This Thursday, April 4, the Vila Nova de Famalicão municipal executive will discuss the 2023 Management Report and Accounts, a document that reflects the
"balanced management" that has guided the actions of the municipal council, but also the
"robust financial health" of the municipality led by Mário Passos, which last year recorded the highest level of financial autonomy (86.7%) of the last 10 years and a reduction in debt.
The mayor believes that Vila Nova de Famalicão "experienced a year of great development and dynamism in 2023, confirming what was planned by the municipal executive when drawing up the Activities Plan and Budget".
Analysing the municipality's economic and financial situation in 2023, it is important to highlight the strong control of debt. In addition to the drop in the amount of debt, the Famalicense municipality used only 16.5 per cent of its absolute margin of indebtedness.
Also noteworthy are the budget execution rates in terms of revenue collected (103. 4%) - with emphasis on the increase in tax revenue from the Municipal Surtax and IMT, as a sign of the strength and economic vitality of the municipality - but also in terms of expenditure paid out (81.2%) - with emphasis on the increase in personnel expenditure, mainly as a result of the pay rises for local government workers and the more than 18 million euros in the acquisition of capital goods, which can be explained by the various investments made by the municipality in areas such as education, the environment, parishes, culture and the road network, among others.
In the document's introductory note, Mário Passos also listed some of the projects, measures and actions that marked the year 2023: the launch of two Public Offers for the acquisition of more than 300 properties and the "Viver Famalicão" Municipal Rental Support Programme; the inauguration of the new Bus Station and the strengthening of the public road transport offer in the municipality; the refurbishment of the Municipal Library; the significant advances in the refurbishment of several Family Health Units in the municipality; the start-up of the "Vai à Vila" markets; the inauguration of the new study rooms at the Bus Station; the historic investment in Education, in Scholarships for Higher Education and also in Sports; the start-up of the pilot project for the collection of bio-waste; the conclusion of the works for the valorisation of rivers and the completion of the water supply network in the municipality.
"At the same time as we have remained focused on the commitments we have made to all Famalicenses - especially with regard to their well-being and quality of life - we have also been able to guarantee the realisation and consolidation of a series of projects, measures and structural actions for the growth of our municipality." explains the mayor, who also takes the opportunity to highlight the deficit of around 4 million recorded by the municipality in the area of the Environment, explained by the council's decision not to reflect the increases charged to the municipality by the water and waste service providers in their bills.
Looking at the municipality's Strategic Agendas, the "Eco-Friendly Famalicão" agenda received the most investment - close to 40 million - representing 36% of the total expenditure. This was followed by the "Qualified Famalicão" agenda with 30 million invested (27 per cent), "Participative Famalicão" with 22.5 million (20 per cent), "Integrating Famalicão" with 13 million invested (12 per cent) and "Dynamic Famalicão" with almost 4 million (4 per cent).
"2023 confirmed what we've been reaffirming: we're on the right track and it's Famalicão and the people of Famalicão who stand to gain the most from this," concluded Mário Passos.