Murcia distributes 18 million among 41 city councils for municipal works

The Governing Council of the Region of Murcia has given the green light to Decree 161/2026, of September 3, which regulates the direct granting of subsidies to the 41 Murcian city councils with fewer than 50,000 inhabitants, for the execution of the works included in the Cooperation Plan for Works and Services of Municipal Competence for the 2026-2027 annual periods (POS 2026-2027). The provision, signed by President Fernando López Miras and the Councilor for Presidency, Youth, Foreign Action and Emergencies, Marcos Ortuño Soto, appears published in the BORM number 208, of September 9, 2026, pages 20615 to 20631.

A key plan for inter-municipal balance

Competence in matters of local administration corresponds to the Councilorship of Presidency, Youth, Foreign Action and Emergencies, which assumes the functions that state legislation attributes to Provincial Councils, given the single-province nature of the Region of Murcia. The plan is configured as a fundamental instrument of economic cooperation to guarantee solidarity and inter-municipal balance, reducing deficits in local infrastructure and equipment detected through the Survey of Local Infrastructure and Equipment (EIEL).

The Governing Council approved the provincial plan on September 3, 2026, with a territorialized distribution of funds according to the criteria set by the Regional Council for Local Cooperation in its session of February 27, 2024. All programmed actions have been carried out at the request of the beneficiary city councils themselves, which justifies the exception of public competition and the direct granting of the subsidies.

Amounts and distribution by annual periods

The Base Plan contemplates a total amount of €20,556,128.52, corresponding to 77 actions across the 41 municipalities, financed as follows:

• Autonomous Community of the Region of Murcia (CARM): €17,998,149.32
• City Councils: €2,557,979.20

The regional contribution is divided into two annual periods: €9,000,000 in 2026 and €8,998,149.32 in 2027. Among the municipalities with the highest allocation, Jumilla (€935,995), Caravaca de la Cruz (€892,243), Yecla (€869,186.36), and Cieza (€765,495) stand out.

Additionally, a Complementary Plan is foreseen for an amount of €2,667,923.07, corresponding to 27 actions, the financing of which is subject to the surpluses generated by drops in awarding or by the non-execution of the programmed actions.

Obligations and execution deadlines

The beneficiary city councils must comply with a series of obligations, among which the following stand out:

• Carry out the actions listed in the annex of the decree within its municipal boundary.
• Submit the works project to the General Directorate of Local Administration for supervision prior to the award.
• Maintain the subsidized works sign from the start of the works until one year after the reception certificate.
• Dedicate the action to the granted purpose for a minimum period of 5 years.
• Update the EIEL database through the EIEL/MAP web application.

Regarding the deadlines, the actions of the Base Plan must be awarded by May 31, 2027, and executed by September 30, 2028. Remaining funds may be requested until July 15, 2027, to finance actions of the Complementary Plan, whose works must be awarded before October 31, 2027.

Impact on the rural area

This decree represents a decisive boost for the financing of infrastructures and services under municipal jurisdiction in the Murcian rural area, where the municipalities with the lowest economic and management capacity are concentrated. The actions range from the renovation of pavements and public lighting to the improvement of sports facilities, schools, cemeteries, and supply networks, contributing to the comprehensive and adequate provision of public services throughout the regional territory.

Source: Official Gazette of the Region of Murcia, number 208, September 9, 2026, section I (Autonomous Community), pp. 20615-20631 (official reference: NPE A-090926-4314).