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Date Published: 18/03/2025

Alicante allocates extra €1.6 million to landfill management in urgent budget change

Mayor pushes through funding for organic waste machinery ahead of 2025 budget approval

Alicante’s Mayor, Luis Barcala, has secured approval for a €1.6 million increase to the city’s landfill management budget, marking the first credit modification of the fiscal year. The funds are being allocated before the formal approval of the 2025 city budget, which is still under review. This amendment is mainly intended to purchase new machinery for the processing of organic waste, specifically from the brown recycling bins.

The decision comes even before the new budget takes effect, with the current 2024 budget still extended while the City Council works through the objections phase of the 2025 proposal. On Monday, the Finance Committee will debate the amendment to the extended accounts, setting the stage for discussions about the city’s fiscal priorities for the year ahead.

The €1.6 million is earmarked for the purchase of machinery for organic waste management, a request put forward by the city’s Cleaning and Waste Management Service. The expenditure is not included in the current extended budget but is deemed urgent to avoid disrupting the city’s waste services. As the report justifies, “it cannot be delayed until the following year without harming municipal interests.”

The funds will be primarily sourced from surplus funds left over from completed projects, loans from financial institutions, and savings from projects that have been cancelled. Notably, nearly €500,000 will come from the abandoned bicycle and pedestrian connection project between the EUIPO and Urbanova.

However, the decision has drawn sharp criticism, particularly from the left-wing opposition. They accuse Barcala’s administration of poor planning and disorganisation in managing the city’s waste services. The landfill management contract, originally awarded under Sonia Castedo’s leadership for €300 million, has already been extended multiple times. Most recently, in 2023, the contract was renewed for another two years due to delays in the tendering process.

Progressive groups like the PSOE and Compromís have voiced strong opposition to the budget change, arguing that it reflects a lack of foresight and continuous “improvisation” from the mayor’s office. Ana Barceló, the PSOE spokesperson, criticised the move as another example of Barcala’s failure to plan ahead, while Compromís member Rafa Mas rejected the proposal, calling it “disorganised” and “hasty.” He also added that the situation is marked by "improvisation, disorganisation, and chaos in the management of the accounts."

As the City Council moves forward with this modification, the pressure is mounting for Barcala’s administration to finalise the long-delayed tender process for landfill management before another extension becomes necessary.

Image: Freepik

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