June 2010 News Headlines

No specialist care for autistic child at Summer school

June 30th
Despite having made representations since April, asking the Xabia department of Social Services for specialist care for their autistic child during summer school, the parents have been palmed off with a suggestion that they take their child to the school for disabled children in Denia or Pedreguer. According to the father, this demonstrates that they are unaware that autistic children do not have the same needs as Down syndrome childdren because they do not suffer delays in intellectual development. The Department has 10 qualified teaching assistants and and additional €8000 from the State Plan E stimulus package precisely for such needs. From XAD: La Escuela de Verano...

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Note: July 7th - The father, Fabian Reig, is now demonstrating in front of the Summer School. The Gandia Centre, which his daughter attends twice a week during the year is closed for the holidays. There seems little prospect of assistance for his child from the Town Hall although it is required by law, since the company which runs the summer school (Amana) cannot be contractually compelled to provide such a service. Public outcry continues.

Town Hall collects €6640 from mobile phone operators

June 30th
The Town Hall has collected €6640 from several mobile phone companies operating within the municipality. This is a levy of 1.5% of the phone operators' gross annual revenues. The biggest player was Orange (No mention of Movistar in this list..special status??) From XAD: Xàbia recibe...

At last - no parking on the pavement on the Calle Virgen del Los Angeles

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June 30th
Parking on the pavement on the Calle Virgen del Los Angeles is now strictly prohibited (at last). This is the road which connects the Old Town to the la Plana / Montgó roundabout. It needs to be two-way because of a high traffic density of around 5000 cars per day. To make up for the loss of pavement parking, the town hall has refurbished and authorised a free parking area for 24 cars on a nearby plot on Calle Ribes Angel Mestre. From XAD: El Ayuntamiento....

JOVEMA comes to Javea

June 29th
On Thursday July 1st, the regional Association of young entrepreneurs JOVEMA (http://jovema.org/) will hold a meeting and panel discussion in the Casa de Cultura at 8.00pm. Fiollowing a brief introduction, local businesses will be asked to give their views on strategies to get out of the current crisis, how to diversify , be more productive, improve their image and use new technologies. From XAD: Jovema se presenta...

39 companies tender for Barranquet de Freginal works

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June 28th
39 tenders for Barranquet de Freginal works have been received and have been checeked over by a Town Hall Contracts board. The evaluations willl be set out at a public meeting. The project has a budget of 2,149,730 Euros and will be carried out over nine months. The job is focused on canalising the channel between the Fielato roundabout and Gorgos River, but will also take the opportunity to improve the infrastructure of the area e.g. improving the sewerage and surface water drains, and replacing water pipes where necessary; renovating the roads and new street lights. From XAD: 39 empresas optan....

Town Hall legalises councillor's controversial cement works

June 29th
The "Triturca" cement works (down by the river) has finally been given a provisional license to operate, having been in active business for the past 10 years. Ironically, it got the license on the day it went bankrupt. The plant, owned by PP Councillor Miguel Savall has been controversial since it opened. Although it is officially on industrial land, it lacks basic infrastructure as required by the regional government. It is also in the middle of a quiet rural area and residents have had an on-going campaign against the noise and dust, succeeding in obtaining a closure order from the courts in 2002 (which was never carried out). When Town Hall inspectors went to take a look in 2004, it was unsurprisingly closed, the date being December 26th. Triturca was the provider of most of the cement for the recent Xàbia infrastructure works funded by the Federal Plan E stimulus plan. Another company, based in Oliva, now owns the works. From XAD: El Ayuntamiento....

Xàbia Music Conservatory officially opened

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June 25th
Taking advantage of the San Juan Fiestas, the new Xàbia Music conservatory was officially inaugurated with a concert provided by students and tutors. The facility (next to the Social Centre adjacent to the main market Plaza) provides facilities for studies up to professional level. It cost around 2 million Euros and has taken several years to reach completion. This year 19 tutors have held classes for 220 students. from XAD: Xàbia inaugura...

Rugby Clubhouse torched by vandals during fiestas

June 22nd
Early on Saturday morning, in the midst of the San Juan Fiesta, vandals torched the wooden clubhouse of the Javea Bulls rugby club razing it to the ground and causing some €15,000 damage, since all their equipment, trophies etc were inside. This was not the only act of vandalism reported. The door of the public library was broken into, potted plants damaged and and cars were sprayed with green paint. One Penya was closed down by the Mayor, and some youths detained for committing acts of vandalism. The International Festival was also hit with the theft of refrigerators, plastic chairs and money. From XAD: Una caseta en fuego.... (However most people seemed to enjoy themselves: See: http://vimeo.com/12741512 for a great 2 minute video of the International Festival.)

Mercadona is the Toyota of distribution

June 20th
A Harvard business school study admires the business model of Mercadona, Spain’s second-largest family-owned business, which in 2008 had sales of €232,260 per employee, an 18% improvement over other Spanish Supermarkets. The study likened the company to the 1980s Toyota which produced high-quality vehicles at low prices by investing in systems and employee training. For more from El Pais (English Edition ) see : Mercadona Business Model praised

JOVEMA - Young Entrepreneurs of the Marina Alta

June 19th
The Association of Young Entrepreneurs of the Marina Alta (JOVEMA) has presented itself to the regional capital Dénia. The Association, which has been in existence for only about 5 months, already has 200 members. Its aims are to get young (less that 40 years of age) business entreprenuers to work together to become more efficient, productive and competitive. They hope to use the Web for networking and to provide training courses for employers, workers and even the unemployed. From XAD: Jovem une... See their web site on Jovema

Programme to improve the independence of the disabled

June 20th
The Xàbia Department of Social Services has launched a new initiative to improve the autonomy of dependent people. The programme is part of the ten social projects financed by Xàbia through the State Employment and Sustainability Fund . This program has created 11 jobs: A nurse, physiotherapist, chripodist, social worker, a hairdresser and six home attendants. The programme was launched with an afternoon of games such as bingo, the prize vouchers for which could be redeemed for a number of extra services such as a massage. After tea they had a workshop to make paperweights. From press release.

OAP causes six car shunt at the Arenal

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June 18th
While trying to park his car at the Arenal (near Edificio Sorolla), an OAP mistook the accelerator of his BMW 730 for the brake, kangarooed forwards and shunted six other parked cars. Fortunately no-one was hurt, though the cars involved were damaged and traffic was held up for half an hour. The car owner, Carlos Pons has had a bit of bad luck with cars recently. Only last week, his elderly cousin Juan also confused his accellerator with the brake causing a crunch; and six weeks ago Carlos' other car was clobbered from behind by yet another OAP on the A7 who had not noticed a Guardia Civil traffic slowdown. (Leaving the driving ability of OAPs in big automatics aside, the new parking arrangements and road circulation at the Arenal have been in place for only a couple of months, yet people have already remarked on the exceedingly narrow traffic lanes and hazards created by lorries and cars parking and pulling out. Summer will be interesting!) (from XAD: Un BMW...

Amjasa loses €766,000 in 2009

June 17th
Xàbia's municipally owned water company, AMJASA, lost €766,000 in 2009, having made a surplus of €85,000 in 2008. Part of the loss is blamed on an increase in the cost of electricity for the desalination plant (though, it has been pointed out, the figures quoted in the report are inconsistent). In addition the company has €752,000 of outstanding receivables, including "doubtful balances" amounting to € 412,831.16. Ironically for a company which distributes potable water…the company buys bottled water for its workers. from XAD: Amjasa pierde...

Xàbia gets top honours for recycling

June 16th
Xàbia Town Hall has been awarded the 'Platinum' Broom ', the top honour which recognizes its efforts in the fields of waste management, urban sanitation and the environment. The prize, awarded by the Technical Association for Waste Management and the Environment (Ategrus) to municipalities and businesses, was collected by the Councillor for the Environment and Services, Doris Courcelles, on 10th June. This was during the International Fair on Urbanism and the Environment (Tecmo), held in Madrid. The award was given in recognition of Xàbia's work in maintaining the municipality, the inuaguration of the eco-park and the collection of garden waste, clothing, footwear and vegetable oil. (From Press release)

Costas gets tough while beach side businesses do their own thing

June 16th
The Coasts division of the Ministry of the Environment is toughening its stance on laws governing the encroachment of restaurants and bars onto what should be public coastal land. The response from Xàbia businesses seems to be to encroach even further. Now, restaurants along the Arenal have extended their tables beyond their disputed terraces and further into the promenade; Beach bars along Montañar continue to use more than the allowed 20m, (not to mention the two permanent beach side restaurants which are appropriating more land for their personal use). Restaurants in the Port (Marina Española promenade) have, as in previous years, placed tables beside the sea. Costas has started infringement proceedings against these businesses and the Town Hall will be delegated to do the chasing up. Beach Bar licensees who break the rules will not be be able to apply for a license next year. Note: The Town Hall had approched Costas to ask for permission to relax the 20m rule for Beach Bars - but, no joy. From XAD Costas se pone....

General Town Plan includes de-classification of 2.5 million metres of land

June 16th
The Consultative document of the new General Plan is not yet open to public scrutiny, but it seems to be rather sketchy and similar to the draft general plan which the local Agenda21 had sight of a few years ago. (See General Plan). It includes the de-classification (protection) of some 2.5 million sq metres of land. This sounds like a lot, but is mainly land which is already protected by legislation governing the Montgó Natural Park and ecological corridors alongside roads connecting green zone areas. However the controversial low-lying area of the Saladar is not protected. The document will be made public after a special Council meeting on July 5th. The finalisation of the Plan and its implementation, may however still be some years off. From Las Provincias: Xàbia propone.....

La Rebotica and Jewellers Salva Mulet win beautiful balcony competition

June 9th
A total of 115 Xàbia Old Town residents and businesses entered the competition to decorate balconies, windows, doorways and nooks and corners with flowers. First prize for a beautiful balcony went to Salva Mulet Jewellers, and firts prize for a corner was La Rebotica. It is hoped that the flowers will continue to decorate the Old Town during the summer tourist season. For full list of prize winners and slide show of the entries see: XAD: La Rebotica y...

Marina Alta mayors get together in 2nd Regional Conferance

June 6th
All the mayors of the municipalities of the Marina Alta got together in Moraira on June 4th in a regional conference organised by the Rotary Club. There were several brainstorming sessions which brought up many ideas. Some saw the crisis as an opportunity to change and innovate the economic bases of the region. Emphasis was placed on exploiting the natural landscape to develop rural tourism and outdoor activities (e.g. cycling, hiking, riding); to reinvigorate agriculture and enhance and crystallise the regional "Marina Alta" brand: its history, agricultural landscape, food and culture. Regional cooperation would be paramount, with a "Marina Alta" website, perhaps a regional strategic plan and even District Council. More detail (in Castellano) can be found on Xabia al Día Innovación y union....

New General Town Plan finally begins to see light of day

June 4th 2010
The preliminary Consultative Document of the new General Plan (PGOU) has finally appeared, and is to be tabled at a Meeting of the PGOU Special Commission on June 15th; thence to be voted on by a plenary session of the town council; thence to be sent to the Ministry of the Environment. Since the process began in 2005, Valencia has removed the requirement for the "Concierto Previo" (Guidelines for the General Plan, into which Agenda21 had had an input) to speed up the process. This Consultative Document replaces it. The Final approval of the General Plan will still need a number of further steps: the Reference Document will be provided by the Environment Ministry, and this will form the basis of two additional documents: the Sustainability Report and Public Participation Plan to be prepared by the Town Hall. from Las Provincias Xàbia tarda 54 meses.... For more on the history and background of Xàbia's General Plan (PGOU) and a map of the draft zoning of land, see: General Plan.

Beach surveillance starts with new facilities

The Red Cross has started its beach surveillance with improved rescue stations, a kayak to patrol the buoy area of Benissero beach and a look-out chair in Granadella. Equipment also includes two boats, a jet ski, two ambulances and a vehicle to help the disabled to move up the beach. The team will consist of 42 life guards and ancillaries. Until June 15th daily surveillance will cover the Arenal, while la Grava and Granadella will be covered at weekends. For the rest of June there will be daily coverage of all three beaches from 11.00 am till 7.00pm. During July and August the times at Arenal will be extended to 10.00am till 8.00pm.
From Press Release

Conference on the problem of invasive plants in the region

The Department of Parks and Gardens Xàbia City Council has organized a conference on the problem of invasive plants in the Marina Alta. The talk, aimed at council members, municipal technicians, farmers and gardening professionals, will take place on Thursday 3rd June at 12 noon in the Xàbia Casa de Cultura. From Press release.

Hunters develop plan to conserve wild Red Legged Partridge

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June 2nd
The hunters of the Comunidad Valenciana are worried about the disappearence of the indigenous wild Iberian Red Legged Partridge (Alectoris rufa hispanica). Its habitats have been destroyed by urbanisation and there has been a recent fashion of releasing large numbers of farm bred partridges for the shooting season. The Hunters Association, Xàlo is therefore setting up a conservation area on slopes of the Sierra Bernia where it is hoped to conserve the bird, regulate its hunting and respect its habitat. From Las Provincias: Los Cazadores... For info about the Partridge see: Oiseaux / Birds.com

Gastronomy Festival marred by Crisis

June 2nd
Attendance at the VI Gastronomy festival on the Arenal was down this year, the marquee only being filled in Friday and Saturday. This year participating restaurants included some from outside the municipality, and the possibility of a sit-down meal rather than the regular 16 Euro tasting menu. Perhaps Xàbia's Restauranteurs should have a re-think, offering tickets for individual items rather than a whole raft of nibbles, and providing more seating. See XAD: Unas jornadas...

Costas publishes the new provisional coast line

June 2nd
The new provisional demarkation of the coastline from Cala Blanca to Benitatxell has been published by the Ministry of the Environment. Anyone wishing to see the plans can view tham at the Technical Office ( Carrer d'Avall no 30) Monday to Friday between 9.00 to 2.00pm (From Press release)

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