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The Avilés Local Council strengthens its commitment to social policies and international cooperation in 2025
February 8, 2025
Councilor Agustín Medina presents the budgets for his areas for this year.
Throughout this year, the Avilés Local Council will strengthen its commitment to social policies and international cooperation. This was stated by Agustín Medina, the councilor for social services and international cooperation, during the presentation of the budgets for both areas for the year 2025.
The municipal budget for 2025 has the main objectives of strengthening and improving municipal social services, contributing to reducing inequality, promoting social inclusion, active aging, and independent living, especially for the most vulnerable population.
Therefore, the allocation for this area of the New Year’s budgets increases by 3.8% to 6,579,942 euros (compared to 6,337,843 in 2024).
In this amount, prominent items include:
– Municipal Home Assistance Service: includes a municipal contribution of 1,146,624 euros, in addition to 3,600,000 euros allocated for the development of support measures for people in a recognized dependency situation. The total budget for 2025 reserves 4,746,624 euros for the home assistance service, 3.4% more than in 2024 (4,589,611).
– Social Action Financial Aid: 500,000 euros to address basic needs and rent for vulnerable people.
– Municipal Center for the Homeless: 541,098 euros for the regular operation of the Center.
– First Housing Program: the contract value doubles from 34,650 to 69,300 euros to open a new early intervention line, aimed at serving people who have recently entered a homelessness situation, multiplying their chances.
«Avilés is an aging city, and one of our challenges is to ensure that all elderly people have the best possible conditions,» said Medina, who recalled that measures aimed at this population segment are carried out in collaboration with the senior department and the healthy city.
The Council of Social Services sets in the fight against homelessness, another major challenge for the department this year, at a time of special difficulty in access to housing. Medina emphasized that «from municipal social services, we always work all the way, accompanied by perceptive individuals of the different aids and programs, through personalized itineraries and offering resources at all stages of the process, so that they make their own decisions.»
Other sectors that will continue to be supported by municipal social services include community work, collaboration with numerous entities through different types of grants. All of this is aimed at reaching all layers of society that the administration does not directly reach for various reasons.
In 2025, there is an increase of 15,000 euros (from 180,784 to 195,784) in the budget item for grants to entities that develop local social inclusion projects (PLI). This growth aims to finance a legal consultancy service for immigrants.
On the other hand, the 24,000 items are maintained for grants to entities that promote association in the field of social action and promote projects in defense of the population with the highest degree of vulnerability. In addition, nominative grants from the Red Cross (11,500 euros) and the Gypsy Secretariat (45,000 euros) are maintained for the development of voluntary and forestry projects, respectively.
Finally, the mayor highlighted the increase of 15,000 euros in the budget item for repairs, maintenance, and conservation of the LAS Meanas and Llanes centers, which will be 75,000 euros (60,000 in 2024).
Agustín Medina recalled that Avilés is one of the municipalities with the highest social investment per inhabitant: 143.49 euros (2023), according to data provided by the Ministry of Finance of the State Association of Social Services. This fact, which has continuously grown and been sustained, is higher than both the regional average (103 euros) and the national average (102 euros).
«This fact appreciates the effort we make in social, economic, and human services to ensure that all people, regardless of their physical, social, or intellectual condition, can develop a life project,» said the councilor, who praised «the daily work that all professionals in our area carry out.»
International Cooperation
The budget for the area of international cooperation in the municipal accounts for 2025 is 259,500 euros, an increase of 5.7% (245,300 euros in 2024).
This amount includes:
– A 50% increase in the budget for the development of the Avili Program for Peace Holidays for Saharawi children. The budget for the mentioned program will increase from 10,000 to 15,000 euros.
– 10,000 euros for the development of awareness-raising actions, such as the Afriant Festival, whose 2024 edition was held in Avilés, aspiring to become the permanent headquarters of this event organized by Codopa.
– 200,000 euros in aid for international cooperation projects, which allow for the improvement of living conditions in southern countries.
– The allocation of 25,000 euros is maintained for humanitarian aid. This is direct aid for emergencies that may arise from humanitarian disasters of any kind.
Additionally, this year, the municipal call base for development aid cooperation projects will be modified to include a line that allows for investment financing projects, not just development cooperation projects.
FUENTE