It took two years for the City Council to recover its debate on the state of the city. A meeting highly demanded by the opposition, which in fact was designed by the Party de María Mut during the previous legislature, and which could not be held last year due to the elections. Its intention is to hold the government accountable for the work carried out during that year in the face of questions and inevitable criticism from the opposition. Nothing is approved, nothing is decided. For more than 2 hours, the plenary hall practically becomes a set to stage the clashes between the different parties as if the city were once again in a campaign.
And the inevitable happened in this debate that took place on Wednesday evening. Each party played its role, followed its scripts and replicated the reproaches that it knew in advance would appear. Works, garbage, Bous a la Mar and even posidonia. And wild boars, which took up many, many, minutes. More than housing, which was an issue that was discussed more from the opposition.
The debate was opened by the mayor, Vicent Grimalt, who reviewed the projects that have been carried out, such as emergency financial benefits, the increase in summer school places, the public spaces created and the approved PGE. He also discussed what is yet to come, the "future challenges", such as the desalination plant project. And he anticipated the criticisms that he knew would appear in the debate by exposing the numbers of Social Security affiliates, talking about the demographic growth of Dénia and remembering the meeting held in Madrid on the demarcation "in defense of the interests of the neighbors." And regarding salaries, he emphasized that the mayor's salary has been frozen since 2019, and that "he does not earn much more than what the last mayor of the Popular Party earned nor much more than what a turncoat councilor earned for the services provided." ».
Nor did he wait for the opposition's turn to begin the attack against the opposition. to the popular Pepa Font He accused her of institutional disloyalty, highlighting the continuous displays of contempt and remembering that the doors of most departments are closed. And from Vox he insisted on how dangerous the denialist speech was "which has bet the entry of the extreme right to the City Council."
He admitted in his speech that it was "a progressive and left-wing government", but that "it does not mean that it governs only a part of the citizens."
First interventions
After the mayor it was the turn of the spokespersons for the different parties, or so it had been assumed because there was surprise. This introductory turn worked like a golden minute, but with a quarter of an hour each ahead. There were still no more presentations than those before the one who had the speaking turn, so prepared speeches reigned.
mario vidal, Gent of Dénia, assumed the curious two-headed position of being responsible for an area and government projects, such as the Montgó sewage system, being accountable, and at the same time as the opposition, reproaching the lack of cleaning of the streets, the failure of the organic waste cards, the cleaning the ravines, the problems of urban transport and the lack of parking. A speech aware that it is a debate about the municipality and where he exposed common problems to ask for solutions.
He criticized the approval of the PGE in extremis, insinuating that it was rushed to spend it for electoral purposes since the local elections were being held days later.
From Vox, Félix Redondo chose to focus on more general issues outside the powers of the City Council, such as the train to Gandia, the 2030 Agenda or the Pride celebrations. Although he did take advantage of the halving of the Bous a la Mar program to disfigure the supposed reduction in the budget of festive groups such as Fallas y Moors and Christians, which the government denied.
Rafa Carrió, Compromís and vice mayor of Dénia, highlighted the work being done by the government "despite the accusations and falsehoods", and extracted press clippings with several examples to illustrate it. In addition, he pointed out that the government has followed a clear and concrete plan, fulfilling the commitments made and working "to build a more fair and inclusive Dénia." Among the achievements mentioned are the guarantee of social aid, support for family and work conciliation, and the allocation of a budget for the construction of a second residence for the elderly.
In addition, the importance of economic revitalization and diversification of the tourism model was addressed, as well as support for small businesses and the implementation of training and employment policies. Initiatives in youth, childhood, sports and the agricultural sector were also mentioned, along with actions aimed at improving the quality of life of older people. He concluded by reaffirming the government's commitment to the progress and well-being of Dénia, highlighting the significant reduction in debt and the efficient management, he indicated, of the budget, "all through dialogue and constant collaboration with citizens."
The Popular Party's intervention was the most unique, since Pepa Font chose to give the introductory turn and the first reply turn to several of her councilors, who divided that time, and did not speak until the concluding turn. What a priori could have been a gesture of solidarity, offering greater visibility to their ranks, caused their interventions to not be as dynamic and not be affected by what was happening around them because instead of assuming the role of each shift, they presented themselves an introduction in three parts, limited to notes.
The Popular Party insisted that the current government is the most expensive in history, costing one million euros, and accused the administration of imposing obstacles on the opposition, such as the elimination of group secretaries and changes in schedules. of the informative commissions. In addition, they highlighted that the increase in taxes does not translate into better public services, and they pointed out several management problems, such as the absence of the source of Glorieta or the problems in the works on the Marqués de Campo site.
The councilors also expressed concerns about the works of the castle, which had to be abandoned by the contracted company, and the lack of public parking and free of charge near the homes. In addition, they complained that the garbage containers and the eco-park are overflowing, and that the new waste collection contract does not meet the needs of Dénia. PP He insisted on the need to return to the previous system and improve the location of the containers and the cleaning service. beaches.
In his speech, Maria Josep Ripoll, as spokesperson for PSPV, highlighted the significant progress the city has made over the past year “thanks to effective management and considerable investment.” From the Territory area, 59 projects were carried out with a total budget of 5,2 million euros, of which 40% are already completed, he indicated, and the rest are ongoing. Among the notable projects included the redevelopment of streets, the renovation of sidewalks and the installation of LED streetlights that allowed energy savings of 70%. In addition, important infrastructure and urban planning works were completed, such as the third phase of urban gardens and the preparation of a plot for an agricultural park. The spokesperson stressed the importance of citizen participation in these processes through neighborhood meetings and participatory budgets.
Likewise, the PSPV spokesperson mentioned the development of the General Structural Plan, which has been "the most participatory to date", with more than 500 allegations and several public presentations. She highlighted that this plan prioritizes the protection of the territory, coherent growth and better access, in addition to foreseeing future needs such as the construction of a desalination plant. Transparency and participation were considered fundamental pillars of municipal management, as demonstrated by the renewal of the Infoparticipa Seal for the effort in transparency. Future projects announced included the construction of a new sports hall, the improvement of Diana's Bosc park and the second nursing home, all of which were partly financed by Next Generation funds. The local administration, according to the spokesperson, "continues to work enthusiastically to transform Dénia into a more sustainable and friendly city for all ages."
Replies, accusations and conclusions
During the aftershocks, the spokesperson for Gent de Dénia criticized the lack of investment in the maintenance of the local residence, describing its state as deplorable and suggesting that more could have been invested in its conservation. Furthermore, he pointed out that despite the acquisition of several plots of land and premises, the city council maintains the majority of the spaces rented, which raises uncertainties about its future.
In relation to subsidies, the spokesperson mentioned that these significantly limit the municipal government's ability to maneuver and make decisions. He also highlighted the deficiencies in the execution of works at the Pou school, where due to the rush to sign the work plan so as not to lose the subsidy, the children, according to the mayor, are exposed to the sun without adequate shade, a situation that is now requires urgent intervention by the city council.
Vox criticized the lack of progress in the city, focusing on subsidy management and tax increases. Redondo pointed out specific problems such as the bus stop, the dysfunction of the Aqualia sports center, and the recurring flooding of Dénia during rainfall. Furthermore, he expressed his concern about the situation of the Calle Marques de Campo, demanding urgent measures to revitalize the local economy.
Rafa Carrió highlighted the opposition's oversight work, but undermined the partisan interests of their contributions. She criticized Pepa Font's role as commissioner, suggesting that her appointment lacked substantial impact beyond being used as a political tool to attack the city council.
Carrió also addressed issues such as the development of the port-city space, emphasizing that until it materializes, citizens will not see tangible benefits. In relation to the schedules of the information commissions, he regretted the opposition's refusal to hold them online, insisting that this modality would have allowed greater accessibility and participation. In addition, he referred to the Sports Center, highlighting the continuity of work meetings, although he acknowledged that discrepancies persist that make it difficult to reach agreements. He concluded by rejecting the politicization of the language and reaffirming Compromís' commitment to dedicate resources and efforts to promote and preserve the Valencian language in Dénia.
The Popular Party spokesperson, Pepa Font, only made use of the final five minutes of her formation, using this last turn to reach out to the local government, although she warned that it is not about granting a blank check. Font pointed out that the measures adopted by the executive have made the opposition's oversight work difficult, stressing that both they and the Generalitat government have shown the "inefficiency" of the current management.
The PP representative emphasized the need for a constructive dialogue between the government and the opposition to improve the functioning of Dénia. She concluded by expressing the Popular Party's willingness to collaborate in the development and progress of the municipality, with the aim of solving current challenges and guaranteeing the well-being of citizens.
The PSPV spokesperson, Maria Josep Ripoll, highlighted various actions and projects carried out by the local government during her speech. Among the topics addressed, Ripoll mentioned the measures adopted to improve urban cleaning, noting that punitive actions have been taken against the responsible company and two audits have been hired to supervise its work.
In addition, Ripoll made reference to urban transportation, explaining that, although it is not mandatory in cities with fewer than 50,000 inhabitants, detailed studies have been carried out on this complex issue. The tender for the public transport service will be launched soon, he announced, with reinforcements planned for the summer. The municipal commitment to the creation of small parking spaces within the city was also highlighted, in response to the demands of a community that aspires to have a greener city with wider sidewalks.
These statements are framed in a context of growing attention to the climate crisis, a concern that according to Ripoll is encountering resistance among the local opposition. In addition, the spokesperson mentioned progress in redevelopment that, according to her, is boosting local commerce.
The debate was closed by the mayor again, who took the opportunity to reply to several accusations by the opposition, highlighting that if the terraces of Marqués de Campo are full despite the pedestrianisation, "don't they need a car?" He stressed that issues such as TRAM or wild boars are not the responsibility of the City Council and harshly criticised Vox's "homophobic and racist" denialist speeches regarding Agenda 2030. As for the PP, he criticised them for putting the interests of the Generalitat before those of Dénia and urged them to show loyalty to the City Council.
