hernández, for his part, commented that these are “budgets for the citizens” and that “they will secure both the present and the future” of the municipality. The mayor highlighted improvements in sectors such as municipal services and tourism, where funding has been allocated for the Tourism Attention Office.
The budget encompasses allocations for culture (8.3 million euros including the autonomous body for musical activities), historical heritage (2.1 million euros), festivals (6 million euros), environment (538,201 euros), education (6 million euros), equality (505,513 euros), and tourism (2.3 million euros), among others. The sports autonomous body will receive 11.1 million euros, while Urban Planning Management will be allocated 8.5 million euros.
The aim is for the new accounts to be presented to the municipal plenary tomorrow for discussion and approval. The mayor explained that the document was discussed in the Treasury Commission with opposition parties yesterday, with partial amendments proposed by the Podemos and Drago Green Canarias parties that will be reviewed. “If they are valid and lawful and do not undermine our budget, we could accept some,” he added.
