In Ripoll, Girona, opposition parties have blocked a long-term credit operation worth €705,525, stopping the town council from funding a package of planned investments for this financial year.
The vote went against the government team of six councillors from Aliança Catalana, led by mayor Sílvia Orriols, and independent councillor Joaquim Colomer, who had also backed the budget. Junts, ERC, PSC and CUP voted no. Local reports said those groups did not explain their votes.
Orriols called the decision an “act of political irresponsibility”. She said the opposition was not building a cordon sanitaire against Aliança Catalana, but against all Ripoll residents. She also told the opposition councillors, except Som-hi Ripoll, to go to the “thinking corner”.
The money was mainly set aside for municipal works. More than €217,000 was planned for the Municipal Pavilion roof, which has had leaks for years and has affected sports activity. That amount was in addition to grants already awarded for the project.
Other planned spending included €100,000 to resurface damaged streets, €60,000 to repair the Ragull promenade fountain and access to the River Ter riverbed, and another €60,000 for improvements to other sports facilities. The plan also included more than €50,000 for municipal IT upgrades, €48,000 for a planning study of the Can Franquesa industrial estate, and €55,000 for expropriations, including one linked to removing the level crossing on the Ragull promenade.
The credit operation was due to be taken from the best offer, which came from BBVA, with quarterly repayments over 12 years. Colomer, who had criticised Orriols earlier in the week over her absence during a rain episode in Ripoll while she was at the Patum de Berga festival, defended his vote in favour. He also said he had warned her two years ago that she would need to take on debt to carry out her policies.
Orriols said she remains reluctant to borrow, but argued that the loans her government asks for are smaller than the repayments on loans taken out by previous administrations. The blocked operation means the planned investments will not go ahead as intended, leaving the council to look for other funding or change its investment plan.
