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Alhama has decided! These are the new social projects that locals have voted to spend taxpayer money on this year...
Less than 4% of the electorate turned out to vote in the direct democracy scheme
In a recent public voting process, the Town Hall of Alhama de Murcia allowed residents of the municipality to have their say on how the town's money gets spent and what social services to promote for 2026-27.
In total, €466,200 were divvied up among dozens of possible projects in a scheme that allowed online and in-person voting on issues that affect real local people's lives on a daily basis.
The winning proposals include open-air cinema events on summer evenings, drinking fountains to be placed in all the town's green areas and improving accessibility for wheelchair users, among many other worthy things.
The Mayor of Alhama de Murcia, Rosa Sánchez, and the Councillor for Citizen Participation, Antonio José Caja (pictured, above), announced the results, based on a total of 820 valid votes cast.
That means that of the total possible electorate in Alhama municipality – 21,064 people – a mere 3.94% voted. Given that this is an open initiative which is available every year to allow people to have their say on how money gets spent in their favour, the turnout is sadly low.
This kind of participatory initiative provides the opportunity for real people to have their voices heard when it comes to decision-making at the local, devolved government level, and is a perfect example of direct democracy in action – but it needs more people to participate in order to be truly representative.
If you live in Alhama and you want to see certain specific changes made in your local area, then be sure to keep an eye out for the participatory budget voting process when it starts again around this time next year!
The results were as follows:
- 439 votes: Shade, safety and accessibility at nursery and primary schools (€80,000)
- 345 votes: Comprehensive psychological support programme for secondary schools in Alhama de Murcia (€20,000)
- 241 votes: Open-air cinema in squares and parks during the summer months (€10,000)
- 176 votes: Drinking fountains in all parks and gardens (€60,000)
- 173 votes: Improving the quality of life for women with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue in the municipality of Alhama de Murcia through group, individual and specialised care with the support of a neuropsychology professional (€15,000)
- 163 votes: Improving accessibility by lowering kerbs and removing architectural barriers across the municipality, including kerb cuts on Calle Colón (€80,000)
- 153 votes: Comprehensive refurbishment of the El Praico Sports Centre (€32,000)
- 139 votes: Multi-activity Mountain Centre for Youth, Sport and Training in Alhama de Murcia (€50,000)
- 124 votes: Programme of activities for older people in the districts (€15,000)
- 91 votes: Campaign to promote traditional activities in the districts (€5,000)
- 89 votes: Paving the area around the community centre, health centre and school in La Costera (€12,000)
- 87 votes: Signposting the neighbourhoods or urban centres within the district (€2,200)
- 87 votes: Classes for older people in painting, music, patchwork, etc. (€10,000)
- 78 votes: Completion and extension of the ‘Paseo de los Ventorrillos’ (La Costera) to Las Cabilas (€70,000)
- 71 votes: Programmes for emotional wellbeing and active ageing (€5,000)
For more local information, including news and forthcoming events, visit the home page of Alhama Today
Image: Ayuntamiento de Alhama de Murcia
