The mayor of Antequera, Manolo Barón, appeared this Wednesday to explain that the prepaid card program has €199,466 and that management depends on the Junta de Andalucía, not the City Council. He asks families to wait to be assessed by Social Services.
The mayor of Antequera, Manolo Barón, appeared this Wednesday near the Social Services Centre to clarify the functioning of the prepaid card program, funded by the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+). He did this after the PSOE disseminated information that, according to the mayor, has generated false expectations among families.
Barón confirmed that Antequera has an allocation of €199,466 for this program, aimed at supporting families in vulnerable situations and combating child poverty. However, he specified that these funds are not directly deposited into the City Council, but rather the economic management corresponds to the Junta de Andalucía, in coordination with Community Social Services and collaborating entities.
The cards will allow the purchase of food and other essential products, such as personal hygiene items, cleaning products, or baby diapers. The monthly amounts range between €130 and €220, depending on the number of members in each family unit.
The mayor emphasized that it is not possible to determine a precise number of beneficiaries in advance, as it will depend on the composition of each family and those who are ultimately assessed and referred during the program's development.
Barón has asked families not to generally go to the Social Services Centre solely to request these cards. It will be the municipal professionals themselves who assess the situations eligible for the program and make the corresponding referrals.
The program already has regional regulation, published in the BOJA on June 30, and its implementation requires assessment procedures and coordination between the Junta de Andalucía, Community Social Services, and collaborating entities. During 2024, it was managed temporarily by the Ministry of Social Rights through the Spanish Red Cross, subsequently transferring to the autonomous communities.
In this context, the mayor lamented that the information disseminated by the PSOE has caused a significant influx of inquiries and generated expectations among numerous families, adding unnecessary pressure on Social Services, which continue to develop the rest of the municipal and regional programs, especially during a summer period when human resources are affected by staff holidays.
“We must be rigorous and not politically exploit vulnerable families or create confusion with incorrect data, amounts, or dates,” stated Manolo Barón.
The mayor highlighted the professionalism and responsiveness of the Municipal Social Services workers, who continue to meet the needs of residents normally.
Corresponsables Plan: full execution
In the same appearance, Barón responded to the PSOE's criticisms regarding the execution of the Corresponsables Plan, aimed at facilitating family and work-life balance. The City Council received a grant from the Junta de Andalucía amounting to €90,068, which allowed the development of various initiatives in Antequera, Cartaojal, and Bobadilla, including summer schools, Holy Week, and Semana Blanca.
The service was awarded to the company Planiestudio Formación y Servicio for €82,250, following the corresponding public procurement procedure. Barón emphasized that the program was executed in full and successfully, benefiting over 300 minors and facilitating the balance for numerous families.
The mayor rejected the notion that the reimbursement of the unused amount could be interpreted as poor execution. “On the contrary: we managed to develop the entire program for an amount lower than initially available thanks to the outcome of the bidding,” he pointed out, reminding that when a subsidized action ends with a cost lower than granted, the benefiting administration must reimburse the difference.
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