The Leganés City Council has automatically approved its 2026 budgets. The one-month deadline for the opposition to present an alternative motion of no confidence against the mayor, Miguel Ángel Recuenco, expired without such a motion being filed.
This situation arises after opposition groups (PSOE, Más Madrid, Podemos-IU AV, and VOX) refused to back the confidence vote proposed by the mayor on May 15th. This mechanism was used to unblock the approval of the municipal accounts.
The new budgets amount to 228.7 million euros and include significant investments aimed at strengthening the municipal staff, modernizing basic infrastructure, and advancing strategic projects for the city's development, such as the future Puerta de Madrid neighborhood.
Following the automatic approval, Mayor Recuenco criticized the opposition's stance, accusing them of delaying necessary projects and investments for the city. He stated that the opposition has caused the City Council and the residents of Leganés to lose a month.
The mayor lamented the lack of negotiation or facilitation from the opposing parties, forming a 'pincer movement' with the sole objective of 'blocking Leganés for partisan interests.' He asserted that the city will continue to progress with the new accounts.
A notable allocation is for investments, exceeding 40 million euros. The development of the new Puerta de Madrid neighborhood will receive five million euros. This urban development is projected to include nearly 4,000 homes, with approximately 2,400 designated as public housing.
The planned investments will also facilitate the acquisition of new instruments for the Manuel Rodríguez Sales Municipal Music School and the renewal of the urban waste collection fleet. The Juan Muñoz Social Services building will be renovated, resources for nursery schools will be improved, and the means for the Local Police, Civil Protection, and the Elderly Affairs Department will be reinforced.
The Public Works Department will manage nearly 27 million euros for urban infrastructure improvements. The budgets also include the rehabilitation of the Ermita de Polvoranca.
In sports, improvements will be made to the Europa Pavilion, the football fields at El Carrascal will be renovated, their lighting modernized, and spaces for the petanque club will be adapted. Padel courts at the Europa, Olimpia, and La Fortuna pavilions will also be renovated.
More than seven million euros will be allocated to Human Resources to continue expanding the municipal staff. As a new initiative, the Participatory Budgets will be reinstated with a specific allocation of 300,000 euros.
The Social Affairs area will see a budget increase of 400,000 euros for Home Help and Teleassistance services for the elderly. The new accounts also include the implementation of the Suicide Prevention Plan, the Social Inclusion Plan for the Roma population, food vouchers for local businesses, and an emergency center for the homeless.
Additionally, 250,000 euros will be invested in modernizing municipal IT systems, and nearly 100,000 euros for psychological counseling and sexually transmitted infection prevention programs. The Elderly Affairs Department will increase its budget by 230,000 euros for activities and services, plus another 100,000 euros for furniture and equipment renewal.
Finally, the budget for Festivals is increased to cover rising production costs, supplies, and subsidies for entities and groups participating in the municipality's festive programming.
