Notes of a meeting with Toni Signes
on 17th November 2021
Toni Signes – Vice Mayor and councillor for urbanism
Louise Kirkley – President, La Asociación/Los Amigos de Gata
Peter Bayliss
Domestic waste
Toni started by re-iterating that all decisions regarding refuse collections are the responsibility of the council. They have several issues to manage.
- The council has decided to discontinue using underground containers for the waste collection. The system on Gata Residencial uses hydraulics and is expensive to maintain. There is a simpler system in use in the village but that is also unsatisfactory.
- It is clear that the containers are not always being used properly in Gata. One aspect of this is that since the collection point was changed on Monte Pedreguer, Pedreguer residents are now (mis-)using the containers on Gata Residencial. Consequently the council has decided to reduce the number of collection points, both on our urbanisation and in the village, so that these area can be managed more effectively. Where it is possible, cameras may be used to monitor these areas.
- The council is starting to extend the system, so that organic waste can be collected and processed separately. A poster is attached. Currently organic waste is transported to the landfill in Campello mixed in with non-recyclable waste. At the moment, there is only one dedicated organic waste collection point near the football ground. They are looking for groups of houses on Gata Residencial to volunteer to participate in the new scheme. See Poster1 Poster2. Householders would use a separate container for organic waste. Each group of houses would have a small “wheelie” type bin which would have to be placed somewhere on the route marked in red on the attached map, for emptying by the lorries, probably four times per week. Householders would deposit organic waste in a biodegradable bag in the wheelie bin. Details of this scheme will be made available shortly, but please talk to your neighbours about this because the initial trial will be on a voluntary basis. In addition to the environmental benefits of this scheme, it should not increase the costs of waste collection.
Toni explained that the IBI amount we pay for waste collection is not a tax (impuesto), but a charge (tasa). The difference is that a tasa only covers the cost of providing the service, so the council has to balance the operating cost against the income. Any capital investment costs e.g. the provision of containers, are not included in this calculation.
Entrance sign
Toni will enquire what has happened to this. It should have been ordered 11 months ago
Noticeboard at the bottom of Taringers/Arbocers
The lock has been repaired and Toni gave us a new key. Success.
Correos
Correos are undertaking a major revision of the postal addresses in the village. Nevertheless, they have said that postboxes are available for all houses on Gata Residencial. If any householder needs a postbox, or access to replace the lock etc they should contact Juan in the Correos office.
Site adoption
The council are waiting for responses to the Invitation to Tender, for the project scoping the work to be done.