A Municipal Cooperation Fund was developed through consensus among three councils in the Valencian Community. Its application is voluntary and centers on helping the smallest municipalities deliver essential services to their residents, reinforcing a clear stance against depopulation. These guiding principles shape a new investment plan proposed by the current regional government, a coalition of the PP and Vox, aiming to complete a Botànic-inspired project led by Ximo Puig.
PP completes the Cooperation Fund strategy: unveils a paired plan with councils
This development was announced recently by Popular Party parliamentarian Eduardo Dolón during a session in the Valencian Courts. The debate touched on a proposal that sought to urge Alicante’s Provincial Council to allocate nearly one hundred million euros to its municipalities after years of hesitation to implement the Cooperation Fund. Insiders confirmed that the core of the new project is a law drafted by the councils themselves, intended to end a long-running administrative dispute between Puig’s Consell and Mazón’s Alicante Provincial Council.
critics
One major critique from the PP argued that the Cooperation Fund agreement had not been co-developed with the councils, a point used by the Alicante provincial authorities to justify non-participation. The aim now is to involve three council delegations directly in shaping the draft. It is also notable that Mazón highlights the expanded municipal influence the PP achieved in the last municipal elections held on March 28 as a strategic asset.
The three council presidents cited are Toni Pérez (Alicante), Vicente Mompó (Valencia), and Marta Barrachina (Castellón). Similarly, the mayors of Valencia’s four largest cities—Luis Barcala (Alicante), Pablo Ruz (Elche), María José Catalá (València), and Begoña Carrasco (Castellón)—mirror this leadership pattern. Mazón has kept the lines open with provincial presidents to begin drafting the new investment plan, with the PP presenting its municipal power alongside other agendas, including opposition to amnesty for Catalan independence figures and the creation of a united Valencia Community front in political forums.
Keys
A key point in the discourse is that the new Cooperation Fund will be based on voluntary participation. This stance is presented as a way to distance the plan from any imposition, a position the PP says Botànic would impose. Examples cited include Alicante’s participation in a fund to support the tourism sector, a decision the council viewed as a coordinated cross-administration effort. Conversely, supporters point to a Constitutional Court ruling that struck down Article 7 of the Botànic plan, arguing that the regional law did not share identical distribution criteria with the national fund.
With the councils agreeing to protect local autonomy and keep participation voluntary, the PP argues that the fund will prioritize small municipalities over Botànic’s approach. This mirrors Alicante Provincial Council’s recent alternative program, Plan + Nearby, which proponents say shows how smaller towns tend to benefit from distributed funding. The Mazón team notes that 139 of Alicante’s 141 municipalities benefited from the province’s model, with Alicante and Elche—the two largest cities—being the exceptions, underscoring the emphasis on smaller communities.
Socialists have criticized Mazón for the perceived cost of the Cooperation Fund for the province, arguing that participating municipalities would bear almost 100 million euros while the PP contends that the total investment has already reached 170 million.
PSPV condemns perceived double standards
The Valencia State Council has moved to guarantee the Municipal Cooperation Fund. A socialist-led motion was approved in an institution controlled by both the PP and Ens Uneix, a decision that drew fire from PSPV-PSOE. Ramón Abad of the Socialist group noted the apparent inconsistency: the Valencia State Council voted in favor of the fund, while Carlos Mazón rejected it in the Cortes, highlighting perceived contradictions within the PP’s positions.
The overall narrative emphasizes a shift toward granting greater say to local councils, a emphasis the PP frames as empowering municipalities and aligning funding with local needs. The alliance argues that provincial and regional coordination can be achieved without coercive measures, while critics worry about fiscal implications and political maneuvering in a context of long-standing regional tension.
In this evolving debate, the central question remains how the new Cooperation Fund will translate into tangible improvements for small towns, and whether voluntary participation will indeed yield faster, more equitable delivery of services across the Valencian Community. The outcome will likely influence ongoing discussions about regional governance, inter-administration collaboration, and the distribution of state funds within the autonomous community [citation].