The Ministry of Finance and Public Administration has released official data showing that San Fernando concluded the year 2025 with an outstanding debt of 330,000 euros. This figure represents a per capita debt of just over 3.5 euros, a slight increase compared to the previous year.
This figure contrasts significantly with historical data. A decade ago, in 2014, the debt of the San Fernando City Council amounted to 47.6 million euros. The highest peak was recorded in 2012, with an outstanding debt exceeding 56 million euros, equivalent to 577 euros per inhabitant. The trend shows a progressive decrease since then, with figures such as 20.5 million in 2023 and 238,000 euros in 2024, the year in which the so-called 'zero debt' was achieved.
The concept of 'zero debt' defended by the municipal government does not imply the absence of loans, but rather that these operations are sustainable, linked to specific investments, and settled within reasonable timeframes. The council frequently resorts to early repayment of loans using its surplus and Treasury reserves to reduce financial costs and ensure the permanent availability of funds for investments.
According to the outstanding debt report from the Treasury, as of December 31, 2025, San Fernando ranks as the second municipality in the Bay of Cadiz with a debt similar to that of El Puerto de Santa María (230,000 euros). Other cities in the area have considerably higher figures, such as Puerto Real (52.7 million), Cadiz (88.5 million), Chiclana (60.3 million), and Jerez (over 968 million).
