Row over Benitachell town tall purchase

THE NEWLY acquired premises purchased by Benitachell council in a planned town hall move is the centre of accusations by opposing political parties towards the new mayor, Miguel Ángel García, of the Compromis party.

A sale of municipal plots provided the income with which the purchase for the unfinished property was made for €228,000, after it was valued at €458,000.

Members of the PP, RED and Pideb parties released a press statement regarding the recent announcement made by the council for the acquisition of the abandoned building.

It is “the most worrisome action. A null act of full rights, as the legal procedure for the acquisition of property has been completely dispensed with” the RED party announced.

In addition, the purchase 'commits public capital of the locality in an important way'. Throwing their gloves into the ring, the party statement continued that, with regard to the primary procedures carried out by the new mayor’s team, there are 'many' who are 'suspicious of responding to patronage and being outside the law'.

They questioned 'the decisions made in the 100 days of government' for which 'the mayor must give explanations'.

They requested an extraordinary general meeting to discuss the situation.

The town hall, and in particular García, who was clearly irritated, responded almost instantly, “The government team of Benitachell wants to make it very clear that the acquisition of the building at the entrance to the town has been made following all legal channels, and is endorsed by technicians. Even a consultation was made to the legal services of the Alicante provincial council, who gave their approval to the procedure”.

"The accusation of illegality in the acquisition of the property is serious as it is an administrative procedure. They are accusing the municipal technicians who verified that the property was free of charges. The usual and legal procedures have been followed and the local government has not moved a millimetre away”, continued García.

He lamented that the opposition tried to 'intimidate and pollute' by launching 'unfounded suspicions of illegality' regarding the purchase of the building.

He stressed that the opposition can consult the files and make sure that 'the same procedures used by the previous mayor, Josep Femenia, have been followed when his council purchased the house attached to the current town hall'. Femenia is the spokesman for the RED party, who released the statement.

Throwing a final punch back at the opposition, García said he regretted that the opposition attacked his team when it was 'the previous government team who must answer before a judge for the parking fines that were left unmanaged for three and a half years'.

García has just completed his first 100 days of being the mayor of Benitachell, and it is quite clear that with the opposition clearly living up to their name, there are some turbulent times ahead.