The socialist leader, Carolina Gracia, has again denounced the delay in the reopening of the cafeteria service at the Alameda del Mar social centre, in Orihuela Costa. She called the delay “unjustifiable, especially when the councillor, Agustina Rodríguez, is aware of both the new contract and the length of time that users have been demanding the reintroduction of the service.”
Despite great demands from both the staff who work in the centre and regular users of the social and welfare facilities, the cafeteria has been closed since June 2021.
It was not until February 2023, with the efforts of the then socialist councillor, María del Carmen Moreno, that the opening of the tender document and the awarding procedure for the service was approved.
Gracia said, “this is another example of what we found when we arrived in government, unanswered demands and zero files initiated to be able to offer a response.”
She said that the contract was tendered with an annual fee of 1,165.97 euros, an amount that was agreed by municipal staff that contemplated an upward improvement by the bidders. Once the tender was concluded, the amount to be received by the Council fee would increase to 2,400 euros per year with a duration of two years, and with the possibility of annual extensions of up to three years.
The former mayor has asked the councillor, Agustina Rodríguez, for explanations regarding the delay. “We are clear that for the Popular Party this is not a priority, but it is unfair that while everything is administratively ready, the service has not been reintroduced. We hope that this delay does not put this facility at risk.”
