Toni Pérez Gathers More Than a Hundred Mayors From the Province of Alicante

The Mayors' Forum held at the MARQ has served as a dialogue space among more than a hundred mayors from the province of Alicante. The Legislature, with its president Toni Pérez at the helm, has convened this meeting to address the main municipal concerns regarding financing, bureaucracy and the management of essential services.

During the event, Pérez defended the importance of the Legislature as a territorial cohesion body. "This meeting should serve for the towns in the province to listen to each other," he declared, insisting on the need to maintain direct contact with the municipalities to understand their problems and needs firsthand.

Investments and Bureaucracy at the Center of the Debate

The forum featured two round tables in which mayors from different political sensibilities participated. From Compromís, Sergi Ferrús criticized the decrease in investments in the Plan +Cerca and the delay in the works of the Plan Planifica, in addition to insisting on the need for the Legislature to join the Municipal Cooperation Fund. Ferrús even proposed the abolition of the diputaciones or, failing that, their depoliticization and professionalization.

Meanwhile, the socialist Antonio Pérez García, mayor of Rojales, advocated for strengthening the role of the Legislature as a "town hall of town halls" and proposed greater agility in the processing of investments and aid, in addition to demanding more funds for fire prevention and transportation improvements.

From the PP, Raúl Llobell, mayor of Teulada-Moraira, defended the essential role of the Legislature in the survival of many municipalities and called for a reduction in bureaucracy to facilitate local management. He also requested support for the implementation of the coastal train.

Small Municipalities Request Greater Support

Mayors of towns with fewer than 5,000 inhabitants agreed on the need for more financial aid and technical support. José Vicente Fernández (Compromís) demanded greater equity in the distribution of resources, while the socialist José Luis Candela (Tibi) defended the need for provincial employment pools for municipalities with fewer resources.

Meanwhile, María García (Agres) proposed that aid be grouped into a single call and that execution deadlines be extended, in addition to requesting reinforcements in technical staff for small municipalities.

Claim for Fair Financing

One of the key points of the forum was the claim for adequate local financing. Toni Pérez insisted on the need to repeal the Law of Rationalization and Sustainability of Local Administration, which limits the use of the municipal surplus. He also defended that the Legislature continue its support work for municipalities, especially the smallest ones, ensuring that all residents have access to the same services regardless of their place of residence.

This second Mayors' Forum of the Legislature de Alicante has served to bring municipal demands to the table and strengthen dialogue between administrations. It remains to be seen whether these requests will translate into concrete changes or if municipalism will continue to face the same bureaucratic and financial obstacles as always.