The new Corporation of the Estepona City Council has been constituted this morning with the re-election by absolute majority of the candidate of the popular group José María García Urbano as Mayor of Esteponaafter get 17 councilors out of 25 that make up the municipal plenary.
The councilor thanked “the broad support of citizens at the polls.” “It is evidence of support for our city project and the management model. From the first day we have put all our effort and knowledge into improving the city and the quality of life of the residents. For this reason, this magnificent electoral result, one of the best in Spain, is once again the best reward for this great work done, and it is a source of pride that I share with the citizens of Estepona”, explained the councilor, who stressed that “Our government project is for all citizens.”
García Urbano highlighted in his investiture speech that Estepona has become an exemplary city, with serious, efficient, responsible municipal management, which has given great results and has been decisive in achieving the “economic and social leadership that the city has today”. Thus, he has mentioned the importance of Estepona is at the forefront of job creation in Andalusia, has highlighted the relevance of municipal projects that have placed the town at the forefront of urban sustainability and quality of life. Among them, the comprehensive redevelopment of the urban center to turn it into the ‘Garden of the Costa del Sol’ and the creation of the great pedestrian boulevard created next to the sea, which has achieved one of the best promenades in Spain.
All in all, it has announced that the coming years will be decisive to continue creating the future and to strengthen the great progress and well-being achieved. “We have achieved the Estepona we all dreamed of; a city of which we are proud, with identity, quality of life and revitalized. We have become a benchmark outside our borders and, honestly, all these circumstances are a great source of pride that I share with everyone”, he added.
“We have achieved a lot. Success is built day by day and here it has not stopped improving. The concatenation of so many important projects like those that have happened in such a short space of time can become routine and cause the extraordinary and exceptional nature of what has been done here not to be seen”, he continued.
In this regard, he has listed “the longed for and necessary Estepona Hospital; all the development of the northern zone with the versatile Athletics Stadium, the great Fair and Sports Park, the Felipe VI Auditorium, the northern ring road and a hundred of the VPO; the great transformation of the center, with the ‘Estepona, Jardín de la Costa del Sol’ project, the Botanical-Orquidario Park, the new Town Hall, the award-winning and renowned grand boulevard, with the emblematic Mirador del Carmen and the pioneering network of car parks with the pioneer system of 1 euro/day and managed by people with disabilities and functional diversity; the coastal corridor that is uniting the entire coast; dozens of new sports and leisure spaces; new public areas; better infrastructures, more parks, green areas and improvements in security, among many other projects”.
“A determining stage towards excellence”
I am convinced that we have ahead of us “a determining stage towards excellence”. “The university project with scholarships for Estepona residents will be our priority. And it will represent another milestone for the city, with an unbeatable academic opportunity for the city’s students, it will also be another important economic, cultural and social engine. In addition, we are going to continue with our city model. The great boulevard that has opened the city to the sea will be extended to the urban center, revitalizing a new space for the citizen in the heart of the city. We are going to continue equipping the city with necessary infrastructures and improving public services; we are going to finish the connection of the coastal corridor; we are going to expand our pioneering network of car parks and we are going to continue promoting VPO promotions, among other actions.
In administrative matters, I want to emphasize that in this mandate we will reach the ‘zero debt’. We have already paid more than 255 million euros of the debt inherited in 2011 of 304 million euros, therefore, the time is very close to put an end to this ballast left by my political predecessors… and most importantly, we are going to continue dedicating ourselves to the most important thing: the people”.
The councilor has indicated that all these projects are important, but “there is another priority: adopting measures to solve the drought problem we are suffering from.” On this matter, he has indicated that the procedure to build a desalination plant in Estepona is already underway, “that gives us water autonomy and guarantees us the water supply and the strength of our local economy.”
It has also referred to two urgent claims to the central government For the city. In the first place, the defense works of the coast, since storm after storm infrastructure is damaged, the sand is lost and the tourism and services sector, engines of the local economy, are endangered. “We have asked the central government to execute these coastal defense works urgently or, given its inactivity, authorize the City Council to execute these works with municipal funds; We have the resources and the will to do it. Secondly, new accesses to the city are necessary via the A7 motorway”, he completed.
García Urbano has argued that “our working method has been the conjunction of the following factors: the rigorous compliance with the electoral program, intense daily work, the elimination of political privileges, determination in decision-making, administrative speed and institutional seriousness. All this, with a high degree and a constant flow of information and citizen participation”.
“Today, together with my team, we present ourselves with the moral legitimacy that comes from having fulfilled our commitments, having achieved great results for the city and with a new electoral program to consolidate this welfare project”, he pointed out.
Distribution of delegations
The distribution of delegations of the new government team will be as follows:
Ana Velasco: Development, Infrastructure and Tourism (FIT) and Citizen Security
Blas Ruzafa: External Control and Services
Paula Herrera: Sociocultural Area
José María Ayala: Economic Area and New Technologies
Begoña Ortiz: Outskirts
Ana Vilaseca: Human Resources
Cristina Cintrano: Trade
Susana Aragón: Beaches
Macarena Diánez: Parties
Daniel García: Historical Heritage and Sport
María Aguilar: Citizen Participation
The mayor will continue without receiving financial compensation from the City Council for the exercise of the position, when carrying out and having declared its compatibility with its public function as property registrar. Likewise, the councilors Encarnación Pérez, Salomé Hidalgo, Salvador Pedraza, Pablo García and Jorge Moro will not receive financial compensation from the Estepona City Council.