Charlie Smith
ONE Costa del Sol neighbourhood has given a whole new meaning to the ‘public purse’ by allowing its residents to choose how money is spent.
Residents of Rincon de la Victoria, east of Malaga, have been entrusted with almost €900,000 of council cash.
The ‘Transforma Rincon 2019’ campaign allowed locals to put forward their ideas about how the municipality should be managed.
From September 4 to October 31 almost 300 proposals were submitted, but a shortlist will now be whittled down to just seven.
A total of 15 ideas separated into five blocks, have been selected by a panel for consideration.
Rincon residents’ proposals were as varied as tech workshops for the elderly (€5,000) to work on the Carretera de Benagalbon road (€300,000).
Other ideas included, a ‘children’s parks plan’ (€300,000), extensions to footpaths (€40,000) and a ‘green’ plan urban and rural reforestation project (€15,000).
A children’s history workshop (€2,500), a social project for the young and old (€2,800) and the enhancement of several areas, including Harmonia in Torre de Benagalbon (€100,000) were among other ideas.
A ‘mobility plan’ and improved cleaning and refuse collection are also on the Town Hall agenda, despite not being among the most popular.
Rincon’s PP Mayor Francisco Salado, said the scheme aimed to ‘improve and help the development of the municipality’.
