13 posts from July 2009

Some News

At last managed to catch Candido today. He has been spending a lot of time to-ing and fro-ing to Almeria re discussions on the PGOU and also attending court cases. The same has been the case with a number of councillors and that is the reason that I still have not got the inventory. He has promised me faithfully that it will be ready when I return from my holidays in Early September!


He was able to report that the council had won another series of cases in the Courts at Almeria and this now covered all the developements in La Alfoquia and Barrio de Chicago. It is not know if the Junta are appealing this decision or not but they are relaxed about that as the previous cases were subsequently won on appeal.

On behalf of those persons who are on the list that the Junta want to confirm are still here I asked what could be done if they were not going to be here for some time. We had a discussion with JoseJuan who stated that he had not been given a time frame so we would let it run until the end of the year then look at how many we still had outstanding then.

On behalf of a resident of La Alfoquia I asked about the radio mast. They had been told by the agent selling them the house that it was temporary but that I had been told it was permanent. Candido made some enquiries and returned to tell us that the only way of making sure was to try and find the original building permit but that, as this was granted some 10 to 12 years ago, he thought it unlikely they could find it. I said that I thought they had discussed it in Pleno and he informed me that it had actually been granted long before he became Mayor. he said he would ask Isa to try and see if she could find a record of it.

I then said that a number of people were getting worried about articles they were reading and things they were hearing about residents having to pay infrastructure costs. Candido looked quite surprised at this suggestion. He firstly said that apart from a few roads, which he was aware of and the Town Hall were looking to pay for he did  not of anywhere where this would be the case. He said it would be true that every developement included in the PGOU would have to have electricity, sewerage and access anything else is surplus to the basic requirements of the law. The issue becomes more complex when looking at the wider issue of Urban Land (SU) and Urban Land Non Consolidated (SUNC). he gave me a lengthy explanation about how this is calculated but it is too complex for me to explain on here. Suffice it to say that the main issue here revolves around the inclusion of green areas. He stated quite categorically that as far as this was concerned we were in a far better position than any other municipality in the valley as they insisted on a minimum of 15% for each developement as opposed to the legal minimum of 10%. He said people should not read about other areas and think the same applies to Zurgena. 

He confirmed what he had said some two weeks ago, that the PGOU discussions, although not yet concluded, are going quite well and he is confident that our PGOU will be published by September. I have heard such promises before but he did seem confident.

Finally he told me that another of his election manifesto promises has been completed today and that is the supply of WiFi throughout the area. As it was a manifesto pledge he wants to have meetings to launch the system. One in the Pool Bar in la Alfoquia for that side of the municipality and one in Anthonio's bar restaurant at Cuesta de los Pinos. He asked if I could attend both meetings with him to launch the initiative and I agreed. We are looking at Saturday and Monday but I am awaiting a call to confirm time and date.

I also handed in to the Polizia Local a UV lamp for the NHW property marking initiative. 

As usual if anyone has any specific queries regarding any part of this blog please email me at jiminysimpson@gmail.com 

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Another Week Passes

I have been into the Town Hall each day this week to try and get the inventory and maps so that I could issue them before I am on holiday but so far have failed. I am sitting in the office now but Salvadore is not in nor is Candido who has again gone down to Almeria. All I can say is that I willtry every day until my holidays.

I have been given another list of a few persons who the Junta want us to confirm are still here and they are as follows,

Karen Baber, Nora Byrne, Peter and Edna Makin, Linda Moorman, and a Graham Perrior. If you know any of these persons please ask them to call into the town Hall to confirm they still are on the padron.

If anyone has not checked the fuller list of names on the post vefore last please do so.

Two things I have been asked to mention are fires and stray animals. The first I would have thought was quite obvious at this time however, some people do not seem to realise the danger in starting fires in this climate. It is illegal to have a fire at this time of year and the punishmenst for doing so are high.

Secondly it used to be the case that the Town Hall paid for a contracted company to round up stray cats and dogs and put them down. Due to the financial constraints this contract expired over a year ago with the consequent result of many stray cats and dogs. I realise it is a touchy subject but the locals have been known to kill humanely or otherwise stray animals as they see them as responsible for taking/killing small game birds. It is therefore not really advisable to feed or encourage these animals.   

Lastly I was trying to get Paco to see to the lights which are out of order at the Prodelor houses in La Alfoquia however he only has a few staff (due to holidays) and they are spending this week with the WiFi people helping to install that across the area. He does have it on his list to do!

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Latest Newspaper Article re Court Case

Just for information the latest bit regarding the court case against the principle people fromn the Town Hall from the Costa Almeria News 


By Richard Torné
LAWYERS representing the 25 defendants in the impending Zurgena corruption trial have accused the judge heading the case of bias.

The trial, which is expected to take place later this year, will see 25 defendants in the dock, including the mayor of Zurgena Cándido Trabalón, the town planning councillor, Manuel Tijeras, and three real estate developers, facing up to 11 bribery and corruption charges.

The case dates back to April 2008 when four of the accused, including Sr Trabalón, were arrested in a much-publicised dawn raid by the Guardia Civil as part of an investigation codenamed ‘Operación Costurero'.

The first rumbles of discontent were voiced last week when lawyers claimed they had not been given complete access to all the case files. In response, they asked Judge David Villagrá to be removed from the investigation.

And lawyers this week accused the judge of using "a different yardstick" by giving preference to the public prosecutor's allegations while viewing the defence counsel's requests with disdain.

Judge Villagrá, they claimed, was acting with "unusual haste" in responding to the prosecution's requests, while failing to process the appeals lodged by the defence counsel on time - a delay which lawyers said was undermining their clients' rights.

In addition, one of the defendants reportedly told a Spanish newspaper that British residents had been told they could legalise their properties in exchange for testifying against the accused.

The unquoted source told a Spanish newspaper that "things could be resolved in their favour" if British residents were ‘helpful'.


AND this from the same newspaper.

The much-awaited inspection plan to determine the number of illegal properties in the Almanzora valley has issued the findings of seven districts which show there are about 11,000 affected homes.

The number far exceeds estimates issued by officials who had always spoken of between 4,000 and 6,000 illegal houses in the area. An additional 5,000 dwellings which are also illegal are reportedly constructions dedicated to industrial or agricultural use.

The district of Albox, with 7,000 houses, registered the highest number of illegal properties, 700 of which were recently built, according to the mayor, José García.

Oria came second with 4,606 properties, all of which were built illegally on rural or non-urban land. Cantoria listed 900 illegal buildings and Arboleas 800.

The regional government will now start work with a view to legalising all the properties with the exception of those which are built on river beds or on protected land.

 

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List of Persons unable to contact by phone re Padron

I am sitting in the Town Hall waiting to see Candido and Salvadore to try and get the inventory so thought I would make use of my time and start listing the names of those I was not able to contact by phone whom the Town Hall would like to call in and sign a form to confirm that they still have a property here. I do not expect to get them all listed today but as many as I can.

If you know of anyopjne on this list who may not be aware of this please let them know. We do not need to know negatives eg those who are not now here. It is just confirmation of those who are we need.

Although they are in batches I have tried to keep them in alphabetical order within each batch

John Barrie Adams, Vivien Susan Benson, Barabara May Blackmore, John Anthony Blackmore, William Henry Frost, Richard Michael Gau, Lorraine Anne Gibson, John Frederick Hart, Arnold Peter Johnstone, Shirley Johnstone, Jack Lully, Kevin Rooney, Alfie & George & Kenneth & Polly & Tilly Summerson,

Judith & Paul Noel Abel, Peter leslie Adams, Evelyn Ahern, Susan Anders,Frances Avril Asley, Karen Atkinson, David Arthur Barker, Deborah Barker, Joseph Baron, Gary Allen Barrell, Lorraine Bassett, David & Patricia Ann Belsey, Jennifer Lee Bennett, Aaron James & Katrina & Neil Robert Benson, Christa Helga Bethge, Paul Martin Black, Francheska Simeonova & Tanya & Velislava Blagoeva, Margaret Blyth, Marin & Marin Bottazzo, Martin Bradley, Kay Bradshaw-Murphy, Alan Bray, Kayne & Simon Brooker,  Ashley &Emma Burgess, Helen & Terry Burnell, Robert Burns, Steven Burrows, Alan & Dennis & Gwendoline Byrne, Gregory David & Lindsey Cann, Pauline & Ronald Carter, Cecilai Cerasti, Alison & Carl & Chloe & Samuel Chapman, Zara Chevers, Douglas & Marie Cole, Marie Colinet, Christopher & Helena & Natalie & Tamara Collard, Simon Cook, David Corbey, Annie Cottrill, Billy & Daniel & Harry & Nichola Coughlin, Stuart Cowap, Andrew Crawley, Louise Cullinane, Modestas Daktaras & Jolanta, Phillipa Davies,Kenneth & Susan Dawkins, Marie De Bock, Santos De Oliviera, Carole & Peter Doran, Howard & Patricia & Jade & Philip & Tracey Downst, Evangelina & Harrison & Louise Drake, Carol and Raymond Eastwood,John Harvey Edwards, Jacques Estoule, Warren fabes, Rosalind Farrand, Peru Ferreira, Beatrice Flint, Steven fombellida, Rosemary & Stanley Fouracre, Clare & raymond Gittens, Gabrielle Godelieve, Alan &Debra Goldswain, Dee Ann Gorman,Gintaras Gudauskas, Colin Gundry, Iris & John Hardman, Christopher & Sarah Hartley, Charlotte & Christopher Karen Hedges, Brian Hiytchman, Carole Hobrow, Anne Holder,Richard Holmes, Bianca Howes, Richard Howes, Savanna Howes, Muresan Ioan, Janet isaacs, Joseph Isaacs, Benjamin James, Katherine James Stephen James, Ann  Ian Johnson, Hilary Jones, Ferreira Justo, >Mnate Kacerauskaite, Peter Kerswell, Valerie Kerswell, Samantha King, Carole Kirkham, Bozhihar Krastev, Amanda Langston, Free Langston, Reef Langston, Donatas Laucuius, Egidijus Laucius, Jessica Lilley, Rebecca Lilley, Lisa and Michael lindsay, Ian Lintern, Marion Lintern, Colin Dianbe Lister, Desmond Longworth, Emily Mathew Sharon Longworth, Ross Lydall, Della and Joshua  Malthouse, Marshall Marlex Starr,Ann and Derek Marnoch, Christine Marshall, Denbnis Marshall, Peter Maslik, Colin Mason, Elaine Mason, Keith Matthew, William Matthews, Daulius Matutis, Patricia McCoy, Patrick McCoy, Brian McDade, Vent Mihaylov, Elizabeth Minta, Richard Minta, Zak Morgan, Graham Morris, Hayley Morris, Mary Morris, Taylor Morris, heather Morrison, Ronald Murphy, Philip Nelson, Travis Nelson, Steven Newberry, Elizabeth Oberson, Egidijus Pakalnis, Arminas Pakstys, Martinez parra, Jennifer Parry, Elizabeth Pashley, Roy Pashley, Jacqueline Paxton,John Paxton, Barabara OPeers, Paul Peers, Gillian Pegg, Aron priest, Daniel Pudziuvis, Derek Rainford, Andrius Rapkeviciu, Elizabeth redgrave, Michael redgrave, VBrandon Reeves, James Reeves, Dudley Reily, Paulius Remeika, Ramunas, Diane Richardson, John Richardson, Suisan Ritchie, Margaret Robson, Philip Robson, William Rose, Florentina Rotaru, Madison Roy, Trevor Saunders,Mark Seaborne, Michael Seaborne, Alfredo Semeador, Kevin Senior, Linda Shaddock, Kristi Sheldon,Alan E C Smith, Barry Smith, Geraldine Smith, Kirsten Smith, Paul J Smith, Sandra Smith, Ganeva Spasova, Gillian Steadman,Michael Steadman, Irena Stepukoniene, Siobhan Stevens, Lille Stewart, Daniel Such, Laura Such,Alfie Sudbury, Charlie Sudbury, Elliee Sudbury, Jamie Sudbury, Karl and Karla and Megan  Sudbury, Lesley swain, Richard Swain, Yilmaz Swinson, Barabara Taylor, Kenneth taylor, Graham Tebbs, Steven Tebbs, Mathiue Thomassem, Joan Trimby, John Trimby, Brian Wailes, Kiera Wallis, Lara Wallis, Orla Wallis, Paul Wallis, Barabara West, Barrie West, Lloyd Williams, Patricia Williams, Howard Wilson, Sally Wilson,Celtic Wood, Kevin Wood, Linda Wood, Shannon Wood, Gavin Woods.

 

Thats them all done now so I am off to try again to see the man. 


PS Footnote. I waited around until 1230pm then went home to await a call when he was free and never got one. I am away Thursday and Friday so it is going to be next Tuesday or Wednesday before I can get another chance to get the inventory. My apologies.

     

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Programme of Fiestas

Sorry bit late but I had to nip down to town to pick up a copy of the programme and only got my hands on it 20 minutes ago.



La Alfoquia

Friday 17th 
1015 Free coffee, chocolate and Churros for the 3rd age (pensioners). Missed that!
1600 Domino Tournament Bar Catalan
1930 Darts Tournament Bar Catalan.
2000 Theatre Group in Plaza de la Libertad
2100 Semi finals Football Group A (Los penas/Overa)
2200  ditto                       Group B (Vera/La Piscina)
2300 Popular Dance with the Orchestra Maxims y Esperanza
Saturday 18th July
1000 Fireworks (bangers)
1030 Petanque Tournament next to Bar Catalan.
1600 Dominoe Tournament Bar Catalan
2030 Football Final
2300 Popular Dance 
Sunday 19th July
1000 Fireworks
1600 Dominoe Tournament ( Bar Catalan)
1900 Parade of Horses to the school.
0200 Fireworks to indicate the end of the Fiesta.

Zurgena Fiesta 25th July until 31st August

Saturday 25th July 
2130 Motocross night races
Saturday 1st August
2200 Motocross night races
Tuesday 25th August
2200 Summer Film in La Glorieta Wall e and Batallon de Limpieza
Wednesday 26th August 
2200 Summer Film in La Glorieta Kung Fu Panda.
Thursday 27th August 
Summer Film in La Glorieta Be Movie
Friday 28th August
0000 Fireworks (bangers) to announce the start of the Fiesta.
1000 Coffee, chocolate and churros free for the 3rd age.
1600 Sevens Tournament and Dominoes
1800 Basketball Tournamant at the new pitch (by the rambla).
2000 Street walk by the Theatre Group.
2000 Semi Finals of the Padel Tennis Group A
2100     ditto                                        Group B
2300 Popular Dance with an orchestra
Saturday 29th August 
1000 Fireworks (bangers)
1600 Sevens tournament and Dominoes
2000 Football Tournament at new pitch (by the rambla)
2100 Padel Tennis Final
2330 Dance with orchestra.
Sunday 30th August
1000 Fireworks ( bangers)
1030 Petanque Tournament at new pitch.
1600 Dominoes Tournament.
1900 Exhibicion de trial. (don't know what this is)
2000 Gymkhana
2330 Dance with live music.
0100 Spanish singing.
Monday 31st August
1000 Fireworks (bangers)
1600 Sevens and Dominoes Tournament 
2000 Mass in honour of San Ramon Nonato
2040 Solemn Procession with a musical band.
2330 Dance with live music.
0200 Closing Firework display to announce the end of the fiesta.

Hope this helps those of you wishing to participate.

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Fiesta

As many of you already know today is the start of the Fiesta in La Alfoquia. For the past few years I have managed to get a copy of the programme and publicised it on here, however, this year due to the usual delays the programmes were not ready yesterday.

I am hoping to get my hands on a copy later today and if I do I will post the details. I suspect it will be very similar to last years format.

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Quick Questions

Due to my original plans to attend a meeting in Torremolinos I was able to get a few minutes with Candido this morning. I caught him between interviews with the radio and press interviews!


I firstly asked Candido how he felt about the latest developements in the case being pursued against himself and many others regarding alleged breaches of the planning laws and bribery and corruption. He responded in the same way as he has done since day 1 by saying that he, and those involved, all felt that it was a political not a legal persecution as opposed to a prosecution. He explained that the way such a case is normally brought before the courts is for the prosecution to provide the defence with all the evidence and full details of what is being alleged. The defence teams then examine the evidence and present their version in defence to the judge hearing the case and he then decides whether to refer the case to Almeria for hearing or not. In this case that format has not been followed and none of the defendants have been given sight of the vast majority of documents held by the courts. He reiterated that fact that he and the others would all be vigorously defending the accusations and referred to the detail of some of the cases which he had already refuted publicly and yet were still referred to in court. He said the next part of the process is for the prosecution to provide them with all the evidence ( there is so much paperwork they are to supply it on C.D.s) Once the defence teams have had a chance to examine the evidence there will then be another hearing before the judge in Huercal Overa before a decision is taken whether to pass it to Almeria or not. 

One point of note for the residents of Los Mechones. The 5 buildings referred to in the accusations against Candido do not relate to any finished building they are in fact just foundations.

I asked whether we had had ay feedback from the meeting in Seville regarding the PGOU and he said that he was very disappointed but they had refused to agree to the latest suggested delimitation (eg agreed areas of urban neucleus) but that they were still working with them to try and reach an agreement and he had not given up hope of securing agreement.

I said I was still having difficulty getting the plans from Salvadore and could he put pressure on him to supply the full inventory with house numbers. He agreed that this was not good enough and said that we should tackle Salvadore together next week. This week being taken up with the La Alfoquia fiesta. I will make a nuisance of myself again next week to try and get this out.

I had 2 other quick questions which other councillors were able to answer. I had had a query about whether we can influence the central white lining of roads. I had a number of people complain about getting tickets when crossing the white lines in Los Carasoles. I was told that we had no jurisdiction over these lines and any requests regarding that would have to be sent to the Depot of Public Works in Almeria.

I also asked Francisco about the raising of the fence round the football pitches and he said he was trying to get that done soon. Whatever soon mean!

As a result of the work I have been doing, trying to tie up house numbers with occupants, it is becoming increasingly apparent that we still have a large number of people not yet on the Padron. As the junta are looking to downgrade the numbers we have on the Padron, I urge anyone not yet on to do so. I appreciate those of you who have not yet got your house numbers cannot, yet, do so but if you have please do. I will be given updated lists from the Town Hall of house numbers not yet on.   

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Next Post will be later this week

Sorry but due to having a few things to do I will not be able to get into the Town Hall before Wednesday at the least. Will probably be able to update things by Wednesday or Thursday.

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Friday 10th July

Whilst in the Town Hall today continuing the work re the Padron hoped to see Candido but both he and Andreas were very busy. Andreas was so busy he ended up having a bit of a fall out with his colleagues. Whilst he is dealing with all the callers at reception he also has to answer the phone and he felt that the others were not taking enough of the incoming calls. That did seem to be the case from my knowledge.


I was able to help some neighbours get their certificate of empadronimiento. Due to their being no Lic of 1st Occupation they are effectively on my address.

I did ascertain that the first 3 Certificates of Expediente had been received when I pressed Isa (the secretary). One of these 3 is for a gentleman by the name of Dennis Stone. They only had a telephone number for him so if anyone knows someone by that name please let him now his Certificate is ready for collection. I asked Isa how long before the other requested ones would be done. She replied that they were working on area by area a little at a time. I said I hoped we could get them all dealt with soon!

The fiesta in La Alfoquia starts next Thursday and part of the process is awarding the contract to supply the bars for the fiesta and I discovered today that they way they do this is to invite sealed bids for how much an individual is willing to pay the Town Hall for that license and the one bidding the most gets the bar. All the bids had to be in by this afternoon.

As promised I pushed to get the inventory for Salvadore. He was not answering his phone so I went down to his office.  He explained that he was sorting out a few discrepancies in the names shown on his inventory. I said that he had promised me this some weeks ago. He took my mobile telephone number and said he would ring me back in an hour or two. I am not holding my breath as he has promised so much in the past. It is not that he is not a nicee person, he is but he is so laid back it is unbelievable. I need to get the rest of the street house numbers as people are starting to need such detail for various reasons. If I do hear I will be most apologetic bit if , as I suspect, I do not I will keep pushing everyday until I get it.

The land for the memorial garden for Ben Russon should be cleared by the end of the week I was told. I was told that the area at the rear of the pool bar which the residents want as a boules court needs a bit more work as it will need to be leveled but they said they would do it in the next week or two.

I spoke with others in the Town Hall about the recent publicity regarding Operation Costura (the Guardia investigation into corruption in Zurgena) I was told that the councillors involved are all rather upset by this as and have said that their solicitors may well enter a denuncia against the courts. The reason for this being the fact that there are allegedly 41,000 pages of information but the defence solicitors have only seen 1,400 pages. They are also getting more annoyed at the lack of publicity being given to the investigations in Huercal Overa, Aboleas and Albox. It is of course primarily PP controlled press that is carrying these articles. They all as one would expect totally refute any allegations of impropriety so we will just have to wait and see.

Jose (who is responsible for the records on the Padron in the Town Hall) did tell me that while he has been checking the residents against the computer he is discovering a number are not on the Padron. This may because not resident or whatever but he will supply me with a list once the work is done and I will contact people to see how we can help get them on the Padron, if appropriate.

I will try again next Monday to see Candido but I didn't want either poor Andreas losing it altogether or to interrupt Candido when he obviously had so many people waiting to see him.

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Work

I received a call from the Town Hall yesterday asking for my help.


They had received a list of about 400 names from the Junta who they were asking for proof these people still lived in our municipality. My job was to try and contact these people and arrange for them to call into the Town Hall in the next couple of months to sign a form confirming they were still here. I did about 3 hours but there is much more to be done. I may, if I can get the list down a bit, post the names on here because to send letters to everyone is too expensive for us.

The purpose of this is merely a check and balance conducted by the regional authorities to ensure that the local authorities, when applying for funding based on the number of people in their municipalities, have accurately recorded the numbers and persons. I am assured that there is no other purpose to this process.

I am doing a surgery Thursday morning and will try and get the rest of the inventory and AGAIN ask for the Certificates of Expediente.

For those of you who like photography, or are interested in it, the link at the side is my brother in laws Jim Poyner's website which he has just updated with some new pics including the Alhambra following his recent holiday with us.

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