Puente Viesgo approves the social emergency aid ordinance

The Puente Viesgo City Council has definitively approved the Ordinance regulating Social Emergency Economic Benefits, an instrument intended to urgently assist vulnerable families in the municipality. The regulation, signed by Mayor Óscar Villegas Vega on September 2, 2026, is published in the Official Gazette of Cantabria number 172, dated September 7, 2026, in the General Provisions section (reference CVE-2026-7011).

The initial approval agreement was adopted in the session of June 26, 2026 and, as no claims were filed, it is considered definitive in application of Article 49 of Law 7/1985, of April 2, regulating the Bases of the Local Regime. The full text is made public for general knowledge in accordance with Article 70.2 of the same law.

Regulatory framework and financing

The ordinance is based on the municipal competence regarding social services and social reintegration recognized by Law 7/1985, as well as Law 2/2007, of March 27, on Rights and Social Services of Cantabria. Its financing is linked to the Extraordinary Basic Supplies Fund created by the Government of Cantabria, managed through ICASS, and the framework collaboration agreement signed between the regional Government, the Federation of Municipalities of Cantabria, and the supply marketing companies.

The grants are conceived as single-payment benefits of an extraordinary nature and urgent processing, with no specific application deadline, and may be requested at any time of the year. The maximum amount per household unit is four times the monthly IPREM per year, set at 600 euros per month for 2026 (extending that of 2025).

Covered expenses and requirements

The benefits are intended to cover basic needs arising from an emergency:

• Basic products: food, clothing and footwear, diapers, domestic and personal hygiene, and baby care items.
• Housing: payment of rent, security deposit or mortgage installment, accommodation in guesthouses, and basic home equipment.
• Supplies: debts for electricity, gas, water, sewerage, and waste collection.
• Education: school materials and dining, transport, and extracurricular activities for minors at risk of lack of protection.
• Transport: for socio-labor insertion and for women victims of gender-based violence in therapeutic or judicial assistance.

Expenses such as telephony and internet, personal loans, debts with Social Security, fines, and mortgage debts—except for the primary residence—are excluded. To access the grants, requirements include, among others, being of legal age, being registered on the census and effectively residing in the municipality during the previous three months, and not having sufficient income to address the emergency.

Processing and control

The application is submitted to the Municipal Registry, and the processing is handled by the professionals of the Primary Care Social Services (SSAP), who issue the social report and the intervention plan. The resolution is the responsibility of the Mayor’s Office and must be issued within a maximum period of two months. Payment is made to the beneficiary’s account, either as a single lump sum or split over up to three months, and the justification of expenses must be presented within one month of payment.

The suspension of the benefit may not exceed six months, and failure to provide justification or the misuse of funds entails the total or partial reimbursement of the aid. An administrative appeal may be filed against the agreement before the Administrative Chamber of the High Court of Justice of Cantabria within a period of two months.

The entry into force of this ordinance provides Puente Viesgo with a stable and transparent framework to channel the resources of the Extraordinary Basic Supplies Fund, ensuring that aid reaches those who need it most with agility and avoiding dependence on social benefits. For families in the municipality in situations of vulnerability, it represents an immediate protection network against unforeseen events that threaten their habitability and basic well-being.

Source: Official Gazette of Cantabria, no. 172, September 7, 2026, section 1. General Provisions, pág. 43432-43447 (official reference: CVE-2026-7011).