The Cabrillanes Town Council, in the Leonese Mountains, has decided to change the way it provides urban cleaning services and will directly assume garbage collection starting in MayWith this change of model, the council wants to guarantee that the service continues to be provided normally without residents having to face a rate increase.
The move comes after several failed attempts to hire a external company for a waste collection contract and to verify that Outsourcing significantly increased the cost of the serviceGiven the lack of viable offers and the risk of a significant increase in municipal taxes, all political groups in the municipality have closed ranks around the municipalization of waste collection.
Why is Cabrillanes municipalizing garbage collection?
As the city council explained, The public tender process for contracting garbage collection was unsuccessfulNo company submitted a proposal that would allow the service to be maintained under reasonable conditions without passing the additional cost on to the public.
This scenario has highlighted the difficulty in finding a private offer that did not involve a significant tax increase to the residents of Cabrillanes. Economic studies carried out by the City Council confirmed that outsourcing would significantly increase municipal spending, forcing an increase in garbage collection fees to balance the books.
To avoid that situation, the governing team, led by the Union of the Leonese People (UPL), proposed to move to a direct management model for the urban solid waste serviceThe municipal opposition joined the initiative, so the decision has the support of all groups present in the Plenary.
The City Council emphasizes that it is not just a matter of numbers, but also of to ensure the continuity of a basic service in a rural municipalityKeeping both costs and internal organization under control is considered key to ensuring that garbage collection is not compromised in the future.
Main objective: to contain rates and ensure a sustainable service
One of the messages that the council emphasizes most is that Garbage collection rates will remain unchanged.Municipalization is thus presented as a way to protect the economy of the families in the municipality, preventing the change of model from becoming an additional burden on the bill.
By opting for direct management, the City Council is placing its trust in to better adjust available resources and more closely control spendingThe local administration will be responsible for route planning, vehicle maintenance, and staff organization, which, they argue, will allow for more refined management adapted to the reality of Cabrillanes, as well as facilitating initiatives for transform waste into resources.
Furthermore, the municipal government emphasizes that this step responds to a vision of economic sustainability and good management of public resourcesThe idea is for the service to be viable in the long term without depending on the ups and downs of future tenders or possible price increases by private companies.
In a context where many small municipalities face difficulties in maintaining basic services, Cabrillanes is opting for a formula in which the Direct control over waste collection becomes a tool to gain room for maneuver and budgetary stability.
Local job creation and commitment to the rural environment
Another aspect that the Cabrillanes Town Council wants to highlight is the impact of the measure on the municipality's job market. The implementation of the new waste collection service using its own resources. will entail the creation of at least one job directly linked to this service.
This new job adds to the objective of to strengthen the council's commitment to the development of the rural environmentwhere each stable job plays a significant role in retaining the population. Municipal waste management thus also presents an opportunity to generate economic activity linked to local public services.
The government team emphasizes that The jobs created are linked to a basic and continuous service over timeThis offers greater stability than other, more ad hoc initiatives. The aim is a model in which municipal spending directly benefits the community, both in the form of services and local employment.
In rural Spain, where many municipalities rely on external contractors for most services, The decision to manage waste collection internally is interpreted as a gesture of autonomy and rootedness. in the territory.
Material resources and start-up schedule
In order to be able to provide the service with guarantees, the City Council has already taken a key step: the acquisition of the vehicle intended for waste collectionThe new garbage truck will be the centerpiece of the municipal plan that will be launched in the coming weeks.
With the vehicle now added to the municipal inventory, the council is now working on finalize the necessary technical and organizational details for the launch of the new system. These aspects include the final route planning, the coordination of schedules, and the definition of the tasks of the personnel in charge.
The forecast that the City Council is working with is that The garbage collection service, managed directly by the municipality, will begin operating during the month of May.Until then, the final details will be ironed out to ensure the transition has the least possible impact on residents.
Municipal sources insist that the priority is that the implementation of the new model should be virtually transparent to the public.so that there are no interruptions or problems in waste collection during the changeover.
A decision based on political consensus and responsible management.
The municipalization of garbage collection in Cabrillanes has been promoted by the governing team of the Union of the Leonese People, but It has achieved broad consensus by having the support of all political groups in the municipalityThis unusual harmony in local politics reinforces the legitimacy of the decision.
The city council emphasizes that the measure is the result of a responsible management of public resourcesThe plan prioritizes the well-being of residents and the economic stability of the City Council. Avoiding tax increases, maintaining an essential service, and generating employment are the three pillars used to justify the change in the model.
The Cabrillanes experience is part of a broader context, in which Increasingly, small municipalities in Spain and Europe are analyzing whether it is worthwhile for them to regain direct management of certain services when external tenders prove expensive or difficult to fill. In this specific case, the fact that the tender was unsuccessful has acted as a trigger; the discussion about the current waste management It remains central to the debate.
Looking ahead to the coming months, the local corporation will continue to closely monitor the situation. the operation of the new municipal service to assess possible adjustments to routes, frequencies or resources, always with a view to maintaining a balance between quality of service and financial sustainability.
With the implementation of direct waste collection management, Cabrillanes faces a stage in which service control, rate containment, and strengthening local employment These elements become the defining characteristics of their model. The success or failure of this approach will likely serve as a benchmark for other rural municipalities considering similar decisions.
