Meeting with the Town Hall about street cleanup issues.

On 23rd March, I visited the Town Hall to get an update on what work they are prepared to carry out with respect to clearing the back road, ‘Garrofers’ of the vegetation that was left by us on the left hand side of the road approaching the urbanisation from the bottom. Originally when I discussed this with the Town Hall they gave every indication that they would clear the heavy vegetation and also carry out spraying in the holes that we had filled with membrane and gravel. Subsequent to a follow up inspection the Town Hall architect, accompanied by his best buddy from the local police, myself and a member of my community, a report was written by the Architect for the attention of Angeles, the councillor I have been dealing with, a summary of which was presented to me along with a map of the urbanisation and an explanation.

Summary of the discussion which was with my contact ‘Anto’ as neither the architect or Angeles were available, is as follows:

1.0. The vegetation on the left hand side of Ave Dels Garrofers from the bend in the road above M22 to the bend in the road below M18 is the responsibility of the owners of that undeveloped land. I questioned who were the owners and received a vague answer that it may be the Bank and the Town Hall will undertake to contact them and advise them of their responsibility. Personally I would not hold my breath on that one!
2.0. The heavy vegetation growing on the left hand side of Garrofers from the sharp bend at M27 until the bend in the road noted above M22 is on the public walkway and therefore is unadopted as yet so the Town Hall will not clear it as they do not have the funding.
3.0. The Town Hall will not carry out any spraying of weed killer on any part of the approach road due to reasons in serial 2.0 above.

When I asked what happens when the weeds continue to grow through the areas we have cleared and also through the road and path surfaces, thus breaking them up, I was met with a shrug.

I raised the question as to whether we could employ someone suitably qualified to carry out an element of spraying and was advised that this was not a possibility for Health & Safety reasons should there be an accident??????

I enquired as to whether or not we could erect a sign at the main entrance to the urbanisation, design yet to be discussed if agreed as a requirement, and was told that this is a possibility provided the relevant form, ( I have a copy), was completed detailing the content of the sign etc etc. It was pointed out to me that the Town Hall were aware of the previous sign being damaged and that a replacement was still being considered by them. I did emphasise that this had been ongoing for a number of years but again received a blank expression.

Conclusion

My feeling is that we are unlikely to get any further assistance from the Town Hall with respect to clearing the urbanisation lower road which is extremely disappointing following the goodwill they showed us previously which I thought indicated a thaw in the relationship between us and the Town Hall.

It is regrettable that all the hard work that has been put in by an Army of volunteers is likely to have been wasted to a degree but on the positive side it has prompted many residents to look after areas adjacent to where the live.

I feel that it will be difficult to get volunteers to carry out any work on the lower road in the future however we can but try.

Peter Whitbread