My email jiminysimpson@gmail.com

My email jiminysimpson@gmail.com

Friday, February 28, 2014

Church Door Appeal.

I do not normally use this blog for charitable things, however, I have been approached by one of the Spanish church congregation, who is trying to raise funds to pay for some remedial work which has been carried out to the antique door to the Church of San Ramon Nonato, according to one website
"The Parish Church of San Ramon Nonato is one of the most notable places to visit. Built in 1558 to 1570, the fabulous Mudejar woodwork still survives."
The previous priest contracted a company to carry out remedial work which cost a total of €7,000. The parish members have so far raised €6,800 but need to find the remaining €200 within the next week.
I intend to be in the Town Hall on Tuesday morning between 1100 and 1300 on Tuesday 4th March and at La Vida from 1600 to 1700.
If any of the readers would like to contribute to this cause please pop in to see me at either location on Tuesday or at my home. Or if you wish to contribute but cannot make these places I will arrange to collect if you let me know.
All persons who contribute will have their names read out by the priest at the next mass after the bill has been paid.

Andalucia Day

Sorry for late notification just found out myself.

This morning at between 11 and 11.30am there will be a parade of horses from the Renfe Building in La Alfoquia to Zurgena and back This afternoon at 4.30pm there will be the horseback Pinata in the area in front of the Renfe.

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Copy of press release from Councillor of Culture regarding this Saturday

Zurgena Township held on 1 March 2014 a Carnival this year will offer an evening full of fun for both kids and adults. Zurgenero City Council has prepared a full day of activities for the day of smiles, joy and celebration. This year, workshops, parades, a musical performance and costume party competition and become more attractive than ever Zurgena Carnival.

The Department of Culture and Sports has thought of encouraging the participation of younger with makeup workshop, so they look great in the post parade for adults and children, starting at seven pm and will depart from Plaza del Olmo . The workshop for children start at five in the afternoon and will be held in the marquee on the town square. Subsequently, once the parade has been filled with joy and the music zurgeneras streets, child carnival competition will be held.
Contests and call for participation
Later, from ten in the evening, the tent city will host the competition adult costume, this year holds a first prize of 120 euros for the winner, 80 euros for second place and the third prize, a ham gift.
The football team also works with municipal hall Carnival 2014 organized by the City of Zurgena. After the adult competition, the duet 'Beautiful Music 'with his music will touch to the carnival this year. The Councillor for Culture and Sport, Noelia GarcĂ­a, has called on residents to "dress up and participate in this unique festival in which, this year, we proposed activities that would be fun for all residents, young and old" and " fill color and festive atmosphere Zurgena streets. "

3rd Age Week

Programme for the 3rd Age Week.

Tuesday 25th February

Had a meeting with Candido and Luis this morning to go over some of my outstanding issues.

1. Street signs. As a result of my asking for a new road sign for Calle Dinamarca, we thought it better if I requested anyone who has a street, without a name sign, to contact me and I would compile a list so that we can get the outstanding ones at one go. So if you live on a street without a sign then please email me so that I can include it in the order. I tried to get this done years ago but failed but I am sure we can get them sorted this time.

2.We are, as a result of running out of contracted work with Nila, looking again at trying to make good/repair the other streets which were affected by the storm of September 2012. We have applications in for grants for this work (for streets such as Calle Escocia, Finlandia and Hungria) but, as we are still waiting, Candido is trying to see if we can manage with the THs labour and material. It is interesting to note that a number of the indigenous people think the TH is pandering too much to the expat community in the provision of street surfacing!!

3. The area known as Llanos de Era of Barrio de Palaces has had a couple of visits from the TH and, I believe, a digger has levelled the access track recently. I need to know the name of the street there in order to add to the above list.

4. The proposed paving for opposite La Vida, down the hill will have to wait until June or July when there is a programme for paving in the town and we should have sufficient materials left over to do that. Otherwise we would have to pay for it and we do not have the money available.

5. I am still awaiting a price for a trip for us elderly! The TH are hopefully going to subsidise it a bit and I hope that, if I can get it sorted, that it will be a mix of Spanish and British people who go on it.

6. There are a number of street lights across the municipality that require attention. The TH has a programme whereby the street lights get attention in a rotational timescale. So although we only have a few workers they will get round to them all, it is just that it takes a bit of time.

7. Luis if still trying to get a price for a replacement memorial for the British Legion for by the Renfe.

8. The TH is still looking into the track from Palaces to Solas and the Polizia Local are enquiring about the ownership of some of this track to see what can be done to improve the access there. This area is similar to the area at Llanos de Era as they are quite a way from the main streets we cannot afford to surface these tracks but will try to maintain them by using diggers to level them.

We discussed some other problems which are all being examined for possible solutions.

Finally the following people need to call into the TH, with NIE or passport, to confirm they should be on the Padron, if they can. Paul Keith Hollings, David Arthur and Janet May Horne, Michelle V Morsali, David Charles Tancock, Joan Lorraine Usher. This is the usual random check of the padron. I will try and contact them by phone but in case I cannot reach them I have posted on here.


Andalucia Day



Sunday, February 23, 2014

Sunday 23rd February

Sorry for the dearth of information the past week or so, have been away.

Whilst I was away I was informed of a fire in the Cucador Norte area near La Vida. It took some time to control and minor damage was caused. It is perhaps timely to remind people of the fact that fires can be very serious in our area and very quickly spread. Due to the unusually dry winter the ground is particularly flammable at the moment so please take care. Remember if you wish to burn anything you need to have a permit from the Town Hall and the time for the issuing of such licences is fast running out. If you have no permit you can be fined very heavily.

I will also see what the programme is for Andalucia Day on the 28th.

I will be back in the Town Hall this week. I have a number of  issues outstanding (as usual) I will chase up. If you have an issue which I have not yet answered or resolved please remind me. I keep all emails of such a nature on one side until I get answers.

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Thursday 13th Feb

Another fairly quiet week for me. The Mayor and architects are having continuing, intense and productive meetings with the Junta regarding the PGOU, which is heartening.

We had a brief meeting with the AUAN last evening at which one of the solicitors from the THs team and Gerardo Vasquez from AUAN had a good conversation regarding strategy around the recent annulment of building licences and further actions will follow. The discussions did reveal good developements around the plans and also the infrastructure for the sewerage which should start in a couple of months (but you know how I hate anticipating dates for things such as this!).

Nila have almost completed their road works in Llanos Del Peral, Cucador and Los Carasoles which will leave them Palaces and Los Menchones still to be done. It is intriguing how, of the many emails I received on this issue, I have had 3 exceptionally appreciative but 6 of a complaining nature!

Please remember about Andreas' doing the outside surgeries 4 until 7pm Monday at Los Llanos and Wednesday at Palaces.

Below are details of workshops for the 3rd Age eg old fogeys like me! If you are interesetd in any of them more information and registration can be made at the Town Hall between 10th and 21st February.



I will not be back in the TH until March but will always monitor and respond to emails.

Friday, February 7, 2014

Friday 7th February

Had a good meeting with Luis this morning. I had to take him away from a meeting which the Technicos, Candido and Manolo were having re the PGOU. There is loads of work going on at the moment with the PGOU and things are looking a little more positive. It is good to see that the politicians are putting party politics to one side and seeking expertise and knowledge from all who can help.    

Luis asked me what sort of events or community things the expat community would like to see but I told him that the vast majority did not want British specific events and would much prefer to be more fully involved with local Spanish things such as the fiestas etc. He was thinking of providing support to things like Queens Birthday etc!  After we had looked at a few things we realised that it would be better to ensure that when anything of a social nature takes place that we get a decent period of notice. Once this had been agreed Luis told me that there was to be a Fiesta for the Almanzora Valley to be held at the Renfe on the 13th March.When the details are fully confirmed Noelia, who is organising it will let me know.

On behalf of the British Legion I asked if we could provide a new marble (or similar) memorial to replace the existing one which keeps getting moved by kids. He agreed to look into providing this.

I raised the issue of the houses between Palaces and Cucador known as Llanos de Era or Barrio de Palaces. He said he would have a look around that area and see what we could do to improve things there.

I asked if there was a way we could ensure that councillors reply to emails. I am constantly frustrated by sending emails which do not even get a response, leaving me not knowing whether they have been received or not. He agreed a process to try and address this. Maybe it is just me!

I also raised the issue for a future project which had been mentioned to me some weeks ago regarding a possible footpath from Los Carasoles to La Alfoquia. He said that of curse there will be the green way following the railway line when the regional authorities get it sorted. It is progressing. But he did also say we could, in addition to that, look at considering a paved footpath more directly by the roads.

We discussed a number of individual issues, which had been referred to me, and he has taken them on board (I have emailed the people, involved in these issues, directly).

We have also agreed to meet with the AUAN and technicos next Wednesday to discuss a possible public meeting.                                

Saturday, February 1, 2014

Green Way Moves Forward

I copied this from the Euro Weekly today,

STEPS taken by the Mancomunidad of the Valle del Almanzora for the implementation of a Via Verde (Green route) finally look to have paid dividends.
After years battling to get land on the one hand, and the funding of the work and equipment on the other, Mancomunidad President Antonio Ramon Salas has declared the first step has been made.

Speaking to Spanish Daily, Diario de Almeria, Salas commented : "The central government has included in the state budget  finances for the first of two phases of the Via Verde. We do not know exactly how much this first phase will cost run but it will exceed €1 million."

According to Salas, the initial works will be to clean up the stretch of train tracks that run from Hijate to Fines. "What we want is for all fans of cycling, horse riding and walkers to have a perfect space to enjoy," he added. The second phase of works will eventually connect Fines to the town of Zurgena.