Orihuela Town Council meeting - 27th January 2009

At the full monthly meeting of the Orihuela Town Council (Pleno) held on Tuesday 27th January 2009 the following points which affect Orihuela Costa were discussed.

Unfinished Urbanisation

In the Town Council meeting held on the 31st March 2008, as a result of the proposal by the PP it was agreed unanimously by all parties, to open the tender process for the completion and development of the Montepinar Urbanization situated near to Orihuela city to bring up-to-date the basic infrastructure of the area. The urbanization was built at the time without a licence and urban planning and remains unfinished for some 40 years.

The matter was raised at this Pleno in order that the original Tender process is cancelled, because of the lack of interest from any private developers to take on the work, and for the raising of a new Tender for the development of Montepinar to be carried out.

Why does this concern to the inhabitants of the Costa?

There are eight Urbanizations in the Costa, Castillo de Don Juan East and West, Montezenia, Las Filipinas East and West, Blue Lagoon, Los Almendros and Lomas de Don Juan, which have the same bad situation as that of Montepinar.

Los Verdes Councillor Monserrate Guillén, demanded in the Pleno (Council meeting) that the Government of the PP start the same process to rectify the situation of these neglected Urbanizations of the Costa.

Conflict in the Gaza Strip

An Institutional (Joint) Motion was presented to the meeting by spokespersons of the four parties of the Council in respect of the situation in the Gaza Strip of Palestine. The Motion was agreed unanimously (25 votes), with the following terms.

1. The condemnation of the disproportionate military actions undertaken by the Government of Israel, and similarly to condemn the attacks by Hamas against the people of Israel, and to demand an end to hostilities by both parties.
   
2. To express the deepest indignation at the tragic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and demand that both parties fulfil their obligations, allowing full access for humanitarian aid and the international press.
   
3. To set aside from the 2009 municipal budget, a fund for aid to be given via the Red Cross to provide medicines, medical supplies and food.
4. To urge the Government of Spain, to develop all the diplomatic and political actions necessary not only to resolve this conflict but for the fulfilment of all UN resolutions relating to human rights.

TRAM Extension to Orihuela Costa

As previously reported Los Verdes presented a Motion to the Pleno in respect of the proposed extension of the TRAM system southerly from Alicante.

The Motion called for;

1. That the Orihuela Town Council agree to demand to the Valencia Provincial Government (Generalitat Valenciana) that the TRAM public transport system extension is continued as fas as Orihuela Costa.
   
2. That the Valencia Regional Government undertake a study to ascertain the viability of an extension of the TRAM system from Orihuela Costa and Torrevieja to Orihuela a historic centre.

The three opposition parties (Los Verdes, PSOE and CLR) voted in favour (11) of the Motion but for no understandable reason the PP surprisingly voted against (14) it, therefore the Motion was rejected.

Extension of the TRAM to Orihuela Costa.

The Los Verdes Councillors in Orihuela have announced that they have filed a Motion for inclusion and discussion at the next monthly Town Council (Pleno) meeting asking that a request is made to the Valencian Regional Council (Generalitat Valenciana) for the TRAM system that runs from Alicante northwards to Denia to be extended southerly to Orihuela Costa. The system is managed by the company Ferrocaril de la Generalitat Valencia and provides a public transport system as a viable alternative to private transport in that area.

It has been recently announced by D Andrés Ballester, Valencian Regional Councillor, that the TRAM system is to be extended only as far as Torrevieja.

It is alleged that as no representation was made by the PP Council of Orihuela for the line to be extended to Orihuela Costa it has not been considered!

In consideration that it is plausible that the PP Council have failed to make any representation on this matter Los Verdes has decided to submit the Motion to ask the Regional Government to extend the TRAM line to Orihuela Costa and to undertake a study as to the feasibility of a connecting line from Orihuela town to Orihuela Costa.

Los Verdes believe the extension of the TRAM system (a subject that the party raised in it's manifesto in 2003, as well as the controversy of the route of the AVE) is an essential and basic element to take advantage of the tourism potential of Orihuela and the area. Not only would it allow easy access to all parts of the area for tourists but it would help to decrease the volume of traffic on the roads during the summer and would benefit the environment.