It is reported that the new Orihuela coalition government, comprising of PP and Vox, intend to annul the bidding processes for perhaps the two most important Orihuela Costa contracts, those for the Chiringuito beach bars and the maintenance and conservation contract for green areas and parks. They state that as the written specifications are not viable, starting from scratch in both cases could mean that the process will not be completed until the end of the year.
The chiringuito contract expired in January, and while the previous government completed the specifications, they did not make the award. The result is that there have been no beach bars, nor any of their associated services, sunbeds, umbrellas, pedal boats, warning buoys or other requirements.
They say that their aim is that the current specifications will be replaced by plans whereby the beach bars are tendered by groups of beaches (lots), instead of as one single contract, as a result of which the complexity of preparing the new specifications will cause the closure of the beach bars throughout 2023. The urgent matter now is that the water sports and beaconing service be provided through a smaller contract, which is currently in preparation.
However, at least the toilets should be opened next week as the contract to provide the facility, plus cleaning and maintenance has been completed, so everything should be ready for the start of the service during the next week.
Meanwhile, although the chiringuito contract is all proving rather too difficult, the new councillor for the coast, Manuel Mestre, has said that he is studying the possibility of putting a beverage service and food trucks on the beaches, providing it can be authorised by Costas.
As for the contract for the maintenance of parks and gardens, with a budget of 1.9 million euros for five non-renewable years, in total almost 10 million euros, despite the preparatory work done by the previous government, it is considered that it will again be necessary to start from scratch.
The contracting committee, given the complexity, has again requested that an external, independent and specialized body, the Polytechnic University of Valencia, prepares a technical report to assess the proposals submitted by the bidders (the UTE Doalco-Agricultores de la Vega de Valencia, STV Gestión-Evocivil Gestión y Actua Servicios y Ambiente).
Another controversial contract, the maintenance of roads on the Coast, is also no further forward because the successful bidder has not received supplies from the City Council for many months as, despite a brand new contract for materials being put out to tender, there were no bidders.
On Thursday the Cabo Roig and Lomas Neighborhood Association met with General Mestre, to present their own urgent shock plan, something that the new mayor of the municipality, Pepe Vegara, promised in his campaign, along with the creation of this specific department for the coast.
Although his manifesto promise has not been met, that the coastal department would be led by a resident of the Coast, the neighborhood association has said that it is willing to work with Mestre, who has also agreed to meet up with members on Monday, when he will be taken on a tour of the Orihuela Costa to look at some of the most critical points where action must be taken.
Undoubtedly, one of the central issues, essential to undertake any plan, is financing, so they have proposed that it be done through the treasury surplus – the amount that has not been spent. However, Mestre has said that this could not be done in time, given the administrative processing requires, so the necessary funds will have to be obtained through credit transfers from other available budget areas.
In turn, the councillor has said that the government plans to approve this year’s finances in September and it is already working on those for 2024. Both will have specific budgets for Orihuela Costa.
Photo courtesy AVCRL
