New mayor prioritises waste and land use in Torrevieja

BRING rubbish collection back into the public sector and review the land-use planning of Torrevieja. These are the two priorities of Torrevieja’s new mayor, Jose Manuel Dolon, from Los Verdes party.
“I’ve told the specialist advisors that we are going to meet next week to review calmly, without any pressure, the matter of the contract for rubbish. We come from a corruption scandal that has made Torrevieja lose many millions of euros, so we need to look at it,” he said. The mayor added that one option would be to municipalise it so it becomes a public service and is not outsourced. Experts will be on hand to advise the mayor on whether a public contract would be feasible and inexpensive.
The waste collection service contracted in 2004 to the multinational Acciona is at the centre of controversy after former mayor, Pedro Hernandez, was convicted of fixing the awarding of the contract. Acciona was awarded an extension on their contract in November last year.
In reference to the revision of the General Plan, adopted in 1987, Dolon said: “I will do everything possible to get it going. It is not today or tomorrow. It is a commitment of years but we must try to reach a conclusion on this mandate.”
He said the plan of the port would be adopted at the same time as the revision of the General Plan. The revision of the plan “is a priority with the challenge of integrating some of these areas that have become ghettos to bring them into the development of the city in a harmonious way.” He added: “We must act for all citizens, to end the policy of men who came to get rich at the expense of the people of Torrevieja.”