The Social Welfare councillor, Alberto Arana, asserts that the €90,000 reduction in home help is due to technical criteria and not a cut, and highlights that investment in dependency has doubled in six years.
The Antequera City Council, governed by the PP, has responded to criticisms from the PSOE regarding an alleged cut in home help services. The Social Welfare councillor, Alberto Arana, has appeared to defend the municipal management and assure that the reduction of a €90,000 budget item is due to technical criteria, not a decrease in care. "The work of municipal technicians cannot be called into question nor should alarm be generated without basis," he stated.
A budget item that is reduced, but care increases
According to Arana, the budget adjustment is due, among other reasons, to the incompatibility between the municipal home help service and the dependency benefits from the Junta de Andalucía. He also pointed out that the resolutions granting more hours of care to users have increased, which necessitates a reorganisation of resources. "Care has not been cut; the service has been optimised," the councillor insisted.
The councillor provided data to support his position: investment in dependency has risen from €3 million six years ago to over €6.5 million today. The number of people served has grown from 750 to over 1,400, and the staff of the home help service has increased from 180 to over 300 workers. "Never before have so many people been served, with such intensity and with so many resources as now," he emphasised.
The PSOE criticises, the PP responds with data
The socialist spokesperson, José Luis Ruiz Espejo, had denounced a cut in home help, prompting a reaction from the governing team. Arana accused the PSOE of "questioning the work of municipal technicians" and generating "alarm without basis." He also highlighted that the hours of care assigned to each level of dependency have increased and that the price per hour of the service has risen from €13 to €17.46, which, in his view, improves working conditions and the quality of care.
The councillor wanted to make it clear that decisions are made based on professional reports and current regulations. "We ask the PSOE to base their criticisms on objective data and not on statements that distort reality," he concluded.
How does this affect the residents of Antequera?
For users of the municipal dependency service, the controversy may generate confusion. The truth is that, according to data from the City Council, care has not only not been reduced, but has improved in coverage and intensity. Residents who need home help can request information from municipal social services, where each case is evaluated individually. However, those already receiving benefits from the Junta de Andalucía should consider that the municipal service may be incompatible, so it is advisable to consult with technicians before processing any request.
In any case, the political debate should not overshadow the essentials: that the dependency system in Antequera serves more people than ever, with more resources and more professionals. And that, for the resident who needs help, is what really matters.
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