Marbella registers over 150,000 residents on its ‘padrón’

Marbella town hall has announced that its register of residents or ‘padrón’ has over 150,000 inhabitants, although the data will not become official until the National Institute of Statistics (INE) ratifies the census at the end of March, according to Deputy Mayor and town hall spokesperson, Felix Romero. "We can be almost certain that, at last, Marbella is going to surpass a threshold which is very symbolic but which also brings economic benefits,” he stressed.

The councillor went on to explain that the figures “mean an increase of seven percent in the State Revenue Participation (PIE) and regional funds (PATRICA).” In other words the town will receive more money for projects from both the national coffers and the Junta de Andalucía. In addition, Marbella will join the club of Spanish towns with more than 150,000 inhabitants.

Romero explained that the current census shows 147,958 registered inhabitants. However, as of Monday 28 February that number had gone up to 158,188 people. "This is not the definitive figure," Romero stressed, indicating that the data will have to be checked between now and the end of the month, but he believes that the final numbers will be “around 155,000 or 156,000 inhabitants." However, he went on to say that it is the INE, not the town hall, which has the final say.

Romero pointed out that Marbella would “continue to be the only town with this number of inhabitants without a railway connection," but that it will also bring "a whole series of opportunities” and “moral legitimacy” when asking for additional infrastructure and investment.

Romero also recognised that the data “does not reflect the total reality of this town since we all know that in Marbella there is a huge floating population" and "the data on water consumption and waste generation speak of more than 200,000 inhabitants” with peaks "that reach double this amount.”

As for the procedure for updating the population census, Romero explained that "at the beginning of each year, in January, all the data the census information for the following year is collected." As a result of this, the INE will make a proposal to each of the town councils on around 20 March. There is then a period of time for observations and comments during which time the council “can contribute data again." Each town’s census is normally confirmed at the beginning of April, according to the National Statistics Institute, Romero added.