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north EDITION roundtownnews.com
Issue 754
28 march - 3 APRIL 2014
Windfall works wonders AN UNEXPECTED 4.3 million euro windfall for a Costa Blanca resort will fund a series of public works in the community to benefit residents and visitors, it was announced this week. by Jack Troughton Javea Town Hall is to close its 2013 accounts showing the surprise surplus in council coffers – taking the local authority to the unexpected position of being 4,285,145€ in the black for the year. And under strict financial rules imposed by central government in Madrid, there can be no policy of ‘spend, spend, spend’ but the money will be spent repairing “heritage” buildings in the municipality and sustainable investment projects Mayor Jose Chulvi and Councillor for Finance and Deputy Mayor Oscar Anton celebrated the results of “good economic management” and plan for their policies for Javea to continue. Mr Anton said the accounts showed “better than expected figures thanks to careful economic management” and “higher than expected income” to create the positive balance on the books. He said the boost came from several key areas: 1.8 million euros from collecting IBI – similar to rates – on properties not previously taxed; 1.6 million euros from taxes on the sale of property, some 600,000€ more than expected; and a building licences and fees bringing in 450,000, an increase of 64% on 2012. In addition the issue of habitation certificates brought in 98,000€ - almost twice what was expected – payments from recycling going up by 150,000€ on the previous year; and an increased contribution by Central Government, which rose by 344,000€ on 2012. Mr Anton said Madrid had paid more “mainly” because of an increase in numbers on the town hall register, the ‘Padron’, which had fallen in the majority of other towns. He said the surplus as also thanks to “good town hall management” overturning a deficit of 8 million euros in 2012 and “effective” co-ordination between departments. And he said cooperation between town hall planning, the treasury, reports to police and investigating new construction helped raise cash. “This insures that these (new buildings) were rapidly in-
Oscar Anton (left) and Jose Chulvi
cluded on the padron and thus brought in new taxpayers and the adoption of urbanisations and the issue of habitation certificates have undoubtedly revived housing transactions which are back to 2007 levels,” added Mr Anton. The town hall had gone into 2014 “with confidence” as a
result, he said. This meant tax was not raised and allowed exemptions and reductions of charges for new businesses, building licences, and for the hospitality industry renting outside spaces. Continued on page 3