Archive for November, 2009

Road Safety On Camposol

Wednesday, November 25th, 2009

Road safety on Camposol is becoming a real concern. There are drivers now ignoring speed limits and the road signs that are in place.

Of course the situation is made worse by many areas of Camposol not having road markings or street lighting, but surely this should be an indication to slow down and drive with more care rather than putting ones foot down and ignoring common sense.

For some time it has been a tragedy waiting to happen. This nearly came true this morning at 0830am, 25th Nov, when a driver of a blue Ford Astra ignored the stop sign on the junction between Calle Piteras and Calle Tejos on D Sector and ploughed straight in to a car crossing legally the other way. This car was occupied by a man taking his young daughter to school. Thankfully on this occasion no one was hurt.

Maybe the next time everyone will not get off so lightly.

Please don’t let it be you.

The Guilty Party

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CRA Committee Meeting 58 – 23rd Nov 2009

Tuesday, November 24th, 2009

Camposol Resident’s Association

 Central Liaison Committee

Minutes 58th Meeting – Monday 23rd November 2009

 

Those Present:

Greg Green           Chairman

Joyce Stewart       Vice-chair/Treasurer

Bob Owen            Community Activities Sec.

Les Crook            Membership Sec.

Barrie Eveleigh     Communications Sec.

Tom Carpenter    

Geoff Nastri

 Apologies:            Mary Cooper       John Daws

 The meeting opened at 17.15pm.

 1.The minutes of the previous meeting have been reviewed and are accepted as a true record.

          Proposed:   Barrie Eveleigh             Seconded:   Tom Carpenter

          Carried Unanimously

 2. Action Points From Last Meeting.

Chair reported that:

          a)  The CRA website www.cracamposol.com has been amended in line with that agreed at the last meeting.

          b)  A Burofax to Masa asking their intentions about upkeep and maintenance on Camposol was sent on 17/11/09. A copy of the letter in Spanish &  English can be seen at the bottom of these minutes. No reply to date.

          c)  A letter was sent to the manager of Mazarrón Correos, and Chair has met with him to discuss the  post situation. The manager has   forwarded our letter to Correos Head Office inValencia.

          d)  Confederación Hidrografica have acknowledged our request for a meeting. A date is pending. Translator to be contacted.

          e)  To date there has been no reply from Iberdrola in response to the request for a meeting to discuss the ongoing streetlighting problems.

          f)  An e-mail request to Cllr Galvez for further clarification of the Masa guarantees in place for Sector BCD has had no reply to date.

3. Finance Update.

Treasurer reported that:

          a)The Legal fund stands at 19,661€ 56cents

             The General Fund at 571€ 35cents

             All expenses to date have been paid leaving 39€ 90cents in hand.

          b)To date only 7 members have asked for a refund of their 10€ admin fee, others have asked that their fee be treated as a donation to the Fund, and 3 have asked for a return of their donations to the Legal Fund.

          c)The contract with Telefonica has been closed. A debt, which it  seems  been outstanding for some years, has been paid and payment confirmed. There remains only the final month’s rental to be paid.

          d)Sale of tickets for the Xmas hamper raffle are going well. (As the hamper is too weighty to be portable, photographs will be on display at the Cabin).

          e) Several groups are now using the ICA room for their activities. Fees generated are initially being used to repay the loan (made by several individual members) to get this facility up and running.

4. Membership Update.

Les Crook reported that the new register is up to date. There are two  registers, one of new and re-registered members since February this    year, and the other of original members. His difficulty is giving an accurate member total, should both registers be included?

Chair suggested that this subject be revisited at a future meeting for  further consideration.

   Deferred.

 5.Website. www.thenewcamposolcourier.com.

Chair advised that this website address is due for renewal at the end of the month. He said that the information on the site is out of date and the site will close down if not renewed. The fee for renewal is 100€. As this site has been super-ceded by www.cracamposol.com it was decided to not to re-new.

          Proposed:   Geoff Nastri                   Seconded:  Bob Owen

          Carried Unanimously.

 6. Memorial Garden.

Mick Drummond, a former member of the committee, and Mary Cooper are working on this. Les Crook, who is standing in for Mary in her absence, expressed Mick’s concerns about raising funds for the project. Vice-chair said that from the outset it was agreed that this should be a stand-alone project with specific fundraising, and Chair said that the original idea was on a lesser scale to that planned now.

Mick is to be asked for a budget update.

      Deferred pending update.       

 7. AOB.

In light of a recent potentially confusing report, Vice-chair asked for clarification of the CRA’s involvement in the re-forestation project being mooted by the Council and Global Nature in collaboration with the Combined Gardening Groups.

Chair said that while he himself had been involved in the first contact with GN some months ago, when the Gardening Group came into being the CLC had stepped back from the project, and were no longer involved.

The CRA does however fully support what the  Combined Gardening Group are doing in their effort to make Camposol a better place.

 There being no further business, the meeting closed at 7.15pm.

 Next meeting will be on December 14th at 5.15pm.

 

Camposol Residents Association

Apartado De Correos, 61
Mazarron, 30870
Murcia
Spain

 Grupo Masa

Explanada de España, 18,

03001 Alicante

Fax : 965 21 30 50

 Para la atención de Daniel Seguro/Daniel Bascunana                17th Nov 2009

 Estimados Sres:

 Re: Urbanizacion Camposol – Mazarron

 Tenemos entendido que la Confederación Hidrográfica de Murcia les ha solicitado que realicen un estudio del impacto en el medio ambiente, en relación a la construcción de una rambla artificial que circunvale el sector D.  Como ustedes saben la aceptación del plan parcial revisado para los sectores B, C y D con otro número de importantes cuestiones asociadas, depende del tema de la rambla siendo resuelto satisfactoriamente.  Por lo tanto les estaríamos muy agradecidos si nos pudieran decir cuanto tiempo estiman ustedes que van a necesitar para completar dicho estudio.

Nos gustaría aprovechar esta oportunidad para solicitarles una clarificación sobre cuáles son sus intenciones a propósito del mantenimiento necesario en la urbanización desde ahora hasta que el ayuntamiento de Mazarrón adopte la urbanización.  En concreto les solicitamos que consideren de carácter urgente dos reparaciones en los sectores D35 y D26, donde las calles han sufrido una fuerte erosión causada por las lluvias, que ha dejado expuestas tuberías que llevan aguas fecales.

Les agradeceríamos una rápida contestación

Les saluda atentamente

G Green

Presidente

  

Camposol Residents Association

Apartado De Correos, 61
Mazarron, 30870

Murcia
Spain

 Groupo Masa

Explanada de España, 18,

03001 Alicante

 For the attention of ………..                                                   Date …………..

Dear Sirs

Re: Urbanization Camposol – Mazarron

We understand that you have been requested by the Confederacion Hidrografica to produce an environmental impact report in relation to the proposed construction of an artificial rambla that is intended to circumvent D Sector. As you are no doubt aware the acceptance of the revised plan parcel for Sectors B, C & D together with a number of important associated issues is also reliant on a solution to the rambla issue being reached  and therefore we would be grateful if you would advise us of your projected timescale in completing the before mentioned report.

We would also like to take this opportunity to request a clarification of your intentions regarding the necessary upkeep and maintenance of the urbanization between now and the time the adoption of Camposol by Mazarron Council can take place. In particular we would request that you consider urgent action be taken to repair two areas of road on D35 & D26 which have suffered severe erosion from the heavy rains which has left exposed sewage pipes.

An early response from you would be very much appreciated. 

 Yours sincerely

  

G Green

Chairman

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Property Developers, Promoters and Construction Companies are above the law

Tuesday, November 24th, 2009

Property Developers, Promoters and Construction Companies are above the law

By Keith Donovan – Nov 24, 2009 – 1:12 PM
A recent demolition of illegal property in Córdoba - EFE

A recent demolition of illegal property in Córdoba – EFE
enlarge photo

CRA member  Keith Donovan has sent us his opinion

The Spanish police are to be applauded for their superb detection work in every sphere and at every level of Spain’s community!
Over the last 3 months alone we have read of the seizure of tons of Cocaine and other drugs and the arrest of the perpetrators.
Every day we read of the arrest of more people on corruption charges up and down the length of the county.
Murders are tracked down and brought to justice as are ETA terrorists and their helpers.

So, how IS it that the Property Developers, Promoters and Construction companies appear to be above the laws of Spain?
This group appears to find every way they can to duck or evade or get around the laws of Spain written so as to protect the house buyers!

It appears that the Government of Spain still does not understand what is going on and have injected taxpayer’s money into the banks that backed the builders and, as a result, have lost BILLIONs of Euros. Through their own stupidity & greed the banks expect the Spanish people to bail them out.

It is estimated that there are something like 1,500,000 – 2,000,000 buildings that have been built, half built or abandoned. How may resale’s? Another 2 million?

If we accept that the exposure of the banks to the builders could be of the order of 300 billion Euros – the opinion of analyst Inigo Vega at Iberian Securities, and that the exposure of the banks to the cedulas ALONE is nearly another 300 billion Euros (plus other classes of more conventional mortgage backed-securities, which are possibly at least as large), then we are talking about an injection of something of over half of one years GDP in Spain.

That these property developers have been allowed to break so many laws by not meeting the legal obligations and infringing urban law is breathtaking:
They do not guarantee refund of deposits.
By law they have to!
Law 57/1968 rules that developers will have to provide free of charge to the purchaser/s a bank guarantee or Insurance Policy to guarantee the refund of their stage payments plus 6% interest in the event of the developer becoming insolvent.

What do the Developers always say?” We are too big to have to follow this law” and ignore it? Why is that allowed?
They do not guarantee indemnification for possible damage to the building.
They do not build to the building regulations stated by law, concerning noise; humidity/damp; thermal insulation; accesses for handicapped & elderly people.
They charge the buyer for builder’s electricity & water, this is prohibited by law.
They do not provide a licence for the work nor a license for first occupancy, without which the buyer will not be able to contract electricity, water & gas supply.
In some cases that is not true as I have water and electricity even though I do not have a Certificate of Habitacion. 7000 dwelling, no Certificates of Habitacion!
They use contracts that are previously written with abusive clauses against the buyers.

My (Spanish) lawyer laughed out loud (and then apologised) when he read the piece of paper that covered my 10 year builders guarantee! He asked if I had read and understood what I had signed, I said yes BUT if I did not sign it they would not give me the keys and I had a removal van with all my goods in it waiting outside!
Why did he laugh? The document stated that any building work required on the building or surrounds, any extra work, wall heightening, pool building etc, in fact anything within the boundaries of my house HAD to be carried out by a named builder! If I did not use this named builder for work and arranged others to do it at half the cost, then my guarantee would become null and void.

The named company was owned by the builders Father-in-Law!
Nepotism, restriction of trade, creating a monopoly – all against Spanish law.
And they demanded the last payment in cash, I wonder why!

They use solicitors that are on the payroll of other companies, they charge their fees through these firms, making proof of payment more difficult.
They hand over the properties without them being finished, with damage and construction faults that affect habitability of the house or the whole urbanization.
They make multiple extra charges for damage repair; finishing incomplete work; legal action, contracts, disputes & reclamations.
They declare themselves bankrupt when they receive judicial reclamations so that the buyer has to then “quita” (which means, be paid less), and also has to “esperar” (which means, in most cases waiting years to recover part of the money).
They walk away from urbanizacions that are incomplete and leave the people living on them with no electricity, no water, no sewerage and the Spanish Government does nothing!

How is it that the political party in charge of a particular town can approve a development and 3 years later another different political party is voted in and declares the development illegal? How fair is that?

If I owned a bank and a builder asked me for a multi million Euro loan I would say no problem BUT:-
There would be a Bank Manager allocated to the project and be involved in all stages of the project.
Any sale would be carried out with the involvement of the bank.
All stage payments would be paid directly into the bank and NOT to the promoter etc, etc.

The banks that are in trouble now are begging for a bailout and, people of Spain, you are all paying for these reckless, greedy, venal, lazy and incompetent banks as they are rescued with Government money and, as Governments have no money, they only have your taxes to rescue these banks. They have speculated, gambled and lost, with your money!

The amount of corruption involved in the building industry is mind blowing, and what had been uncovered thus far is the tip of the iceberg. Every day I read that more Politicians, Mayors, Councillors, Architects, Planning Officers and other municipal staff have arrested on corruption charges.

If the Government want to find out the full extent of this corruption then all they have to do is investigate every large urbanization created over the last 10 years or so. They will be horrified at the numbers. (And the millions of Euros in (untaxed) Black money)
And even now, promoters want to build more new urbanizacions!

Article 47 of the Spanish Constitution states: “All Spaniards have the right to enjoy decent and adequate housing. The public authorities shall promote the necessary conditions and establish appropriate standards in order to make this right effective, regulating land use in accordance with the general interest in order to prevent speculation. The community shall have a share in the benefits accruing from the town-planning policies of public bodies”
TOTALLY AND UTTERLY IGNORED

The Spanish Constitution has been reformed once (Article 13.2, Title I) to extend to citizens of the European Union the rights as outlined above.
TOTALLY AND UTTERLY IGNORED

Protect all Spaniards and all the peoples of Spain in the exercise of human rights, their cultures and traditions, languages and institutions.
TOTALLY AND UTTERLY IGNORED

The Spanish people are paying dearly for the greed and corruption of the Property Developers, Promoters and Construction companies and banks!

Lastly, according to the Corruption Perceptions Index produced by Transparency International, Spain ranks as the 32nd worst performer as found in 13 independent surveys! That says it all really!

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Bali-Hi Opens Friday 20th November

Friday, November 20th, 2009

Bali-Hi (the old Rumours) opens its doors on Friday 20th Nov 2009 at 8pm.

The opening will be celebrated by cheap drinks for all and entertainment from Tony Kelly and Bernie Mac.

Following on from the bar opening night, the restaurent and cocktail bar will be opening soon.

For further details :

Ring Chris on 660 192 778

or email Bali-Hi@hotmail.co.uk

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Aun Weekly Report – 13.11.09

Friday, November 13th, 2009

Weekly Report 13.11.09 

Spanish fishermen in hands of Somali pirates

Somali pirates who hijacked the trawler “Alakrana” are holding its crew hostages, threatening to kill them unless a large ransom is paid.  Two of the pirates were arrested in an operation; it is suspected one of them maybe under the age of criminal responsibility.  The leaders of the pirates have said the fishermen will be beheaded if two criminals now in Spanish prison are not released.

 

PP leads Gallup in spite of corruption

 In a recent opinion poll despite its internal crisis and involvement in widespread corruption, Partido Popular recorded a lead of 3.2 points over PSOE.   If elections were held today, PP would win 42.6% of the vote against 39.4% for the governing PSOE.  More than half of the votes the socialists loose would go to the smaller parties.  The leftist federation IU would increase its vote by 1.1% and UPyD  by 2.9% against the 1.2% in the last election.

 

Only 13% approve Zapatero’s crisis management  

A meagre 13% of those questioned in an Opinion Poll said they approved the crisis management of Rodriguez Zapatero, whilst 55.2 considered it bad or very bad.  The recent tax rise is opposed by 80%.  

Of the ministers, only Perez Rubalcaba in the Home Office gets a note of approval (5.14 points out of 10).

Mafia leader promoter in Tenerife

Italian police have arrested Luigi Esposito, one of the leaders of the Napolitano mafia, who has been sought since 2003 and was sentenced   for drug traffic, laundering black money and belonging to a criminal organisation. He has been promoting the construction of a number of dwellings for sale to tourists in Tenerife to launder Mafia money.

IMF: Risk of paralisation in economic recovery

The International Monetary Fund, has warned there is a risk that economic recovery will falter if governments do not maintain their programs of financial stimuli; The USA Minister of Finance agrees.

Less independent workers

 

Between January and September 462,399 self employed workers left the special system for such workers in the Social Security, a 44% fall on the same period in 2007.   Murcia and Cantabria are the regions experiencing the greatest losses (59.9 and 55.9% respectively) whilst Andalusia fell 53.3%, Castilla-Leon 51.7 and Extremadura 49.2.  Lorenzo Amor, the President of the association for the self employed, said that unlike previous crises, self employment has not been the solution this time for those threatened by unemployment.

Mayor earns 177,398 euros per year

The author Daniel Montero, in his book “La Casta” disclosed that Jordi Hereu, the Mayor of Barcelona, has a gross annual salary of 177,398 euros and that countrywide ‘an army’ of 76,000 politicians cost taxpayers 720 million a year. Whilst a normal citizen has to work 35 years to collect the maximum pension of 32,000 a year, a member of parliament becomes eligible after just seven years.

Many retired regional presidents, collect pensions for life. Pujol and Maragall ( Catalonia ) get 57,600 euros a year, Ibarretxe (Basque Country) 45,000. The average pension in Spain is 757 euros per month.  

Krugman: Rapid action or 10 years of suffering

The winner of the Nobel Prize for the Economy 2008, Paul Krugman, has analysed the difficult situation of Spain and has recommended the rapid cutting of prices and salaries; the alternative, 10 years of suffering. He said, being within the Euro monetary system, Spain cannot devaluate, but must take a fall in relation to Germany . He continued, “ Spain had this monstrous building bubble which collapsed…. 20 years ago Spain would have been able to devalue the peseta.”

 84,000 embargoes in 2009

The number of embargoes is increasing with the non-payment of mortgages. According to a consumer organisation, this year there will be 84,000 embargoes, an increase of 43% over 2008.

 Bank integration threatens 1,800 jobs

The banks, Caixa Catalunya, Caixa Manresa and Caixa Girona are planning to integrate to reduce costs.  The plan foresees closing 500 offices with the loss of 1,800 jobs.  Trade unions are protesting vigorously against the plan.

Each coal miner costs 204.425 euros  

Spain has a loss-making coal mining sector with a total of 8,000 miners in Asturias , Castilla y Leon , Galicia , Aragon , Andalusia and Catalonia .  For many years, the Government has been subsidising coal mining.  This year the subsidy will be 1,634 million euros,that is 204,425 euros per worker.

Various people arrested on Gran Canaria

Several people in the municipality of Telde (Gran Canaria), have been  arrested due to their suspected implication in a case of urbanistic corruption. Among them are the business man Felix Machin, his employee Ignacio Calandria, the previous register of property and now register of commerce, Adolfo Calandria, the lawyers Martin Zurita and Pedro Santana, the architect that made the general plan of the municipality, Jesus Alvarez, the leader of urbanism, Jose Luis Mena and the ex- mayor of the municipality, Francisco Valido.

EU-court: Batasuna is illegal
 
The Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg has confirmed the illegality of the ETA-party Batasuna, and declared the process against the party by Spain is not a vulneration of the principle of freedom of association.
 
27,1% less new businesses in September
 
5.340 new companies were registered in September. This is 27,1% less than in the same month of last year, and the second lowest monthly result since September 1992. The capital subscribed in the new companies amounted to 212,3 million euros, 52,9% less than one year ago.
 
Best tortilla in Vizcaya
 
In the XI Championship of Tortilla de Patatas, Itcaso, the cook from bar Izaro in Vizcaya won the first price. He told the critics afterwards that three potatoes were cut in slices and placed in a caseroll together with an onion. First they were cooked at high temperature, then at low and finally at high temperature again.

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CRA Committee Meeting 57, 9th Nov 2009

Tuesday, November 10th, 2009

Camposol Residents Association

Central Liaison Committee

Minutes 57th Meeting –  Monday 9th November

 

Those Present:

Greg Green                Chairman

Joyce Stewart            Vice Chair/Treasurer

Mary Cooper             Secretary

Barrie Eveleigh         Communications Secretary

Bob Owen                  Community Activities Secretary

Tom Carpenter

Geoff Nastri

John Daws

 Apologies:    Les Crook                  

The meeting opened at 17:15pm.

1. The minutes of the previous meeting (56th) having been reviewed and accepted as a true record.

Proposed Bob Owen, seconded John Daws, passed unanimously by the remainder of the committee

 2. CRA Information Desk – Timetable: Due to the demise of the daily postal facility in Kennely’s Bar, Sector B Commercial Centre. The subject of operating hours for the CRA information desk was discussed. It was agreed that the current evening shift situated in the Mapfre Office is no longer relevant so will be discontinued.

For the foreseeable future the CRA Information Desk will be operated from the CRA Cabin, Sector B Commercial Centre, Monday to Friday mornings between the hours of 11am – 1pm.

 3. Meeting with the Mayor: Following the 4th November meeting between the CRA Committee and Mayor Blaya Blaya,  future actions to be taken by the CRA were discussed at length resulting in the following recommendations:

a)    To allow the Mazarron Town Council time to complete the actions as documented in the minutes of the meeting. The progress of which to be reviewed  by the CRA Committee during their first meeting in February 2010.

 Proposed Bob Owen, seconded by Tom Carpenter, carried unanimously.

b)    That a Burofax  (Spanish version of a recorded letter) be sent to Masa Head Office in Alicante asking for clarification of their intentions reference the production of the Environment Impact Report awaited by the Confederacion Hidrografica to enable them to progress with signing off the Plan Parcial for Sectors B, C. & D.

Also, clarification of their intentions reference the maintenance and upkeep of Urbanisation Camposol until such times as it is completed prior to adoption by Mazarron Town Hall.

Proposed  BarrieEveleigh, seconded Joyce Stewart, 5 agreed, 2 against.

Action Barrie Eveleigh to write the Burofax.

c)    To arrange a meeting with the Confederacion Hidrografica reference the problems with the Rambla on sector D

Action: Greg Green

d)    To arrange a meeting with Iberdrola reference the continued problems with street lighting

Action: Greg Green

4. Fund Raising:

Monthly  Bonus Ball: In the light of the demise of the Postal Service provided daily in Kennelly’s Bar Sector B the subject of the Bonus Ball was raised. Val and Bob who run the Bonus Ball, for the CRA Legal Fund, have offered to continue with this fund raising activity on monthly sale days held on the last Friday of each month in Kennelly’s Bar.

The committee fully back the continuation of this activity which raises €200 monthly for CRA funds and once again wish to thank Val and Bob for their unfailing support.

Action: Joyce Stewart to advise Val and Bob of the committee decision.

Weekly Meat/Groceries Raffle: It was agreed that the weekly raffle would be suspended until the New Year and instead a Grand Christmas Raffle will be held for a hamper to include seasonal groceries and a meat voucher.

Tickets will go on sale this week and the draw will take place on Friday 18th December.

Proposed by John Daws and seconded by Joyce Stewart, carried unanimously.

Action: John Daws and Joyce Stewart to put the hamper together and Greg Green to produce the advertising posters etc.6.  CRA/ICA

5. Community Activities premises:

Premises are available for hire for Community Activities.

This is a joint activity the premises supplied by ICA Medicas to be administered by the CRA.

The premises are situated on the main carriageway on Sector B.

Anyone wishing to book this facility please call Bob Owen

Telephone Number  968.970.577

 6. Any Other Business: 

Following the demise of the postal facility provided from Kennelly’s Bar residents have to visit the Correos, Sector B to collect their mail.

 Members have reported queue waiting times in excess of 2 hours daily and have asked if the CRA can do anything to alleviate the situation.

A letter has been composed to the Postmaster at Mazarron main post office to request a meeting with him with the CRA to discuss how this situation can be improved.

Action: Mary Cooper to write email and send it for interpretation. Greg Green to deliver to the Postmaster.

The meeting was closed at 1900hrs.

Next meeting Monday 23rd November 2009 at 17:15pm

 Camposol Residents Association
Registration Number: 7943/1 – CIF G73369167
Apartado de Correos 61.
30870 Mazarron
Murcia

Posted in CRA Committee Meeting Minutes | Comments Off

Party Pooper Puts Dampener On Bonfire Party!!

Sunday, November 8th, 2009

On a genuine basis of wishing to improve relations between all organisations on Camposol the CRA have withdrawn this article.

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CRA Weekly Meat Draw Information

Sunday, November 8th, 2009

Due to the stopping of the the Post Room in Kennellys the weekly CRA Meat Draw has been suspended until further notice. A full review of CRA fund raising is currently being undertaken.

The outstanding winning tickets are as follows :
W/E 16th Oct – Blue ticket nº 510 serial nº DN2C 2767
W/E 30th Oct – Pink ticket nºs 42 and 92 serial nº AM5A EE4B

Winning tickets can be redeemed at the CRA helpdesk in the Mapfre office or  CRA cabin during open hours.

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CRA/Mayor Meeting 4th Nov 2009 Minutes

Wednesday, November 4th, 2009

Meeting Minutes Mayor/CRA 4th Nov 2009

Mazarron Town Hall

Those Present :

Mayor Blaya Blaya

Jackie Galvez – Counciller (JG)

Greg Green – CRA Chairman (GG)

Joyce Stewart – CRA Vice Chairwoman

Les Crook – CRA Membership Secretary

John Daws – CRA

Bob Owen – CRA

Barrie Eveleigh – CRA

Enrique Olmos – Translator

The meeting commenced at 11am.

1. What is the current situation in regard to legal action being taken by council against Masa and what time period is envisaged by the Council legal team before results are achieved.

A : The Mayor confirmed that action was now being taken against Masa and a full report had been prepared by the councils head of legal affairs. Up to the present date the Council had adopted a policy of diplomacy with Masa to try to get as much work completed as possible before the point came where it would be necessary to take action to seize the guarantees and complete the work needed to bring Camposol up to the standard required for adoption. The Mayor would not commit himself on a timescale but stated that it would be weeks rather than months. Firstly the legal papers would have to be served on Masa notifying them that the guarantees were being seized and then the Council needed no further authority to take the money. Masa could appeal the seizing of the guarantees but this would be done after the money was in the hands of the Council. Any appeal would not prevent a plan of action being put in to place to complete the necessary work needed to complete Sector A and the subsequent adoption.

2. We have a figure from the Garrigues Report on the amount of Guarantee for Sector A. Although this was in pesetas in the original Plan Parcial the amount equates to approximately 86.000 Euros. Can the Mayor confirm this? How much are the guarantees for the other Sectors and are they guaranteed by the banks. If not what format are they in?

A : The Mayor confirmed that there were the following guarantees in place :

Sector A – 136,000 Euros approx to complete infrastructure such as roads, pavements & lights.

                  Approx 600 Euros per house for other works.

Sectors B, C & D – Approximately 1 millon Euros to complete infrastructure such as roads, pavements & lights.

                  Approx 600 Euros per house for other works.

The Mayor also acknowledged that if Masa did not complete any further work then these amounts would no where cover the work needed to bring all Sectors up to a satisfactory level for adoption. Should this come about then a plan would be needed detailing the priority and extent of work that could be undertaken with the finances available.

GG requested that the homeowners of Camposol be included in this process and the Mayor agreed that this would happen. GG asked when this would be put in to action and the Mayor stated that he was unwilling at this stage to discuss this as the legal process had to take its course of action. The Mayor confirmed that all guarantees were in the form of bank guarantees and there would be no issues in obtaining the funds from the relevant banks.

GG requested an update on the work being undertaken by JG and the Council legal department in exploring a way forward in the future administration of Camposol. JG stated that this was ongoing and the preferred plan was still as discussed previously where the Council would administer Camposol in conjunction with an elected representative body of homeowners with an annual Camposol levy being applied to each house in addition to IBI.

3. We have copies of official Council documents that show Masa agreed a payment of 2 million Euros to the Council in lieu of the 10% of land that would have been legally given to the Council under the Plan Parcial for Sectors B, C & D. The payment was to be made over five payments. Has the money been paid and if so has it been used?

A : The Mayor confirmed that this process was common on all developments in Spain and he could confirm that the agreement for 10% of the land on Camposol Sectors B, C & D was resold back to Masa. He also confirmed that the money had been paid in full by Masa and although he couldn’t say exactly where the money had been used it would have been invested in the Mazarron area as there was no obligation for that money to be used on Camposol.

4. Could we please have an update on the signing off of the revised Plan Parcial for B, C & D Sectors & have the Confederacion Hidrografica been in contact with the Council?

A : The Mayor stated that this was a major concern for him and the Council. When they came to power the previous administration had allowed much work to be undertaken by Masa different to the original Plan Parcial for Sectors B, C & D. This included a bridge in the wrong place, many polygonos with more or less houses than approved and a problem caused by the building of houses on the rambla on Sector D. They had decided with the help of Masa to produce a revised Plan Parcial and this was completed in late summer 2008 and sent to the Confederacion Hidrografica in Murcia for approval. Part of the plan to resolve the rambla problem was for an artificial rambla to be constructed around D Sector. The Council have been chasing the Confederacion for some months to get the plan signed off but in a meeting between the two in September of this year the Confederacion Hidrografica has now requested an environmental impact report from Masa in relation to the planned construction of the artificial rambla. Everyone is now awaiting this report before any headway can be made on this issue.

GG stated that this situation was causing major problems for the homeowners of Sectors B, C & D who now find themselves in a position of having no or incomplete escrituras and no Certificates of Habitacion. Without these documents it is virtually impossible to sell their houses and in some cases this has caused severe financial hardship.

5. Could the Mayor give his opinion on what should be done if the exposed sewage pipes on the badly affected roads on Sector D burst over the winter?

A : GG showed the Mayor pictures from the roads on D35 & D26 where severe erosion from rain has caused the sewage pipes to be exposed. He also said that at sometime during the winter it was quite possible that if no remedial work was undertaken then the pipes could fracture resulting in raw sewage from some 2000 houses on the Sector flowing down the streets and in to the rambla to Mazarron. This potential health and environmental catastrophere could be avoided if work was carried out now to repair these areas. GG also stated that Masa had been made aware of the situation and had done nothing to correct it.

The Mayor said that he was aware of the problem and his technical department had completed a report on this situation and it had been forwarded to Masa for action. When GG stated that is was obvious to all concerned that Masa were not going to spend another euro on Camposol and it was now up to the Council to support the people of Camposol. The Mayor replied that legally their hands were tied and they were unable to intervene.

A intense debate took place with GG eventually asking what advice the Mayor would give about actions that the CRA should take when the pipes did break. JG suggested that at this point there would be little option but to take out an injunction against Masa which if not acted upon could mean that the Council could be ordered to get involved by the courts.

6. Could we please have an update on the promised bus service?

A : JG stated that a process was underway to provide an integrated bus service for all of the area covered by Mazarron Council. Concessions had been sent out but the project was very large and still some way off completion. In the meantime because of this time problem the Council had approached a company about a bus service specific for Camposol and the Country Club. She had travelled the proposed route with this company and at the end of their discussions the company decided that without a subsidy from the Council of 120,000 Euros a year they were unwilling to put a service in to place. JG stated that the Council could not afford this amount of money to provide this service.

7.  Could we please have an update on the Medical Centre?

A : The Mayor stated that the Medical Centre was now nearly completed and ready for handover to the Regional Health Authority for fitting out with furniture etc,, and once recruitment was complete, opening. He would not be drawn on an opening date as a similar centre in the Port was now way over the proposed opening date due to Regional Health Authority delays.

8.  Could we request that the Mayor arranges increased police patrols on Camposol now that the nights are closing in?

GG opened this session by showing a picture to the Mayor of a electric meter on Sector D which had recently been cut out by Iberdrola and a sticker put over the gap saying that the meter had been removed due to non-payment of bills. GG went on to say that this was now a daily occurrence and we will soon find ourselves, as last winter, without any interior street lights and all the problems that this brought about with personal safety and house security.

The Mayor sympathised with the situation and confirmed once again that this was out of the Councils control and the blame lay firmly with Masa. He did give an undertaking to make sure that police patrols would be stepped up if possible.

9. There are many homeowners on Camposol that are worried about their legality in occupying their villas. Can the Mayor confirm that these people are legally occupying their homes?

A :   In spite of repeated requests when asked whether the people on Camposol were living there legally or illegally  the Mayor would only say “we are where we are”. JG went on to say that when this administration came in to power there were over 1000 people living on Camposol and it would have been impossible to take a step back and ask everyone to leave until the Certificates of Habitation had been issued.

10. With all the rumour and conjecture that there is on Camposol can we ask the Major to issue a statement that lays out the proposed way ahead as he sees it for Camposol?

A ; When asked this question the Mayor declined the offer on the grounds that he felt the people of Camposol were being kept up to date by meetings such as this one.

11. The Council has recently announced changes to the Padron system for foreigners, could this please be explained.

A : JG stated that this initiative had come from Central Government (National Institute of Statistics) who are questioning the actual numbers of foreigners on the Padrons. She went on to say that there were currently approximately 7,000 non Spanish Europeans on the Mazarron Padron of which some 3,000 will be struck off in the next few months.

She went on to explain that in future only foreigners with Residence Cards or Forms would be allowed to register on the Padron. Anyone else who registered just because they have a house in the area and only visit and not reside in that property will be struck off and not be allowed to re-register.

JG also stated that there would be no retribution against those that had applied and been added to the Padron but did not have residencia.

12. JG was asked if she wanted to read the minutes from these and future meetings with the CRA before publication?

A : She stated that she didn’t feel this was necessary as this meeting was non-political and previous minutes had been considered fair and factual.

The meeting was closed at 12.50pm.

Posted in CRA/Council Meeting Minutes | Comments Off

CRA Committee Meeting 56 Minutes 2nd Nov 2009

Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009

Camposol Residents Association

Central Liaison Committee

Minutes 56th Meeting –  Monday 2nd November

 

Those Present:

Greg Green                Chairman

Joyce Stewart            Vice Chair/Treasurer

Mary Cooper             Secretary

Les Crook                  Membership Secretary

Barrie Eveleigh         Communications Secretary

Bob Owen                  Community Activities Secretary

Tom Carpenter

Geoff Nastri

John Daws

 The meeting opened at 17:15pm.

 1. The minutes of the previous meeting (55) having been reviewed and accepted as a true record.

Proposed Geoff Nastri, seconded Les Crook, passed unanimously by the remainder of the committee

2. Actions from the previous meeting:

a)    Greg Green to start a recruitment campaign for fund raising volunteers. Greg reported that the postal service currently operating from Kennelly’s Bar Sector B Commercial centre is soon to be disbanded therefore the CRA need to re-assess how fund raising activities will be taken forward.

 This subject will be on the agenda for the next committee meeting.  

b)    Geoff Nastri to erect the CRA Notice Board for Community Activities outside the ICA Medicas premises.

Geoff reported that he has completed this action.

3. CRA/ICA Community Activities premises:

Bob Owen reported that all current users of this facility have been issued with agreement forms for signature. All of which have been returned to Bob duly signed.

The committee agreed that a poster stating the terms and the availability of this facility should be posted on the newly erected Notice Board.

Action: Bob Owen

Anyone wishing to book this facility for community activities please call

Bob Owen – Telephone Number  968.970.577

4. Meeting with the Mayor:

The CRA is to meet with the Mayor on Wednesday 4th November; the agenda for this meeting has been fully agreed by the committee and has been forwarded as requested to Councillor Galvez. Details of this agenda can be found on the CRA website.

Mary Cooper asked if the minutes of this meeting would be agreed and signed off by the Mayor. The Committee agreed that this should happen and Greg Green will raise this subject for agreement with the Mayor and Councillor Galvez during the meeting.

Action: Greg Green

 5. Any Other Business: 

a)    CRA Camposol Website:

 The subject of the number of email addresses supplied for use on the website was raised by Barrie Eveleigh. The committee agreed that these should be reduced to three:  CRA Chairman, Administration and Forum.

Proposed by Mary Cooper and seconded by Les Crook carried unanimously.

 Action: Greg Green to ensure that surplus email addresses are removed.

 6. Next meeting Monday 9th November 2009 at 17:15pm

With no further business to discuss the meeting closed at 18:50pm.

Camposol Residents Association
Registration Number: 7943/1 – CIF G73369167
Apartado de Correos 61.
30870 Mazarron
Murcia

Posted in CRA Committee Meeting Minutes | Comments Off