More say for town halls

VALENCIAN COMMUNITY town and city halls could in future veto petrol stations inside town or city centres.
Following a motion approved with PSPV, Compromis and Podemos votes, the regional parliament Les Corts will seek changes in the law to give local governments more power when specifying conditions for new petrol stations.
The motion was put forward by Jose Chulvi, a regional MP as well as mayor of Javea.
He explained that problems have arisen since 2013 when the government of the day deregulated the fuel market, classing installations that supply fuel as no different from any other retail establishment.
Local governments must approve licences “even if there are already more than enough petrol stations, even when it is beside a school or in a heavily populated area and despite strong social opposition,” Chulvi said.
After Javea town hall had no say in the installation of a new self-service petrol station in the town centre last year, local councillors voted to propose changes in the law.
Chulvi thanked Compromis and Podemos for their backing while lamenting the lack of support from the Partido Popular, Ciudadanos and Vox.
They were overlooking the concerns of the public and their own representatives in municipalities where petrol stations were creating social conflict, Chulvi said.

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