‘Mojacar Contigo’ coronavirus recovery plan for popular holiday destination on Spain’s Costa Almeria

MOJACAR council has drawn up an economic and social aid plan aimed at assisting the municipality’s recovery from the impact of the coronavirus lockdown and helping those hardest hit by the crisis.
Dubbed ‘Mojacar Contigo’, the local authority plan features 11 economic measures. These include financing of up to €1,000 for establishments forced to cease trading and which meet the set criteria. The council is also ensuring prompt payment to any suppliers, guaranteeing an average period of 12 days.
Working alongside the Almeria Chamber of Commerce, the council is also arranging advice, business training and the launch of a virtual platform to encourage and support local businesses through online publications.
As announced by the Finance councillor Francisco Garcia Cerda in March, the local authority is not collecting public business occupation taxes, nor the weekly market fees or those for the use of public spaces trading.
Municipal keep clear sign taxes for this year will not be issued to hotels and restaurants and all taxes will be deferred during the health crisis. Likewise, subscriptions for the use of municipal facilities will not be collected during the state of alarm and any proportional parts already paid will be refunded.
Finally, the council will request that the Levante Almeriense Consortium does not issue the refuse collection bills for the second quarter to establishments forced to close, as well as a reduction at the end of the tourist season.
As part of the social plan, the council has made a financial contribution to the Spanish Red Cross food bank, with a collaboration agreement between them to cover the essential food and hygiene needs of any vulnerable families. The local administration is also providing financial aid for essential household items for those in need through increasing the Social Services budget, as well as coordinating donations of basic necessities from some of the food stores.
For the next school academic year, the council has created scholarships for books and other items for children up to 16 years old, with subsidies also for municipal sports and music school fees. Children born between March 14 and December 31 this year, whose parents are unemployed, will receive a range of basic baby products from the council. A telephone hotline will also be set up for issues relating to Social Services from Monday to Friday from 9am to 2pm.
There is also a special section in the plan dedicated to tourism and beach areas, with a focus on promotion, as well as the reinforcement of hygienic-sanitary measures. There will be increased cleaning and disinfection of toilet modules, first-aid areas and showers, along with the installation of hydroalcoholic gel dispensers in toilet blocks.
The Local Police will be reinforced to ensure compliance with rules and social distancing on the beaches, with new information posters on the regulations for beaches and communal areas.
Hygienic-sanitary measures will also be stepped up on the municipality’s public bus service, with face masks being dispensed and hydro-alcoholic gel dispensers installed.
The council has been carrying out an intense cleaning and disinfection campaign on all roads, public spaces and areas of high public usage since the state of alarm came into force. This will intensify throughout the summer season, reinforcing the use of ozone treatments.