The Cabildo of Lanzarote and La Graciosa will present to the plenary this Thursday the incorporation of €53.48 million from the treasury surplus into the 2026 budget. The main allocations will be for housing, free public transport, and improvements in the water cycle.
The Cabildo of Lanzarote and La Graciosa will submit for approval in an extraordinary plenary session, scheduled for this Thursday, the incorporation of €53,480,000 from the treasury surplus into the general budget for 2026. The proposal, which has already received the green light from the Finance Commission, includes strategic investments in key areas for the island.
Housing, transport and water: the spending priorities
Of the total, €31.48 million will be distributed among the various management areas of the Cabildo. Eight million will be allocated to maintain the free public transport in Lanzarote, a measure that President Oswaldo Betancort has described as "an obligation we assume to ensure collective well-being." Another €14 million will be used to settle a loan inherited from the previous mandate.
In terms of housing, the island institution will invest €5,736,657 to expand the public residential park. This allocation aims to alleviate the pressure on the local real estate market, where access to housing has become one of the main problems for residents. The Cabildo will also allocate two million euros to improve and renew the hydraulic infrastructure, following the assumption of the integral water cycle by the Water Consortium. Betancort has emphasized that efforts are being made to have "an efficient integral water system."
Municipal cooperation and security
The surplus includes over €6.3 million for an extraordinary Municipal Cooperation Plan, which will be distributed among the seven municipalities of the island. These funds will allow the councils to tackle local projects without resorting to their own debt, providing relief for municipal finances.
In the area of security, the Lanzarote Consortium for Security and Emergencies will receive €1,829,000 additional. This allocation will be used, among other actions, for subsidies for civil protection groups, health coverage on Famara beach, and surveillance services along the coasts. An investment that strengthens security in areas of high tourist influx and in protected natural spaces.
Social policies, waste and animal welfare
Social policies will receive €1,665,000 for Social Welfare and Inclusion and Seniors. The funds will be used for accessibility projects, inclusion, training in person-centred care, and an adapted disability festival, as well as active aging initiatives such as the +Vital programme.
The Waste area will have €850,000 for various actions, including the execution project for the evacuation route and intervention of external emergency services at the Zonzamas Environmental Complex. Additionally, €135,000 will be allocated for the Biosphere Reserve and Geopark, and over €200,000 for Landscape and Food Sovereignty.
Animal Welfare will receive an additional €112,000 for initiatives such as the Insular Animal Welfare Fair, the Canary Islands Breeds Fair, and feeding authorised feline colonies. A commitment to the ethical management of animal populations, which is increasingly concerning the public.
Employment, education and tourism
In Inclusive Training and Employment, €784,169 will be allocated for programmes such as first work experience and employment promotion subsidies. Education, in turn, will receive €440,920. The Cabildo will also allocate €4.5 million to the Lanzarote External Promotion Society (SPEL)-Tourism Lanzarote, to continue boosting the island's main economic activity.
The surplus also includes €400,000 for the Insular Craft Fair, €2.5 million for agriculture and livestock projects, and €200,000 in subsidies for entities and associations in the fishing sector. The Vice President and Councillor for Finance and Contracting, María Jesús Tovar, has stated that these allocations will allow for actions "in important and demanded areas where greater investment effort is needed."
The governing group, made up of the Canary Coalition, the Popular Party, and the councillor from the Mixed Group Armando Santana, has defended the proposal as a reflection of the responsible management of public resources. The extraordinary plenary session this Thursday will decide whether the €53.48 million becomes a reality for the residents of Lanzarote and La Graciosa.
You may also like
