Costa del Sol town hall approves average 25% pay rise for councillors

The coalition group in power in Vélez-Málaga on the eastern stretch of the Costa del Sol, made up of the Partido Popular (PP) and the Independent Torre del Mar group (GIPMTM), has used its absolute majority to approve a general increase in the salaries the mayor, deputy mayor and councillors, averaging around a 25 per cent rise.

According to the document which was made public after the council meeting on Monday 23 September and to which SUR has had access, the rise, which was approved as a matter of urgency, means that the total remuneration of the 25 councillors goes from 694,933.06 euros per year to 866,600.

Mayor of Vélez-Málaga, Jesús Lupiáñez (PP), will see his salary rise by 17 per cent to 78,000 euros gross per year; the first deputy mayor, Jesús Atencia (GIPMTM), by 12 per cent to 75,000 euros; the salaries of eleven councillors will increase by a further 30 per cent to 57,000 euros gross per year. The opposition councillors (PSOE and Andalucía por Sí), will also see their salaries increase by 12 per cent to 49,000 euros gross per year.

The mayor defended the fact that these increases “are included in the approved budget”. The councillor for finance said that councillors’ salaries have not increased since 2019. “What we are doing is a small equalisation like other municipalities in the area, such as Estepona, Fuengirola or Malaga city,” he said.

The rise has been rejected by opposition parties Andalucía por Sí, PSOE and Vox with the abstention of the independent councillor, Elías García. Furthermore, Francisco Delgado, who was the PP mayor between 2007 and 2008 and from 2011 to 2015, has been very critical of this salary increase. In a message posted on his social media he has asked his party colleagues to rectify the situation: “My party, the one I led, has always defended the same ideas and principles; and acted responsibly in difficult times, even giving up our extra pay to help others. Our voters and supporters do not deserve this. To rectify is wise.”

The last mayor, the socialist Antonio Moreno Ferrer, who held the post between 2015 and 2023, has backed the salary increase. In a message on his social media he said: “I am aware of the barrage of criticism I will receive, but I have to be consistent and, of course, with what I have always defended. Vélez is a big town and, as such, we must consider all its structures, including our representatives and councillors. Therefore, we must aspire to be on a par with similar towns in terms of services and why not in terms of our councillors' allowances. Enough of complexes and hypocrisy and let us work along these lines. Let none of them be ashamed and let them live up to our demands.”

Councillors also addressed the mandatory introduction of a municipal rubbish tax in Vélez-Málaga as of 1 January 2025. The town hall estimates that some 3.75 million euros will be raised through the tax. However, the details have not been confirmed and the bylaw has not been passed yet.