Partaloa – 1,000 residents and three crooked mayors

Partaloa has broken some sort of record – its third mayor in a row has been barred from holding public office! This tiny backwater of just 915 people seems to have an abnormally high rate of incompetent politicians. Or does it? The story so far…. Antonio Peñuela has just been barred from holding public office for seven years by the national audience for sacking the town clerk without following proper protocol when he first became Continue reading Partaloa – 1,000 residents and three crooked mayors

Mayor Morales demands public prosecutor investigates illegal homes in Cabrera

Costa Almería News is reporting that mayor Martin Morales has “lodged a complaint with the public prosecutor” over Cortijo Cabrera, asking them to investigate illegal homes in the mountains. See this week’s Costa Almería News for the full story (page 3), but in short, he claims developers and previous mayors may have committed planning crimes there and wants an independent judicial investigation. So if you have a home that is not 100 % legal up Continue reading Mayor Morales demands public prosecutor investigates illegal homes in Cabrera

British home owners associations give a lifeline to the residents of Marbella, Spain

A lifeline for the residents of Marbella? – After Supreme Court annuls the Marbella town plan which aimed to legalise 16,500 properties constructed illegally during the years 1991-2006.   According to the association that campaigns against urban abuses in Andalucía, AUAN, a lifeline now exists for third parties in good faith who purchased houses in Marbella with planning permission that now appear to be in doubt as a result of the recent annulment of the Continue reading British home owners associations give a lifeline to the residents of Marbella, Spain

Expect the speed limit to drop in the spring!

The final draft of the new traffic regulation was released yesterday by the traffic police (DGT) and is expected to be approved by the council of ministers shortly, with the changes coming into effect by the spring. All secondary and urban roads will see a large drop in the speed limit: roads currently at 100kph will drop to 90kph 90kph roads will drop to 70kph OR 50kph unpaved or single carriage roads will have a Continue reading Expect the speed limit to drop in the spring!

Junta tries to legalise its own heliport … which first opened 18 years ago

The Junta is trying to legalise an emergency services heliport located in the mountains behind Serón (above Almeria) which has, it appears, been operating for 18 years without a license. (What follows is also an example of why the Spanish government uses extra large business cards). The heliport opened in 1995 to much fanfare and is used as a base for fire fighting helicopters and mountain rescue. However, nobody bothered to get a licence for Continue reading Junta tries to legalise its own heliport … which first opened 18 years ago