La Linea reduces costs by 70% compared to previous government

Gemma Araujo

LA LINEA (Agencies) Mayor Gemma Araujo announced at a press conference yesterday that her (PSOE) had managed to cut down the costs of running the Council by 70% over the present year. As an example, she said her team of ten Councillors would cost €220,000, compared to the previous (PP) government's €750,000 for fifteen fully 'liberated' (paid salaries for full time work as councillors) department heads. Hers would have only two full time members. Her own salary (€53,000 gross per year), she said, was well below that recommended by the Federation of Municipalities (€64,000). The previous Mayor, Alejandro Sanchez, was paid €71,000. Araujo added that her Council is dived into three areas, to make it more manageable: Gestión Urbanística e Infraestructuras (Urban Management & Infrastructure, under Francisco Espada), Economía y Hacienda (Finance & Treasury, under Javier Marín) and Gestión Social y Ciudadana (Social & Citizen Management, under Asunción Barranco).