The Alicante Provincial Council is holding a series of meetings with the town councils across the province to gauge the situation of international residents with a view to ensuring they are aware of the council services that are available to them.

The deputy for Cooperation, International Residents and Volunteering, Juan de Dios Navarro, stressed that one of the main focuses will be on residents from the United Kingdom, as well as on their concerns and the need to legalise their situations following Brexit.

The first meeting was held last Thursday with the mayor of Benissa, Arturo Poquet. Ohers will follow next week in a number of different locations.

The deputy highlighted the high number of international residents in Benissa, where they exceed 30% of the population, and others such as Daya Vieja and l’Alfàs del Pi, with 62% and 50% foreigners census, respectively.

“We want to reiterate our committment to promote the integration of this important group, fundamental for the development of the province, by supporting registration campaigns, courses in Spanish or Valencian, and much more,” Navarro pointed out. .

The Provincial Council has increased this year by 13%, to 215,000 euros, the subsidies to municipalities for the development of projects, programs and activities  toward integration, the development of care and advice services and equality campaigns.