Turre launches feedback app

Turre has launched a new mobile phone app to allow citizens to give instant feedback to the council on small problems across the town. I’ve downloaded it and while it’s missing quite a bit of content, the basic functionality is there. It’s alright for citizens, but not much good for tourists. Bizarrely, all of the “council information” such as bylaws, council meetings and the like are for other towns, as is a list of newborns Continue reading Turre launches feedback app

Turre council implodes – mayor Martín cast adrift

Turre council imploded today after mayor Morales expelled his only party councillor, Maria Luisa Cervantes, from the ruling body. The move means that the association ‘Somos Turre’ has now been split into two. Morales returns to his previous party as a communist IU councillor, whilst Maria Luisa is now an independent councillor under the Somos Turre brand. It also leaves Morales head of a hamstrung minority government, a solitary figure backed up only with the Continue reading Turre council implodes – mayor Martín cast adrift

The Cabrera land grab – a look at how it worked

Costa Almería News broke the news this week that Mayor Morales of Turre had signed a decree to take over the running of Cabrera village. What does this actually mean? I had a read of some documents to find out. First off, let’s explain the situation. Cabrera isn’t run by the council (although home-owners still have to pay IBI). Instead, it’s technically a partially finished urbanisation, which means it’s run by a junta de compensación, Continue reading The Cabrera land grab – a look at how it worked

Vera to sue central government over flood defences

The Vera town council voted this week to start legal actions against the central government and the Ministry of the Environment for not fulfilling promises made after the 1989 and 2012 floods across Pueblo Laguna. The council says that “concrete measures” against a repeat of the flooding that should have been taken by the central administration have never been carried out, and that the ministry is avoiding its responsibilities. Mayor Felix said that it was Continue reading Vera to sue central government over flood defences

Youths fined 5 grand for making noise in Mojacar

Eight 20 year old girls from Seville on holiday in Mojacar have been fined 601 euros apiece for “making excessive noise” in their rented villa on the very first day of their holiday, after they had been conned by their rental company. They rented an apartment over the internet from a local firm and when they got here it was “so squalid” they refused to stay in it and filed a denuncia against the company Continue reading Youths fined 5 grand for making noise in Mojacar

Mojacar sets salaries and council meetings for the next 4 years

This morning a meeting was held to establish the councils, wages for councillors and the frequency of the ordinary plenary meetings. Ordinary plenary meetings have been set, for the first time in the history of democracy in Mojácar, to be from now on held at 10am on the last Thursday of every 2 months. For which we proposed a counter-opinion and asked for the meetings to be held once a month and always in the Continue reading Mojacar sets salaries and council meetings for the next 4 years

Mojacar forced to allow cameras into council sessions – will Rosmari comply?

After four years of legal battles, several expulsions and a few arrest threats, the Mayor of Mojacar has lost her battle to prevent council sessions being filmed – it’s now enshrined in a new law published this week, the Andalucian Law of Transparency. It’s a constitutional right for any citizen to sit in on a standard council meeting, and to take any notes he or she wants to. In principle, this means you can record Continue reading Mojacar forced to allow cameras into council sessions – will Rosmari comply?

Almeria’s Mayor protests Junta’s footdragging over 14 year townhall reform…

The Mayor of Almería has hung out huge banners protesting at the Junta’s refusal to continue the reform of his townhall, which started in 2000. That’s right – almost 14 years ago, the Junta started works to reform the old building in Almería city. They finished the first phase, and then the money for the second phase never turned up, so the builders refused to continue. Luis Rogelio Rodríguez-Comendador, Mayor of Almería, used a Spanish Continue reading Almeria’s Mayor protests Junta’s footdragging over 14 year townhall reform…