Managed to get some time with Candido today and it was helpful as I needed to understand better how, and what, we were doing, regarding the roll out of IBI (Council Tax). Firstly I got another lesson in how to use the inventory computer which we are using for this process. I can now interrogate and update that software programme which will help me. It will also help me when dealing with queries from people.
I then asked about a number of areas where people had contacted me to say that they understood about the IBI bills but that they felt they needed things such as tarmac roads lighting etc before they felt able to pay IBI. I used as an example Los Menchones and Los Carasoles. Candido explained that we do have a problem in that our finances are in a dire situation he showed me a document from 2008 which showed the amount of money we had received from the Junta (415,000 euros) but that the Junta wanted a repayment due to an over calculation of 64,000 euros for that year and double that for 2009. So that, not only is our income reducing, but we are also having to find monies to repay the Junta for over calculations. Candido said they were trying, where possible, to tidy areas up and put in extra infrastructure but this was very little by little. I asked whether, if IBI was being paid, everything would be attended to and he said ,"for certain." They are applying for subsidies to do this work bit by bit and applications have gone in for every area but these only get granted in a very slow manner. For example the road which leads to Calle Albert Einstein in Los Menchones (a very short stretch), actually leads to the camino, and would need to be done in its entirety, which is not such a cheap option. We are really struggling to keep up with staff wages at the moment so I can understand the delays in trying to get these things done.
I asked what stage we were at now regarding the IBI and how the process would go forward. He explained that they had had another couple of meetings this week with the taxation people and only a couple of more signatures were needed. Once we had these we would have a lot of work to do (I believe I am to help starting next week so you may hear ) to get things ready probably by early 2011 to be able to send it off to the taxation office who, if everything was okay, would issue the IBI bills in September 2011. This is the only date when the office issue the bills, once a year. I again asked if he had any idea on how much these bills would be and he listed some of the factors that would be taken into account. Rather than fill a whole page with these factors I can tell you that every possible thing is taken into account down to distance to airport, year built, condition etc. Loads. Salvadore was there, whilst I was discussing this with Candido, and he said he thought that for my property (3 bed detached 6 year old on 1,000 sq metre plot with pool and garage) it would be in the region of 300 euros a year and Candido thought it would be nearer 200. One of the other councillors walked past and said, "zero for councillors." I thought yes like the zero expenses we get now.
So to summarise we should have all the details sent to the taxation office by January. If all okay bills would be raised September 2011 and can go back up to 4 years to the date of grant of Licence of 1st occupation.
I then wanted to know more about the court case which was due to be heard in the Almeria Court on 8th,9th,10th & 11th March 2011. Candido explained that this action was not one brought about by the Fiscal (see more below) but by purchasers of properties in Barranco de los Pinos. He said the Fiscal had failed to bring any charges, as he had failed to find sufficient evidence, but that this action was being brought by British people, who were informing the courts that their houses were illegal and summoning the entire council and the builder and architect to court. He said that he felt they would have been better advised to take an action against the Junta but that he felt the council would win the case as they had dealt with this area the same as the others. He said it was a difficult situation, as the Council would have to defend themselves but, that the petitioners would have to pay any damages if they lost. He also found it difficult to understand why those petitioners would want to record their properties as illegal when no such finding has occurred for any of the developements in Zurgena. It will be interesting to see what happens when this case appears at court. Might even go down to it myself.
Dirty Tricks: Just when I thought I could not hear anything more disgusting about politics in Spain I was told about a breaking story in La Voz de Almeria (bearing in mind that this is a PSOE controlled paper). It also impacts on the Barranco de los Pinos case. Apparently the fiscal in Huercal Overa, who ordered the stoppage of work on Barranco de los Pinos, was one Juan Sanchez Martinez (who is, I believe, the son of the Mayor of Taberno). It transpires that when he tried to do this the first time there was a female Judge in Huercal Overa (Marina Delgado) who objected and said that they should look at all the facts before making any decision. Martinez, as he is an active member of PSOE ignored her and went ahead. It subsequently transpired that Martinez had his wife working within his office as a secretary, which is against the rules as it negates the natural checks and balances of having someone independent in the Fiscal office. Also subsequently, Delgado suffered a number of strange incidents, anonymous letters, all four tyres on her Mercedes car were slit, items went missing from her office and a pile of human excrement was left on her desk. She moved fom Huercal Overa to Lorca but not before asking and getting permission for a camera in her office, on which she recorded Martinez entering her office. The case is being investigated by the Superior Court in Granada in the meantime, we are led to believe, the Court in Huercal Overa has been closed. Just another example of the level malicious politicians can go to here. Details of the allegations are in La Voz de Almeria dated 8th October.
We spent over an hour discussing the above issues, so some other matters were left but, those of you who had asked what the position was regarding the Town Hall, issuing licences of 1st Occupation please give me a ring (between 11.0am and 1.0pm any day), there was a small developement on this issue which I can only discuss by phone or in person. In general they still cannot issue these licences but there is hope for the future.
I gave an updated list of the missing street names for Paco's attention and again mentioned the state of the road into Cucador for Paco's attention.
Just a note that October the 12th is Columbas day which is a national holiday. I know this because they told me that as a councillor I could attend at the behest of the comandante, the office of the Guardia Civil. As it was too late to get Andreas to attend I will not be going. It seems some offices will be closed Monday and Tuesday next week.
Finally just another mention about voting rights. If you voted at the last election you should receive a voting paper prior to the next elections. If you did not vote at the last elections you will need to complete a form to say you wish to vote. This form can be obtained from me, the AUAN or most NHW coordinators. I am still awaiting a full election list which the Town Hall are trying to provide me.
Lengthy post if any queries as usual just email (jiminysimpson@gmail.com or phone 661147554 preferably between 11.0am and 1.0pm (definitely not between 2.0pm and 4.0pm).
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