This Tuesday’s town hall meeting approved the proposed budget for 2024, with an amount of 112.5 million euros, a document in which investments with a structural impact on the municipality stand out, as does the commitment to the parishes, with an amount of transfers of 11.9 million euros, while maintaining the concern to guarantee management based on great rigor and financial balance.
The proposal, which will be submitted to the Municipal Assembly, was voted for by the PS councillors and against by the independent councillors and the PSD councillor.
This budget is being drawn up against a backdrop of high international uncertainty, with conflicts in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, resulting in economic repercussions, namely an inflationary crisis that continues, with increased interest rates, with significant repercussions on the housing market, resulting in increased difficulties for families.
The situation is also marked by a shortage of labor and an increase in the price of raw materials, with repercussions on the cost of municipal construction work.
Domestically, the budget coincides with a scenario of political crisis and also of social protest in areas such as education and health, situations that could present new challenges for municipalities.
Regarding revenue – 112.5 million euros – there is a 15% increase on last year, resulting from direct taxes (+5.7 M€), namely the Municipal Surtax and IMT, state transfers (transfer of competencies and others), property income (+1.1 M€), sale of current goods and services (+1.7 M€), and current transfers (+0.6 M€).
On the expenditure side, the weight of the personnel item stands out, with a weight of 26.20% in the total (29.4 M€, an increase of 2.4 M€), highlighting the fact that Leiria is, among the large municipalities, the second with the lowest weight of personnel expenditure in total expenditure.
Debt servicing continues to have an impact on the municipality’s accounts, accounting for 2.9 M€ in 2024 and currently totaling around 11 million in debt to banks, the vast majority of which still relates to the construction of the municipal stadium.
Also noteworthy is capital expenditure, which stands at 41.4 M€, with current expenditure of 71 M€, essential to guarantee the provision of public services, in areas such as education, health, culture, social development, among others.
“This budget proposal for 2024 gives substance to the challenge we have taken on, of affirming and projecting Leiria as the locomotive of regional development, and also as a territory of excellence in which to live, visit, work or invest, with a high level of attractiveness in the national and international context,” the mayor of Leiria, Gonçalo Lopes, points out in his introductory note, adding that, halfway through the mandate, of the total of 113 proposals presented to the electorate, it can be seen that in more than 70% of cases very decisive steps have already been taken to bring them to fruition.
Main projects
With regard to the projects included in the Budget, the following stand out for their structuring impact on the municipality Leiria, in the area of Education (13.4 M€): the Marrazes School Center and Sports Pavilion, the refurbishment of the Afonso Lopes Vieira Secondary School, as well as EB 2/3 D. Dinis, S. Romão Primary School, Henrique Sommer Primary and Secondary School in Maceira and EB 2/3 Marrazes.
Health (€0.14 million) includes three new health centers – Barreira, Santa Eufémia and Pousos – while Social Development (€2.6 million) includes support for rent, the Municipal Emergency Fund and the regulation of social benefits for firefighters.
In Housing (0.36 M€), 35 social housing units are to be rehabilitated and 50 new units are to be built, in accordance with the Local Housing Strategy.
In Culture (4.5 M€), we highlight the work on the Encosta do Castelo Green Park, the Black Box and the rehabilitation, upgrading, restoration and conservation of the Villa Portela Arts Center.
In Sports (€1.3 million), the highlight goes to the Aquapolis Park, covering an area of eight hectares, with multiple features: extension of the Polis Trail, educational garden, outdoor swimming pool, children’s playground and recovery and transformation of the old wastewater treatment plant into a community area.
In the area of Economic Development (€2 million), the highlights will be the Monte Redondo Business Park and the redevelopment of the Carreira – Barosa Industrial Park.
In the area of Civil Protection (€2.7 million), the extension of the video protection system is planned, with the installation of 42 more cameras, in order to reinforce security in the municipality, plus the purchase of ambulances for the Municipal Sappers and support for the municipality’s volunteer bodies.
The General Public Administration Services heading (€13.6 million) reserves money for important projects, such as the adaptation of the east tower of the Municipal Stadium to house the Tax Authority, support for the construction of the Pousos auditorium and the support building for the Municipal Assembly and Archives.
In the area of the Environment (€3.8m), guaranteeing, among other projects, the collection and treatment of waste and urban cleaning.
Mobility has been allocated an amount of €9.2 million for the construction of the Leiria Mobility Center, paving, upgrading roads, traffic circles, sidewalks and storm drains, as part of a very wide range of interventions on roads throughout the municipality.
With regard to transfers to parishes, the amount of 11.9 M€ is broken down into 3.3 M€ of current expenditure and 8.6 M€ of capital expenditure, reflecting the executive’s recognition of the capacity and quality of the work carried out by parish councils and unions.
It should be noted that, as in previous years, a substantial part of the major projects that the municipality intends to develop in 2024 will only be fully reflected in February, with the introduction of the management balance, which is estimated at around 39 million euros.