Sant Julià de Lòria Approves €24M 2026 Budget with 18% Spending Surge

Sant Julià de Lòria parish council has approved its 2026 budget of €24.08 million, featuring a 17.83% spending increase driven by personnel costs and major infrastructure projects, including €1 million for the ongoing refurbishment of the Centre Cultural Lauredià.

The opposition abstained, with leader Josep Majoral calling the plan a "mere formality" lacking clear vision and fiscal restraint. He warned of an impending revenue drop from construction limits within two years and criticised missing initiatives for commerce, public transport, climate mitigation and a central car park. Majority leader Cerni Cairat defended the "ambitious" allocations as essential for public services and development, projecting controlled debt at 74% by term's end. Investments cover water network upgrades (€1 million), road improvements like the Rabassa curve (€600,000), elderly housing, the Prat del Senzill park, former CATSA building acquisition for higher education and a new waste facility tender in early 2026.

The budget earmarks €15.35 million for current spending (up 7.42%) and €7.36 million for capital works (up 62.93%), with personnel rising to €7.04 million (up 7.11%) to address shortages in circulation, cleaning and water services through IPC adjustments and new hires.

Cairat reiterated details on the €14 million Centre Cultural project during the session, noting insurers will fund over 50% or about €7 million. Fire and smoke damage in the dressing rooms prompted a full modernisation beyond repairs. "We had to invest so it lasts another 30, 40 or 50 years," he said. Works target completion by late spring 2026, with reinauguration likely in late April or early May. Planners report incoming bookings, fuelling optimism. An extended launch programme of exhibitions and performances will highlight its versatility for conferences, concerts and theatre, including a new outdoor stage alongside the two existing auditoriums.

Personnel measures include salary hikes for traffic agents—from €1,600 to €1,800 gross for auxiliaries—to stem losses from 29 to 20 staff over four years, plus new internal regulations for shifts and retention. The session also approved a €1 meal price rise at Llar de Lòria to €7.80, tied to hiring a cook and dietitian for higher-quality, home-cooked meals amid prior catering shortfalls. The minority supported it but voiced concerns for vulnerable seniors.