This distinction, the most important award by the city council, coincided with the 50 years of Celbi business activity. In the award ceremony, at the formal sitting of the City Day, in the Arts and Shows Center (CAE), the mayor, João Ataíde, emphasised that, with the arrival of the factory, "the city and the county transformed themselves”. Nogueira Santos and Carlos Van Zeller, members of Celbi board of directors, in turn, underlined that "from the first moment, the relationship [company] with the city is of full integration"

On the same date, which celebrates the city's patron, Saint John, canon John Verissimo was awarded the medal of social merit in silver gilt. The São Julião parish priest, born in Vinha da Rainha, Soure, is ahead of this parish for 50 years.

They also distinguished several dozen people and companies of the municipality, including former employees of the council retired in 2015. The painter Tesha and Fado singer Rosarinho, in turn, were honored, posthumously, with the medal of cultural merit.João Ataíde pointed out that these artists deserved to be honored in life, but left us prematurely. 

The mayor also took the opportunity to remind the investment of 7.6 million euros that will be done by 2018, in the urban regeneration of the downtown squares and surrounding streets, historic area of ??Buarcos and Cabedelo. This application for European funds also includes the bike path between Vila Verde and the city´s railway station. João Ataíde highlighted, on the other hand, the financial balance of the council, whose debt is, now, less than half than the one found in 2009. and he also emphasized the improvement of the municipality road network and the requalification of the urban beach, work that is in progress. "I try to be an optimist person always attentive to reality," said the mayor.