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Areas General Services Presidency Plenary members discuss special plan for La Savina port, protections for traditional sailing technique and home hospitalisation unit

Plenary members discuss special plan for La Savina port, protections for traditional sailing technique and home hospitalisation unit

foto 2022vii pleToday local decision-makers gathered for the July plenary session of the Consell de Formentera. In a briefing, plenary members learned of the Government Commission's decision to back initial approval of the Special Plan for the Port of La Savina. This document is prepared by the APB and processed and voted on by the Consell de Formentera, and has been drafted in consensus between both administrations. On 14 July it was published in the Official Gazette of the Balearic Islands (BOIB) and is currently in public consultation. The document is expected to receive plenary endorsement by year end.

The goal of the plan, according to Rafael González, councillor of territory, is to "reorganise and redefine land areas in the harbour and reorganise the maritime areas". The main actions included in this plan are:

- Integrating the port and town of La Savina.
- Enhancing pedestrian and cyclist mobility, in particular by adding new pedestrian areas and a new bike lane, and by creating a new bike lane linking the port with Camí des Brolls.
- Connecting arriving ferry passengers with nearby bus and cab services, rental car parking, general parking areas, the bike path and promenade.
- Renovating existing buildings in the western part of the port and installing underground parking areas.
- Relocating the fishermen's guild to its new location.
- Achieving a dry marina in the eastern part of the port.
- Creating an interpretation centre for Ses Salines cultural interest site and rehabilitating and opening Torre des Trituradors to visitors.
 
Intangible asset of cultural interest
Plenary members unanimously agreed to grant intangible cultural heritage status to the traditional sailing technique involving llaüt sailboats. Raquel Guasch, councillor of heritage, cast it as "the conclusion of the designation process", which she noted "did not receive any comments". "This is yet another step in the dynamic initiated during this legislature to safeguard our heritage, and lateen sailing is a part of that, not just in the Balearic Islands, but across the Mediterranean, and protecting that is crucial."

Social services regulation
The cabinet overcame opposition abstention to pass the underpinnings of authorisation and accreditation of social services for the elderly, people with disabilities and people diagnosed with mental health issues on Formentera. The regulations, as Rafael Ramírez, councillor of social welfare, pointed out, set the terms for authorisation and accreditation of basic community social services, early care services, day care services, residential services and multipurpose care centres. Councillor Ramírez described the document as "technical but essential", explaining that it "regulates how services are provided and will help to improve the administration's coordination and efficiency in managing social services on the island". The councillor pointed out that, for example, the document is "key to starting operations at the new residence for dependent people".

Honours for the local police chief
Assembly members also unanimously backed a proposal to celebrate the local police chief for 30 years of service. As Josep Marí, councillor of interior, explained, decision-makers voted to award to Félix Ramos Pérez the Balearic Government's "Merit Cross with white badge" – a distinction given to officers with decades-long service and an outstanding professional career. Josep Marí took the opportunity to praise Officer Ramos for his dedication, and to applaud the rest of the professional staff.

School canteen service
Councillors also tabled an urgent motion to approve the ordinance on fees for school canteen service in Formentera's public early learning and primary schools. At the start of the 2022-2023 school year, the Consell de Formentera will offer school meal service. No bids were received in response to an offer of tender, and the service will be provided by way of an agreement with the regional ministry of education. Susana Labrador, councillor of education, thanked "the school's administrative team and Sant Ferran parents' association for their help in securing this important service for Formentera families".

Canteen prices will be set each year according to guidelines from the regional office of early childhood, innovation and educational community. A fee may be added to cover the expenses of non-teaching staff and food transport costs in the event of travel. Pupils from low-income families may request a meals grant from the office of education. Labrador said the canteen service would likely start at CEIP Sant Ferran de ses Roques in September. The kitchen will be located there as well, she indicated, and during the school year meals will be delivered to CEIP Mestre Lluís Andreu and CEIP El Pilar with the collaboration of school administrative teams and the parents' association.

Home hospitalisation unit
Assembly members came together once again to endorse an opposition proposal brokered by the cabinet to urge the Balearic Government to take the necessary steps to create Formentera's home hospitalisation unit and to continue increasing health services and ensuring universal and quality public health as a basic fundamental right. Asserted Rafael Ramírez, councillor of social welfare, "we would do well to acknowledge the public administration's effort to ensure the quality of care at the hospital", and "it is time to resume this project to improve health services on the island".

Contract for waste collection and cleaning services
The GxF and PSOE cabinet and opposition councillors of Sa Unió presented a joint proposal concerning the waste collection and cleaning service contract. The proposal seeks to increase recycling on the island by ensuring compliance around pickup of paper, cardboard, light packaging, glass, waste and organic matter and encouraging islanders to use the civic amenities site and transfer plant to reduce the number of oversize items and items which do not fit in streetside containers. The Consell de Formentera will also look at enhancing street cleaning and beach upkeep services by temporarily increasing the budget allocation for the current contract until a new contract is approved and requiring service concessionaires to optimise human and material resources.

Report from Vanessa Parellada
Vanessa Parellada, councillor of youth, new technologies and citizen participation, appeared before the assembly today. She described a return to normal at the youth drop-in centre and said that participation, particularly among 10- to 11-year-olds, is up as well, with between 30 and 50 local youth visiting the Casal de Joves each afternoon. She also announced that the second floor of the Casal is being equipped with new spaces for young people and that the former Sant Ferran schools will also receive new facilities.

On citizen participation, the councillor said that new associations will continue to join the Consell d'Entitats, which currently has 119 member groups. In reference to the CdE, she highlighted the return of face-to-face meetings and participatory budgets after two years in which the money was diverted to COVID-19 aid. This year also came with a reactivation of the projects left pending in 2020 and associations have once again selected projects to support.

Parellada described two large groups of end users that the new technologies division serves: residents (both Formentera-born and transplants) and municipal employees, whose work the office's staff aim to facilitate. She underscored two parallel efforts: on one side, to make the municipal administration more accessible to people by maintaining services and infrastructure and offering e-administration options; and on the other, to put pressure on companies to maintain optimum coverage and make it easy for them to do so.

Finally, the councilor praised staff in her departments for their work to give the most accessible and best possible public service.


29 July 2022
Communications Office
Consell de Formentera

Presidency

Press Office

971 32 10 87 - Ext: 3181
premsa@conselldeformentera.cat

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