CASTELLO (EP). The vice-president of the Castellón Provincial Council and provincial deputy, Patricia Gatehave presented this Tuesday the #MésCastelló budgets for the Social Welfare area for 2023, which represent an “unprecedented” investment by reaching the 10.5 million euros.
In this regard, Puerta has indicated that these accounts are one more example and materialize the “firm commitment” to improve services and the quality of life of the residents of the province. Likewise, the vice president added that they are accounts “with a very clear priority, people”. “We believe that we have the best budget for the moment we live in: realistic, rigorous and committed to the interior,” she said.
In addition, Puerta has indicated that the Social Welfare budget also 9.8 million euros are added for the Penyeta Roja socio-educational complex -which includes 1.5 million for the reform and rehabilitation of the Secondary Education Institute (IES)–, and more than half a million euros, 623,348.49 euros specifically, for Equality. “The dignification of educational infrastructures and the commitment to the fight against inequalities are other axes that we consider essential to achieve a more just and democratic society, and with these budgets we will be able to continue working towards these objectives”, said Puerta .
The Castellón Provincial Council has registered a gradual increase since 2019 –coinciding with the access of Jose Marti to the presidency of the corporation– in the area of Social Services. Specifically, the last budget approved before the formation of the current government team was three million euros. However, for 2023 the budget is 10,510,777.60 euros.
Social services
The social nature of the accounts is evidenced by the consolidation of the financing of social services in municipalities with a population of less than 10,000 inhabitants, which accounts for half of the budget. Breaking down this item, the Provincial Council employs more than 140 professionals -social workers, psychologists, social educators, legal and administrative advisers- and guarantees the provision of emergency aid (253,826.69 euros) and energy poverty (120,493.82 euros), as well as the home help service (410,075.26 euros), Menjar a Casa (287,050.78 euros) and Major a Casa (35,458.75 euros).
The service of 65 Matineres Schools that will serve more than 2,000 students has also been budgeted for an amount of 455,520 euros, which also expands this service since in 2019 there were 27.
Other budgeted services are the 97 points for the promotion of personal autonomy that serve 1,200 users (817,792 euros); 25 family conciliation units for municipalities with fewer than 1,500 inhabitants that care for 250 boys and girls (525,000 euros); the telecare service that aims to serve 900 users with 200,000 euros -currently there are 304 users-; adapted transport to facilitate people’s access to the different day centers (150,000 euros, almost doubling the 2019 budget); and scholarships for students of the University for the Elderly of the UNED and the Universitat Jaume I (18,000 euros).
Likewise, the amount that will be allocated to subsidies for associations, organizations for retired people, projects to promote activities and development cooperation and the humanitarian and emergency aid fund amounts to 1.7 million euros.
Equality
Patricia Puerta has highlighted that this 2023 the Equality area will have a larger budget to continue implementing policies throughout the province in favor of equal treatment and opportunities between women and men. The vice president recalled that the resources of the department have multiplied by five in three years, an increase that is recorded again this year, reaching 623,348.49 euros.
Among the budgeted actions are awareness campaigns on Equality (25,000 euros), equality training for both Provincial Council staff and municipal staff (10,000 euros), implementation of the I Equality Plan of the Castellón Provincial Council (25,000 euros ), design and implementation of the provincial equality strategy (55,000) euros, specific promotion and support program for women in the rural world (30,000 euros), subsidies for sectoral entities that work for equality between women and men (50,000 euros) or the construction of a network of municipalities protected against gender violence (20,000 euros).
Regarding the Penyeta Roja technical-sports initiation center, there is an agreement with the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports for the rehabilitation of the center for a value of 1,115,000 million euros in the year of 2023 and 445,000 euros in the annuity of 2024, which means a total of 1,560,000 euros.
The works will consist of the complete renovation of the bathrooms on all the floors, which are in a very poor state and some of them even have very narrow dimensions, which makes their use difficult. In addition, an accessible lift will be installed to connect all the floors and a ramp will be built to save the difference in level from the street sidewalk to the ground floor of the institute. Likewise, action will be taken with the handrails, railings and other safety and accessibility elements in which deficiencies are detected.
The project also contemplates the design of a new, more orderly distribution of spaces, as well as the revision of the electricity, telecommunications and fire protection installations, and the sanitary slab will be cleaned up.
