The Independent Authority for Fiscal Responsibility (AIReF) has placed Arganda del Rey at moderate financial sustainability risk, the best rating since 2016. The report forecasts a surplus of nine million euros for 2026.
The Arganda del Rey City Council has recovered financial health levels not seen since before the economic crisis of the last decade. The Independent Authority for Fiscal Responsibility (AIReF) has classified the municipality at moderate sustainability risk in the medium term, according to the 2026 Supplementary Report on Local Corporations. This is the first time in ten years that the locality has achieved this rating in a normalised economic scenario, without the exceptions applied during the pandemic.
In 2016, the Arganda council was at very high risk, a situation that continued in the following years. The arrival of COVID-19 led AIReF to relax the evaluation criteria between 2020 and 2024, allowing for greater spending margins and relaxing fiscal targets. By 2025, with pre-pandemic variables restored, the risk was at a high level. Now, the new report represents a qualitative leap: the independent body considers that the municipal accounts are sustainable in the medium term without the need for extraordinary measures.
The document, made public in recent weeks, projects that Arganda del Rey will close the 2026 fiscal year with a surplus of nine million euros. This figure represents a significant increase compared to the approximately six million euros forecast for 2025, when the municipality returned to ordinary fiscal rules. The surplus reflects an improvement in the management of income and expenses, as well as a reduction in debt.
The mayor, Alberto Escribano, has attributed this change in trend to the economic policies promoted by his government team. "We have worked to sanitise the accounts without the need to raise taxes," he stated in comments reported by municipal sources. The government team has highlighted that the improvement has been achieved while maintaining tax pressure, which, in their view, demonstrates efficient management.
AIReF is the body responsible for ensuring the financial sustainability of public administrations. Its report on local corporations analyses the evolution of debt, net savings, and the capacity to meet future obligations. In the case of Arganda, the moderate risk rating is the best obtained since the historical series began in 2016.
For the residents of Arganda del Rey, this news has direct implications. Better financial health of the City Council translates into a greater capacity to maintain public services, make investments, and potentially avoid tax increases. "The goal is for citizens to notice stability in their day-to-day lives," they have pointed out from the City Council.
The projected surplus for 2026 will allow the City Council to allocate resources to pending projects or reduce debt. However, the government team remains cautious: "We must continue working to consolidate this path." The next step will be the approval of the municipal budgets, which must reflect these forecasts.
The general economic context, with controlled inflation and more stable interest rates, has also favoured the improvement. AIReF has taken these variables into account to make its projections. In its report, the body recommends maintaining fiscal discipline and avoiding deviations that could jeopardise long-term sustainability.
Arganda del Rey thus joins other municipalities in the Community of Madrid that have managed to improve their financial ratings in recent years. The recovery of economic normality after the pandemic has allowed many councils to return to the path of budgetary balance.
The AIReF report not only assesses the current situation but also projects future scenarios. In the case of Arganda, the outlook is favourable as long as spending containment policies are maintained and savings generation continues. The projected surplus for 2026 is an indicator that the City Council generates more income than it spends, allowing for the accumulation of a financial cushion.
"This result is the fruit of constant work and rigorous planning," local government officials have insisted. "It is not an achievement of a day, but of years of responsible management." The opposition, for its part, has called for caution and has reminded that the accumulated debt remains significant, although the report does not detail the exact figure.
The next challenge for the City Council will be to maintain this trend in the coming years, especially if the national economy experiences any setbacks. For now, AIReF has given a boost to the municipality's economic management, which is back at moderate risk levels after a decade of difficulties.
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