CAPAU Social Services Leaves €270K Unspent in 2024 Amid Budget Shortfalls

Nearly €270,000 allocated to social services at the CAPAU consortium in La Seu d'Urgell went unspent in 2024, representing about 15% of its total budget.

The Consorci per l'Atenció a les Persones de l'Alt Urgell (CAPAU) had budgeted €1,792,096.61 for the year, but executed only €1,522,136.64, leaving €269,959.97 unused, according to its closed accounts. The shortfall was most pronounced in the chapter for contracting services, implementing programmes, and covering day-to-day operations. Of €281,358.03 set aside, just €163,924.85 was spent, with €117,433.18—over 41%—remaining unallocated.

Personnel expenses also saw under-execution. From €1,292,933.98 budgeted, €97,276.01 went unused, suggesting unfilled positions or incomplete service rollouts.

The issue surfaced during the latest La Seu d'Urgell town council plenary, where Junts per la Seu presented a motion echoing complaints from the Alt Urgell county council about underfunding from the Catalan government. The proposal urged Barcelona to activate a new Social Services Programme Contract, aligning with a joint statement from local entities in the Alt Pirineu weeks earlier.

However, professionals in the social services sector question whether the root cause is genuinely insufficient funding or rather misplaced priorities in budget allocation. They highlight the 2022-2025 management function, costing €242,506.28 overall—or roughly €60,600 gross annually. Critics contrast this with the estimated €1,900 monthly salary for an EAIA psychologist, who may handle up to 187 cases, arguing that the challenge lies in distribution criteria rather than a lack of funds.