The City Council of Santander has announced its draft Municipal Budget for 2027, amounting to €284,779,974.39. This represents an increase of €19.7 million, or 7%, compared to the 2026 budget.
All government areas will see increases in their allocations. The document has been approved by the Local Government Board and subsequently presented to the spokespeople of municipal political groups and the Economy Commission, marking the beginning of the budget processing procedure. A period for submitting proposals is open until October 23.
Mayor Gema Igual, accompanied by the Councillor for Economy, Javier García, outlined the main figures of the draft budget, which allocates €239.3 million for the operation and provision of public services, excluding financial expenses, and includes investments totaling €72.5 million, which is €9.1 million more than in 2026.
This figure also includes investments from the Municipal Sports Institute and the Housing and Land Society. The draft has been prepared considering forecasts for income and expenses for the upcoming fiscal year, the evolution of municipal service costs, personnel obligations, existing contracts, and planned actions and investments for 2027.
Income and Expenditure Overview
The budget outlines expected income of €89.47 million from direct taxes, €13.87 million from indirect taxes, €49.14 million from fees and other revenues, €86.95 million from current transfers, €5.99 million from property income, €4.94 million from capital transfers, €615,846 from financial assets, and €33.60 million from financial liabilities.
Of the total resources, 51% or €144.9 million will come from local revenues, while state contributions will account for €90.1 million (32%), contributions from the Government of Cantabria will be €14.4 million (5%), and European Union funds will reach €1.4 million.
On the expenditure side, personnel costs will total €97.15 million, up 12%; current expenses for goods and services will reach €119.38 million, a 4% increase; current transfers will amount to €22.36 million, a 20% rise; and real investments will be €35.31 million, a 7% increase. Additionally, €3.43 million will be allocated for capital transfers.
Social Area Funding
The Social Area will have a budget of €12.9 million in 2027, an increase of €756,988 or 6% compared to 2026. This area includes Social Services, Elderly Care, Equality, Personal Autonomy, Health, Transparency, Immigration, and Development Cooperation, as well as allocations for Youth and Education.
The largest allocation within this area is for Social Services, which will receive €10.1 million, a 9% increase. More than €5.5 million will be dedicated to home assistance services, teleassistance, and meal delivery, along with municipal programs aimed at families, minors, reconciliation, and addressing vulnerability.
The budget also includes funds for urgent aid, programs addressing domestic and gender violence, and collaboration with social and health entities in the city.
Citizen Attention and Sustainable Development
The Citizen Attention Area will reach €107.9 million, an increase of €9.1 million or 9% compared to 2026. This includes resources for Human Resources and Quality, Technical Services, Neighborhoods, Citizen Participation, and General Services, among others.
The Sustainable Development Area will receive the largest budget allocation, totaling €116 million, an increase of €7.7 million or 7%. This includes €53.2 million for Environmental Services, €33.8 million for Urban Transport, and €27.7 million for Promotion, Sustainable Mobility, and Housing.
Economic Area and Sports Budget
The Economic Area will have a budget of €47.96 million, up €2.13 million or 5%. Within this area, Culture will receive €7.19 million, a 75% increase; Innovation will have €6.8 million, a 10% increase; and Employment, Entrepreneurship, and Business Development will receive €7.15 million for various municipal programs.
The Municipal Sports Institute's budget will amount to €14.4 million, a 7% increase from 2026, covering both operational costs and planned investments.
Next Steps in Budget Approval
The draft Municipal Budget for 2027 has been approved by the Local Government Board and presented to the Spokespersons' Board and the Economy Commission, initiating the amendment formulation period. The deadline for submitting amendments is October 23 at 10:00 AM, followed by an urgent Economy Commission meeting on October 26 for analysis.
Subsequently, a plenary session will be held for the initial approval of the 2027 Municipal Budget. The agreement will then be published in the Official Gazette of Cantabria, opening a 15-day period for submitting objections. If no objections are raised, the budget will be considered definitively approved. If objections are made, a new Economy Commission will be convened to analyze them, followed by another plenary session for final approval. This process aims to ensure that the 2027 Municipal Budget can come into effect on January 1.
