The Barakaldo City Council awarded this Thursday, June 4, the contract for the new urban cleaning, waste collection, and transport service to the company Valoriza. This company was already the current service provider and had previously been fined for non-compliance. The new contract amounts to 96.6 million euros and will have a duration of seven years, with an annual cost of 13.1 million euros, representing an increase of just over one million euros per year compared to the previous contract.

This new agreement, whose processing has taken a year, includes the obligation for the new managing company to «completely renew» the machinery used for street cleaning, opting for «more sustainable and efficient» models. Additionally, sweeping carts will be equipped with location devices, and the collection of furniture and bulky waste will be reinforced, as will the collection from the brown bin in all neighborhoods.

The governing team (PNV-PSE) voted in favor of the contract, while the main opposition group, EH Bildu, abstained. Elkarrekin and PP voted against. Elkarrekin reiterated its call for direct management of public services, while the Popular Party raised doubts about the legality of the award project, citing an Intervention report. In response, the PNV mayor, Amaia del Campo, assured that «it meets all guarantees» and highlighted that it has the backing of the technical services from various departments and also from Intervention.

In addition to this matter, the council also approved the payment of an invoice for 19,000 euros related to the municipal bus service contract, the Kbus. As explained by the Councilor for Municipal Services, Asier Umaran (PNV), the amount calculated for the past year varied due to the extension of transport discounts, which increased the estimated number of passengers by 63%.