A €35 million budget focused on recovering the borough’s finances and improving its “social and public services, infrastructures, education and urban mobility” has been approved by Lagoa council – with the abstention of the main opposition party, PSD.
The proposal will be discussed and subjected to a final vote in the municipal assembly before being given the green light.
“This is a responsible, strict and transparent budget,” the council said in a statement.
Vowing that the document will make local citizens “proud”, the municipality says the budget does not feature any big changes compared to previous years and will instead focus on continuing the work that the current administration has been developing since it was elected in 2013.
First, the council wants to reduce its debt further.
In the last three years, Lagoa has cut its debt from €9 million to €2.5 million – “and it has not been paid off completely because the council is planning big investments for the coming years”, the reason why the IMI property rate is not dropping in 2017.
Another plan is to improve the borough’s social services, which provide assistance to several local families.
Also on the agenda is a €2 million plan to expand the schools in Lagoa and Mexilhoeira da Carregação and refurbish their cafeterias.
Finally, Lagoa will focus on improving its infrastructures, namely through the construction of new roads and renovation of old ones.
Local gardens and green spaces, as well as the borough’s energetic efficiency, will also see improvements.
