Minutes of the meeting of the Central Liaison Committee with Councillor José Gómez held on Wednesday 18th July 2012
Present
José Gómez Councillor for Foreign Residents
Tatiana Andrés Municipal worker in the Town Hall Office in Camposol
Bob Owen CRA Chairman
Les Crook CRA Vice Chairman
José Navarro CRA Secretary
Sandy Allison CRA Treasurer
Jackie Drewe CRA Website & Membership Secretary
John Dawes CRA CLC member
Peter Pitt CRA CLC member
Ernie Prior CRA CLC member
Bridget Stuart CRA CLC member
Apologies
Barrie Eveleigh CRA Press Secretary
The meeting started at 5.00 pm.
BO opened the meeting by welcoming JG and TA, thanking them for the meeting. BO also told JG that we have sent him a translation made by JN of the questions that were going to be made in the meeting.
JG stated it is not really necessary to give him the questions previously. He stated that he will answer if he can, and if he cannot, he won’t.
JN asked: “If the bonds are going to be enough to cover the costs of completing Camposol, why doesn’t the Council dismiss MASA and do the completion by itself?”
JG answered that there is certainly enough money in the bonds to complete Camposol, but that there were two ways: The legal way, in which the Town Hall claims the bonds and do all the job; and the mutual agreement way, in which MASA do the job with the same money. The main problem of the legal way is that MASA can appeal against it, and that Spanish courts deadlines are so long winded. It could be 8 or 9 years to complete the legal process.
JN asked: “In the 21st of March CPC, you told us that the budget for A was 152K€, leaving 448K€ from the bonds available for BCD. But in our last meeting (16th May 2012) you told us there was “around 160K€” for BCD instead. You also told us in March that the bond for B was 300K€. But in our last meeting (16th May 2012) you told us it is 700K€. What is happening with these figures? What is the real situation?”
JG answered that the exact figure for sector B is unknown yet. Each house has its portion of bonds, and it has to be the sum of all properties of B that will give us the figure. JG told us, however, that he know the figure for the total BCD.
About the 160K€ figure of sector A, JG told us it is an amount kept for amendments sector A may need in the future. If not needed, They will pass onto the sector B budget.
J Drewe asked: “Has a procedure yet been established for those without water meters? We have over 200 members who are worried that their water may be cut off.”
JG told us our members shouldn’t worry. There will be no cutting offs. The Town Hall is currently in negotiations with Aqualia. They have already agreed that there will be no cut offs in the adjustment process.
JG also told us that there is not a procedure established yet. The contract between MASA and Aqualia was a very tricky one, and they are still struggling to get out of the legal nightmare it has caused.
J Dawes stated that Aquaila have claimed that people without water meters will be charged with a big amount of money due to the water “stolen” in the past years.
JG told us at the end it will be the Council’s will, and not Aqualia’s, and to pay no attention to whatever Aqualia say to the citizens at their office, but to pay attention to what the Town Hall tells them.
JN asked: “Can you give the latest information regarding the invoicing of water/basura charges.”
JG told us there are people that get no charges for some months now. This is nothing to worry about, as it is part of the adjustment process and part of the negotiations. Nobody needs to go to gestorías or plumbers and get charged 180€ only to find it was not necessery.
Nobody will be charged until the agreement is signed.
LC asked “Why are there people from Aqualia going around reading meters?”
JG stated this can be for two reasons: First, as a sign the agreement is near and they are preparing the invoices. Otherwise, as a measure of how many will they have to charge the Town Hall if the Council finally dismiss Aqualia.
BO asked: “As most residents on B,C & D do not have a certificate of habitation will Aqualia invoice residents directly or will the invoice come from the Town Hall.”
JG told us Aqualia will invoice the residents directly, as an outcome of the current negotiations.
J Drewe asked: “Will owners be able to report water leaks direct to Agualia?”
JG told us that yes, of course, but at the end of the process. Aqualia will even have an office in the cultural centre to attend to the citizens.
LC asked: “What about leaks out of office hours, then?”
JG stated in that case the CRA can contact him directly, and he will manage it with Aqualia.
JG told us it is useless to call Aqualia directly, as they direct your call to the Madrid offices, and they claim Camposol is not their problem.
J Drewe asked: “There have been many leaks on Sector B over the last year, most of these appear to have been repaired but then burst again. Bearing in mind the damage to the road/bridge due to these leaks, is there a plan to investigate further with the view of remedial work?”
JG stated that Aqualia is committed to get to the bottom of the problem. In fact, Aqualia have agreed to spend 2500K€ in order to fix the entire Camposol water supply. Aqualia has a vested interest in this project, as this will grant them more years in a contract with the Mazarrón Town Hall.
EP asked: “After a leak has been repaired, the paving blocks are not relayed. This is particularly hazardous to those with mobility problems and pedestrians walking at night. Is there another department within Aqualia that handles this final stage of the repair? We have photographic evidence showing the terrible state that Aqualia leave the roads/pavements after leak repairs. Can pressure be put on them to carry out repairs more promptly?”
JG assured us that it is Aqualia who have to repair the pavements and the roads after a water leak. As Aqualia and the Town Hall are under negotiations, Aqualia does not want to invest more money on Camposol until they finally sign the agreement, because the Town Hall could give the contract to another company.
EP asked: “Will it be before or after an accident occurs?”
JG assured us the Town Hall is very dissatisfied with Aqualia due to this, and that he calls them on a daily basis trying to get them here to fix problems.
LC added that the good work of the many volunteers groups of Camposol gets spoiled when Aqualia comes and leaves pavement like a bomb has hit them.
JG told us he will take the photographic evidence to the Mayor and to Aqualia tomorrow (19th July) and that he will inform to TA about the outcome.
J Drewe asked: “Can you update us on the bridge repairs?”
JG told us there is already a serious project for repairing the bridge to a better-than-ever state. He stated that the works will begin in about two weeks. The project includes retaining walls. JG stated the Town Hall is committed to never leting something like this happen again.
EP asked: “Cannot the barriers be put with a sandbag or something to avoid them falling off over and over again?
JG stated this is the job of the Local Police, and that he will request them to do so.
JN asked: “Due to the state of the bridge and its problems, we ask for the access to Camposol from the road C-3315 to be open ASAP, as it is in the plan parcial.”
JG told us this is nearly impossible. MASA is the one who should do it, and most certainly they are not going to do it. Nevertheless, JG will talk with the Town Hall about this requesting a feasible solution.
J Drewe asked: “Can the use of illegal vehicles being operated by some local building companies be reported as a standard traffic offence and not one that needs a denuncia? The business concerned has threatened so many residents that people are frightened of being identified.”
JG stated he went personally on this subject with the local Police, and they reported him several times haven’t found anything illegal.
After the insistence of the committee with some statements about those hardly believable reports, JG stated he will try with the Guardia Civil.
JG requested us again some photographic evidence for him to show, as the former is on the files of the Local Police.
EP asked: “At the last meeting with you, you were asked that seeing the council have now taken over A sector, would Camposol be seeing a better Police presence. Your reply was that the council had a disagreement with the Policia Local and they were on a work to rule. Is the dispute now over?”
JG answered that the situation is more or less the same, that all is based on economic claims, but that eventually they will have to accept the new economical situation of the Municipality.
PP asked: “A demolition order was placed on the structure on the perimeter road of B, and the Mayor told us in January that it would be enforced. 6 months have passed and no action has been taken. We ask for a prompt demolition.”
JG stated that, as far as he knows, there is not a demolition ordered by the courts, but a fine. We have to wait for the order from the courts, from a judge.
It was agreed that BO will send JG a copy of the denuncia made three years ago about this yard.
SA asked: “At the last meeting you said that the Council would be meeting
with Justo Quesda to talk about the work on BCD. What was the outcome of this meeting?”
JG stated that nothing really came out from that meeting, except the arrangement of another meeting with Daniel Bascuñana and Justo Antonio Quesada (Justo’s son). In that meeting they were working on an agreement for the release of the bonds of BCD. The main point of the Town Hall is that, if they do not get the bonds, they will could be used to repay MASA’s creditors.
BO thanked JG and TA again for their time.
JG finally stated that they are at our service, and that it is their duty to come to these meetings.
There being no further business the meeting closed at 6.16 pm.
