My email jiminysimpson@gmail.com

My email jiminysimpson@gmail.com

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Painting Exhibition

Facebook

Last Update this year

Called into the Town Hall this morning and got updates on a number of certificates of expediente. I have emailed those whose certificates are ready or nearly ready. It seems the new secretary is more efficient than the previous ones at getting them sorted.

Discovered that the next Pleno which was originally to be tomorrow will not now be held until 28th but I will be unable to make that one.

As I was unable to catch Candido today, and the fact that it is getting close to Xmas, I am doubtful of getting any further with the outstanding matters. Pointless really with the Xmas holidays almost upon us. So I will leave these until the New Year. Besides the matters already mentioned for discussion (in a previous blog) I need to get an explanation of how long it will be before they can start work on the sewerage system for Cuesta de Los pinos which was washed away. I do not see how we can continue to leave this for months more!

So unless anything urgent occurs in the near future I will wish you all a very happy Xmas and a good New Year. Lets hope for even more progress next year with the planning issues given the good result at Court.

Monday, December 17, 2012

Xmas 2012 Programme

Copied from the Town Hall Facebook page
(1) NAVIDAD 2012

Friday, December 14, 2012

Xmas Programme from Zurgena Town Hall


Below copied from the Town Halls Facebook pag. If you need any more information just ask.



Thursday, December 13, 2012

Mini Crime Wave


It seems we are having a small crime wave in and around La Alfoquia over the past 48 hours. So far there has been 3 burglaries/attempt burglaries at houses near the pool bar, 1 attempt at the Pool Bar where they forced the rejas with great lumps of wood, similar to the burglary at 5.05pm in Los Carasoles. Another in Calle Nervion at Los Carasoles at 10.20pm last night and one earlier in the day at Los Menchones.
The only thing we have so far is the description yesterday, from the witness to the teatime burglary, and that was of 2 youths 12 to 17 years of age, slim build, one wearing a lime green jacket and a baseball cap. Please be alert and keep your eyes open.
Two boys fitting this description were seen hanging around cars and looking suspicious, in the square area of Arboleas yesterday.
This information is circulated by and to members of Neighbourhood Watch. It is only due to the number of offences, and the fact that there is nothing contentious, that I am taking the liberty of circulating it on here. We have good relations now with the Police and try and help where we can.
If you wish to join NHW and receive these pieces of information please contact me or your local coordinator. 

Saturday, December 8, 2012

Spanish Opinion on Court result

http://www.emilioruiz.es/2012/12/operacion-costurero-operacion-mal.html?spref=fb


Sewing Operation, Careless operation? Basted?

It was early April 2008, do the math: four years and eight months, when the region of Almanzora awoke with a bang informative: the judicial police had occupied the city of Zurgena, the homes of several business and social venues of several companies, which seized thousands of documents and records all with urbanism in what was called Operation Sewing , say named for identification with the Town Planning of the people, surnamed Scissors, Scissors Manuel. After a few months the investigation showed 25 defendants, among them 9 councilors and 11 construction companies. The mayor of the municipality, Candido Trabalon, was, and still is charged with five offenses.

After that huge media operation, the little that is known is that the judge who promoted it is no longer in the judiciary, in politics, and that the prosecutor changed his destiny. The voluminous summary, known by the public in the region thanks to the reproduction of a large part of it by the newspaper News Almanzora , all that was implied that what was cooking there was more shell nuts. The only traces that appeared of a possible illicit enrichment were a primer of a son of one of the defendants, which had entered just under 12,000 euros day after the boy made ​​his First Communion, a car and a councilor It seems that previously had been owned by an entrepreneur and was bought from a sale. Nothing, nothing, absolutely nothing, does this Operation Sewing with another operation we have in the province,the Operation Poniente, Also known essentially by leaks of the summary offered by The Voiceof Almeía .

Today it has been known that the Criminal Court No. 4 of Almería has today acquitted former mayor of Candido Zurgena Trabalon and a dozen other defendants in a case of corruption to authorize the construction of five houses on the site of The Cucador. This summary has now been resolved in the first instance and theThe Sewing Operationare different. But they share the merits: if hundreds of homes being built in Zurgena did on rural land or urban land.The BoardAndalusia has always said that this land was rustic, while the City Council has considered urban. Each of the two agencies had ample evidence to lead to the above conclusion in their arguments. Now, in view of this statement, it seems that the reason was more than that of the City ofBoard. Thedivergence of views, in normal conditions, would have led to a lawsuit for judicial. But no, they chose the path most damaging, the criminal, who was the media, but also could cause more pain than the defendants and the district itself.

The Almanzora, that day, lost all the credit that was before a booming Spanish property market facing the region much more than what he asked. Emilio Ruiz.

Friday, December 7, 2012

Friday 7th December Zurgena Bits

I am indebted to Andreas for helping me this morning. He was looking after the reception desk and there was no one available to cover for him, whilst he helped me withe my questions for Candido and Kiko so he got a bit stressed!

Anyway the points I raised were as follows,

1. My previous request for street plans for each development in the area to assist emergency services etc to locate addresses. I explained that lately another 2 occasions had occurred where addresses could not be easily located and that I have been asking for such plans for over a year. I said that I had not asked for much during my 6 years on the council but this was something I felt was very important and necessary. Candido completely agreed and asked me to remind him after Xmas as at the moment all efforts are going into getting the funding for and engaging the contractors to sort the landslide and continuing the clean up from the storm. I said I certainly would and that I wanted to see these plans installed by next summer at the very latest. Candido said he felt sure they could be done by then. We will see! I have said I will try and get some quotes for the mapping and printing work to help move things along. My thoughts at this moment would be for a plan at the following locations, Cucador entrance to Mena houses, Cuesta de los Pinos opposite bar La Vida, Los Llanos del Peral at entrance to village, Los Menchones side of main road for both 1 and 2, Pool Bar area by entrance to developement, Palaces at entrance to village. Los Carasoles one north side of main road and one south side of main road. If I have forgotten any area please let me know. I really hope I can get this progressed soon.

2. Court Cases. It is not known whether there has been any appeal against the recent case but it does not sound like it, which is good news. The case re Barranco de los Pinos has been adjourned until next July to provide one of the defendants with more information.

3. I asked about some of the tracks such as Calle Odiel/Tajo which are now in more need of levelling. Candido told me that the machinery is working its way around the area again and started in Zurgena and they will get to all temporary tracks to improve the surfaces over the next couple of weeks.

4. I reported the areas where the lights are out and he said he was working his way through them. I told him that all the lights on Calle Abderamman were out and he made a note of that.

5. I asked about the sewerage problem in Calle Farax el Negro, Los Llanos and he and Kiko said they would speak to Paco and Martin  and try and block the drains up so that anyone who has connected their pozo to the street sewerage (which is obviously not connected to anything) will have their own sewerage back up into their pozos rather than flowing out of the street drain and into peoples gardens.

6. We are hoping to get started on sorting the land slip problem but the difficulty is in getting assurances from central government that the funds, to pay anyone for work on this problem, is paid promptly. As soon as we can provide the assurances the contracts will be issued.

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Great News for Zurgena

At last the first of the criminal cases against Candido and many others, which was held last month and the decision of which we thought we may have to wait another couple of weeks has rules. They have absolved all the defendants of any wrongdoing.

It is a great day for all the defendants but also for all of us with properties in this area. Over the past 6 years they have had this hanging over their heads like a sword of damocles and finally they have been proved right. I hope the Spanish press carry the news but I somehow think many of them will not do so controlled as they are by PSOE. It is also satisfying for me, as over the past 6 years many people have questioned my position in support of them but they have always protested their innocence and got the right result.

I do not know if there will be an appeal but this, in view of the fact that it sets a precedent is the most important case and will impact on future cases which are being brought on the same basis and the Town Hall will be defending on the same basis. The Judge did make some comments, which I have been asked not to reveal yet, but which gives us an even stronger case to defend any of the outstanding actions. So happy days.

I called into the Town Hall more in hope than expectation to could catch Candido for some of our outstanding issues but surprisingly he was actually there. However, unsurprisingly he we was somewhat under the weather. He said this morning on his way into the TH he was singing and the last time he was that happy was at the birth of his first son! I agreed to meet with him on Friday morning.

Did get an understanding of how the Court of Peace works. This is a local process whereby a locally appointed judge can hear disputes such as neighbour or domestic type disputes and try and help the parties reach an agreement but in the event he is unable to he can elevate the dispute to the higher courts. All that is necessary is for the parties to attend at the TH and ask for a date for a hearing and provide outline details of the dispute and that is enough to start the process.
























Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Water

Just an update to the water situation. The water supply is off across the whole area. Galasa are working on it but at the moment we do not know when it will be reconnected.
The problem is in the Barrio de Chicago area and they are working on it.