Esparreguera's council has initially approved a credit modification of €834,327 to finance redevelopment projects and municipal improvements, with the local government's vote in favour (PSC and ERC).
The Esparreguera Town Council has greenlit a credit modification worth €834,327, initially approved in the ordinary council meeting in July. The majority of this allocation, €300,000, will be used for drafting the executive project for the redevelopment works of phase 1 of the old N-II, in the stretch between Balmes Street and the Union Square. The initiative has passed with the favourable votes of the PSC and ERC, while the CUP, Junts per Esparreguera, and the non-affiliated councillor voted against; Esparreguera 2031-Junts, Esparreguera en Comú Podem, and the PP abstained.
The credit modification is mainly financed with the treasury surplus for general expenses and with resources released from other contracts, such as the maintenance of the waste collection centre. In addition to the main allocation for the old N-II, the council has approved dedicating €185,000 to the treatment of residual, organic, and bulky waste; €84,327 for the acquisition and maintenance of equipment and computer systems; and €50,000 to increase the subsidy for the renovation works of the Santa Eulàlia Parish Patronage.
Other investments include €60,000 for the repair works of the TOCC (Teatre Obrer de la Cooperativa Cultural), €50,000 for the redevelopment and lighting of the Plana footbridge, €50,000 for the repair of the wall in the Plana neighbourhood, €40,000 for the acquisition of a mobile radar for speed controls, and €15,000 for the purchase of furniture for the TOCC. The mayor, Juan Jurado, defended that the modification responds to the Economic and Financial Plan and allows for up to €800,000 of the surplus to be allocated to priority actions, assuring that "we will all agree that we have a surplus greater than we would like" and that the government's intention is for these resources to "benefit the improvement of facilities, public spaces, and the well-being of the citizens."
From the opposition, Jordi Mestres of Junts per Esparreguera clarified that they do not question the necessity of the actions or their legality, but criticized that credit modifications have become a common practice. "The municipal budget should be the main instrument of political action," he stated, and demanded "more foresight and dialogue spaces with the opposition groups before deciding the allocation of resources." For her part, CUP councillor Mònica Martínez expressed her support for using surpluses for investments but lamented the lack of budget planning and disagreed with part of the resources coming from allocations linked to environmental maintenance and other services.
The spokesperson for Esparreguera en Comú Podem, Joan Sánchez, positively assessed the investment of surpluses but expressed doubts about the viability of the redevelopment project for the old N-II, as it requires external funding. He also considered that the expenditure on waste treatment should have been better anticipated. Andrés Labella, spokesperson for Esparreguera 2031, justified his abstention for not having participated in defining the actions, although he supported the allocation for the old N-II and requested that future modifications consider perimeter areas.
The mayor acknowledged the request to foster greater consensus in future modifications and recalled that broad agreements were reached in previous terms. He assured that budget cuts do not affect essential services and explained that both the Generalitat and the Barcelona Provincial Council have shown willingness to collaborate in financing the works of the old N-II.
In the area of social rights, the council approved increasing the nominative subsidy to the Santa Eulàlia Parish by €50,000 for the renovation works of the Parish Patronage, due to the rising costs of construction materials. The modification of the Strategic Subsidies Plan for 2026 and a specific modification of the General Urban Planning Plan to redefine the alignment at the corner of Hortes and Cavallers streets were also approved.
Finally, the council ratified, via urgency, the agreement of the General Negotiation Table to reduce the ordinary working hours of municipal staff from 37.5 to 37 hours per week on average annually starting in September. This measure will affect all municipal workers and aims to improve working conditions without reducing services.
