Hopes that the closure of Orihuela Costa’s Municipal Sports Centre would soon end were dashed at this week’s plenary meeting of the Town Council when the government coalition of Popular Party and Ciudadanos defeated a C.L.A.R.O-Cambiemos motion calling for its immediate reopening.
The joint motion, as well as calling for the Centre’s immediate reopening also called for a study to change the management from private to public and for a reduction of the high prices which the centre has charged compared to those of Orihuela city and neighbouring municipalities.
The most outspoken opponent of the motion was Juan Ignacio Lopez Bas, the Ciudadanos party leader. Expressing his party’s well known preference for contracting public services to private operators, he was unyielding and unapologetic in his opposition to the motion.
Although also voting against, the Popular Party’s councillor for Sports said in the meeting that his party would do all that was possible to meet the demands of the motion. Fine words which show that the Popular Party has not given up hope that they will retain support from Orihuela Costa voters in next month’s municipal elections.
Ciudadanos seem to think that voters will ignore their lack of concern for residents’ needs not only regarding the sports centre but also glaringly for infrastructure for which their leader is directly responsible. He holds the record for gross neglect of Orihuela Costa roads which are plagued by potholes causing constant damage to cars.
