Former councillors charged in noise case

TWO Malaga councillors remain charged in a case excessive noise in Malaga. Malaga Provincial Court has upheld the charges against former Environmental Councillors Patricia Marin and Araceli Gonzalez, for breach of legal obligation.

It is considered they failed to act as required against the Limonar 40 restaurant which had been reported for excessive noise for playing loud music. Residents requested reports which proved that the noise levels amounted to acoustic contamination.

They and the Local Police reported the restaurant on several occasions between 2005 and 2008 but despite two fines amounting to €9,000 and the sound system being banned from use, the business continued to act as normal.

When the case went to court, the two councillors were called along with the owner of the restaurant and the person who hired part of it and had been playing music too loud.

The judge considers that the councillors had the power to do something in this case and failed to do so, although one claims it was not her responsibility and the other argues that the two fines should have been enough. The court has rejected this, as no inspection of the premises was ordered.