LOCAL DEMOCRACY, SPANISH STYLE

[raysun]

Nibbler , a tiny bit grumpy today !!! Been celebrating columbus a bit early ??

[nibbler]

Roger, get over yourself. You've left now move on, you're the only one that can do it.
Why worry about negative comments? You'll always get them on here.
Nibbler

[Tetley]

Rog,you left out medical & payments & fees if there is a" No Deal",the under 60,s it may be doo able but over 60,s with  Pre Cons could be priced out of Spain.

this would really knock Arboleas on its arse even for holiday homing.


also the 5 year rule is an EU  thing,wich may not be applicable on a on deal walk,i think it was the Portugal PM  that said any deal aint done until all 27 members have signed it off.

[Roger]

LOCAL DEMOCRACY, SPANISH STYLE

After 6 years I have left Arboleas Town Hall, and am trying to move on.
However when there are comments here, suggesting that my version of events are not correct, I feel I must explain the situation, not as it is in theory, but how it works in practice.

Obviously with Maura and her colleagues leaving the administration in Albox people will think that this is a sign of lack of agreement in the democratic process there.
I can say that although my reason for leaving has been explained, obviously it was the final straw after years of frustration.

Much has been said about the fact that there is, by law, a Junta de Gobierno every 15 days, on which I and Mike have been members.
What does it do?

1. It approves various licences, which is in reality a rubber stamp exercise. And also the Mayor can, and sometimes has, approved documents without coming to the Junta de Gobierno.
2. It ratifies the payment of bills. However this is for work which has already been authorized and completed, without any prior approval by the Junta de Gobierno.
3. It approves Council projects. However when the project reaches the Junta de Gobierno it has usually been started and often finished. Again a rubber stamp exercise.

I have already commented on the fact that the timetable for carrying out works are never discussed, they seem to be decided by the Mayor on the spur of the moment.

And then there are the contracts signed by the Mayor, none of which are discussed, approved or even reported to the Junta de Gobierno.
I do not know how many there are nor do I have details of all of them.
Here are the few I know about, some of which have come into my possession since leaving the Town Hall.

June 2012. Graysan Improvements to Calle Mezquita. 72.000 euros
July 2013. Asesores Locales SA. Collection of IBI and IVTM. 66,000 euros
December 2011. Technical employee. 67,000 euros
October 2013. Contract for gymnasium.
December 2103. General employee. 26,000 euros
May 2012. Technical services for urban plan. 70,000 euros
2016. Contract for gymnastics classes.
June 2016. Lirola. Contract for Punto Limpio.
¿?  Purchase of crystal caves. Cost unknown
?? Puchase of land in El rulador. Cost unknown.
?? Purchase of land for proposed Los Carrascos roundabout. Cost unknown.
2017. Graysan. On street parking next to existing car park. Cost unknown.

There is no suggestion that these contracts are illegal. The Mayor has stated to Costa Almeria News that everything in Arboleas is transparent, because all the contract are filed in the Town Hall archive and anyone can ask to see them.
It is not my notion of democracy or transparency.
I am reminded of what Ford Prefect said to Arthur Dent when an Intergalactic highway demolished his house!!.
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Anyway as Tetley keeps reminding us, in 18 months we will be immigrants subject to the whim of the Spanish Government, and outside EU regulations, unless there is an agreement to protect those of us with 5 years residency, which is looking more and more unlikely.

I am told by people handling new purchases in Arboleas that there is a big rush from people who are eager to get out of the UK before Brexit. This I do not understand, because they have missed the deadline of 5 year residence to obtain any EU protection.
I am informed that many of these new purchasers in Arboleas are second home owners. In my opinion this is bad news for Arboleas because you cannot run a prosperous town which depends on people using their house for short holidays.
This is the reason I can see long term problems for Arboleas.
Not that it affects me, because I came here when there were only 1500 mostly Spanish.
If it drops to 2500 (which in reality it is already) it will not affect me.
It will just mean a lot of shuttered houses and concrete pavements with no-one to walk on them.