Camposol Residents Association
Central Liaison Committee
Minutes of the 62nd Meeting 1st March 2010
Those Present: Greg Green Chairman
Joyce Stewart Vice Chair/Treasurer
Les Crook Membership Sec
Barrie Eveleigh Communications
John Daws
Geoff Nastri
Bob Owen
Apologies: Mary Cooper
Meeting started 5pm
Item 1. Minutes of previous meeting.
Minutes of the 61st meeting having been circulated prior were agreed as a true record.
Proposed: Bob Owen
Seconded: Barrie Eveleigh Carried unanimously
Item 2. Finance Update.
Treasurer reported the General Fund stands at 822.44
The Legal Fund balance at 01.03.10 stands at 18,485.75
Cash in hand 213.64
Refunds from the legal fund to date are 1,640
The bill of 464€ for the Report on IBI payment has been paid.
Item 3. Membership Update.
Les advised that the old and new registers have been amalgamated, and membership now stands at 2,183.
Per Sector Breakdown:
Sector A: 278 members, Sector B: 435, Sector C: 422, Sector D: 999
Only 49 members occupying 39 houses failed to give their poligono nº.
To pre-empt questions on individual or households, these figures represent:
199 homes on A, 275 on B, 254 on C, and 636 on D.
As there are approx 4,000 houses on Camposol, these figures show approx. 33% of houses have at least one CRA member.
The facility to register via e-mail is proving a success with several new and re-registering members, an e-mail of welcome is sent to all new members.
It was decided that as space permits this method of registering will be publicised in the monthly news letters.
Item 4. Communications Update.
Barrie said his letter to President Zapatero is complete and its content agreed by the committee. This will be put into Spanish and sent asap.
The article for next month’s Journal is in progress.
Joyce S to investigate cost of translations.
Item 5. IBI Payments.
As stated in the minutes of the 60th meeting of the CLC, it was decided to seek specific legal advice on the legality of IBI payments being requested from an unfinished, unadopted urbanization. This report is now in hand at a cost of 464€. (See Item 2)
In brief it says;
Camposol IBI bills show the Land Registry in regard of Camposol land as ‘Urbana’ and bills owners as such.
The PGOU (General Plan) of Mazarrón shows the land as undeveloped ‘buildable’ land.
There has been a Supreme Court ruling that ‘buildable’ land not be subject to IBI.
There are also “judgements” to the contrary.
Espadas, who supplied this Report feel that Camposol owners would have a good case for non payment, but advise that those who receive an IBI bill should pay it and argue their case later, rather than refuse to pay, as fines of 20% are added and the Council can make determined efforts to collect.
Due to the odd – to we English – rule that it is the responsibility of the citizen to enquire if he has an outstanding bill, rather than the responsibility of the authorities to send a bill, all queries about IBI, car tax, fines etc should be made at the Hacienda office in Mazarrón. It was suggested that all owners carryout this process at least twice a year.
The IBI legal report in Spanish & English will be published on the website once the electronic version is received.
Item 6. Meeting with the Mayor
Overall there were mixed views regarding the outcome of the meeting.
Regarding the issue of recovering the Masa guarantees, it was clear from what was said a the meeting that this action is likely to be a long process and although disappointing it was agreed that we have little option but to wait until it runs its course.
Concerns were raised about the Council lawyer’s disclosure that they are considering the idea of an equal division of the urbanization for easier administrative purposes, albeit this is only an idea at this time. It was also made quite clear by both the Mayor and the lawyer present that there can be no takeover of any part of Camposol until it is complete and any decisions on what kind of Entity and where, if any, changes to the dividing lines might be, are still some way in the future.
This attitude was viewed by the committee as somewhat disappointing due to its complexity. If not addressed soon enough there are likely to be added delays in setting up the management structure
What was also made clear at the meeting is that the costs of completion and maintenance will come at a cost greater than the guarantees in place. The Mayor has no wish to discuss at this time how those costs will be covered and by whom, until take over is imminent. He has however said in the past that he does not intend that the financial burden will fall on the Council.
Here again the committee feel that to avoid as much delay as possible these issues need addressing sooner rather than later.
Committee opinion is that although it seems we can have little input on the due process leading toward completion, the continued day by day deterioration of the infrastructure dictates that we must attempt to influence the speed of that process as much as possible.
With that in mind the Committee intends to present the idea of a plan to advance necessary work in the interim.
More specific points will be raised at future meetings and it is hoped that Cllr Galvez in her capacity as Councillor for Foreigners will meet us before the next scheduled meeting with the Mayor to pave the way for this.
Given the lack of success by the group opposed to the transfer of the Mazarrón Market Hall, despite their very well organised and continuous series of protests, it must be believed that protests by Camposol would meet with the same indifference at this time. It was also agreed that Legal action against the Council is not an option due to lack of support, leaving only continued negotiation as an option.
Item 7. Fin de Obra Certificates
Geoff Nastri brought to the attention of the committee that some of these certificates together with ten year guarantees are now available for many properties at Costa Calida Services office on Sector A Commercial.
Information is that there are none for turistico properties. Anyone interested in obtaining this documentation should contact CCS direct.
Item 8. C Sector Meeting
Chair said that he has been asked by residents of Sector C to address a meeting organised by them on Wednesday at 11am in Kennellys, at which a legal firm will be in attendance to advise those with defective housing. Chair informed the committee that he will attend this meeting to give them CRA support, but that he in no way intends it to be seen as a CRA initiative.
Item 9. Community Centre.
Chair advised that Cllr Galvez has informed him that the Council have been granted the funds to build the Camposol Community Centre, and that the Centre will be completed within a year.
Item 10. Liaison with the Spanish.
Through our website the CRA has been asked by a Spanish resident of Camposol if we could generate any interest in a basic language exchange scheme to be run at the secondary school in Mazarrón Town.
Joyce S and Les C are to meet Antonio to get more information.
Item 11. AOB
a. John D. asked was there anything further to report on the subsidence on the approaches to the bridge.
Chair said that a council engineer has inspected the bridge and contacted Masa. Cllr Galvez has said that if Masa don’t repair it the Council will and they will bill Masa. Chair has subsequently contacted Miguel and a Masa engineer has assured him that the bridge will be repaired but declined to say when.
b.Les C told of a demo being organised by AUN (Abusos Urbanisticas) in Malaga. Details will be available at the cabin for anyone wishing to attend the demonstration.
Les C to create a poster for the cabin to that effect.
That being the end of business, the meeting closed at 7.15pm
Next meeting provisionally arranged for Monday 29th March.
