Pilar de la Horadada’ s government coalition has now approved a Budget for 2018. The accounts agreed by the PSOE and Vecinos por el Pilar amount to 26,843,825.31 euros and will now ensure that a number of previously opposed projects can go ahead.

The situation in Pilar has changed since José Francisco Albaladejo defected to the government from Vecinos por el Pilar last year. His move ensured a government majority of one seat, 11 councillors to the opposition’s 10, as a result of which he was rewarded with the offices of Infrastructure, Services, Housing, Animal Welfare and Citizen Participation.

The Councilor for Finance, José Tomás Saura, explained that with the approval of the new budget the council will be able to “regularise municipal accounts and regain control of investments. For the last three years we have worked with the budgets that were agreed in 2015 but we have still been able to deliver normal services. Now that we have an updated budget we can begin to fulfil our additional promises,” he said.

Among the investments that will can now make will be the new medical facilities in Pinar de Campoverde at a cost of 1,700,000 euros, the repair of the Mil Palmeras footbridge, street paving, the improvement of green areas, the Rio Seco natural route, refurbishment of sports tracks and much more.

The one main project that has not been included in the budget is the completion of the controversial cultural centre «La Paloma». Albaladejo explained, that has been postponed because, as agreed with the PSOE, any solution can only be considered on completion of a public consultation.

The works on the centre were halted almost 12 years ago when the initial budget rose from 2.4 million to 12 million.