Padrons.

A lot has been said recently about the Padron. In the past it was supposed to be, that without a Residencia, you could not get a Padron.
The rules have now been changed and I am reliably informed, that a Residencia is no longer a legal requirementm, to obtain a Padron.
When applying for a Padron a resident must show that they own a property in the Municipality, by producing their Escritura, a valid passport and your NIE. If you do not own a property and are only renting, then a copy of the Rental Agreement along with a certified copy of the owners passport and a utility bill, along with your own passport, will be required . These should be accompanied by a Solicitud de Inscription en el Padron Municipal. ( Copies are available at the Town Hall and the Offices of the Concejalia de Urbanizaciones )
Your padron may be required to be renewed if you are intending making a large monetary purchase, such as a car. All residents who have a padron should also check to see if they are on the Voting Register. If a Padron has not been renewed for some time, residents may find that their particulars have disappeared from the Voting Register. This became evident at the last Municipal Election when large numbers of people were turned away at the Polling Station, because they were not on the Voters Role.
If a person resides in Spain for more than 3 Months, they should register with the National Police in Elche or Alicante. Information on how to apply for a Residencia, can be obtained from our office on Calle Madrid.

Charity Register.

This is in fact a Register of Associations. All Associations operating in San Fulgencio are required to be registered with the Town Hall. In order for a Charity/Association to hold functions or fundraisers in collaboration with the Town Hall, they should be registered. Associations that are registered can apply for financial assistance  or use of Town Hall facilities. Any grants awarded must be used solely for the benefit of the Association and receipts must be provided, to ensure a continuation of assistance and collaboration, from the Town Hall.
The Psychologist from the Social Services , is collating and updating the data. However, Charities or Associations can Register their details at the Offices of the Concejalia de Urbanizacions. A copy of the statutes are required along with details of the President or other named Office Bearer.
If a Charity is  unregistered and not working with the Town Hall, it may not get the necessary permissions and road closures to hold events.
This ruling is to prevent unregistered Charities or Associations, collecting or fund raising within the Municipality. Any organisation recieving donations from another Charity are expected to declare those donations for tax purposes. If the other organisation is registered as a Charity or Association , then they may be exempt from paying tax. If unregistered, then the Registered Charity can pay the recipient´s bills, but should not give cash donations, which cannot be accounted for.

Planned Power Cuts

Iberdrola will be carrying out work on the Electricity supply in the Lo Pedreño and El Oasis areas on 27th November. The planned down time for the electricity supply if from 0900 to 0930 hrs.

Truth will out

Please allow me to comment on a few entries in a forum, stating that they did not believe the Autonomical Police were about in the area. I asked our Chief of Police if they had been on the Urb and he confirmed that they had been here. I am led to believe they came in unmarked cars and in plain clothes. At this time I am unaware of the results of their operation. Anyone wishing to confirm that they were here, should perhaps make an appointment to see the Chief of Police, but I am sure some will say, that because he is in the employ of the Council, he will say, what he is told to say. You cant win !
Also if anyone wishes to see the copies of the letters that were sent to Valencia, regarding noise complaints, they are in the Town Hall Registry and are available for public viewing. There are no names or addresses attached, so that there can be no reprisals to the complainers. So perhaps instead of theorising, people should stick to the facts that are known and not invent scenarios.

Misinterpretation

It would appear that I have not made it clear to some people, on the subject of bars etc.
So let me try to clear this up. If a bar owner, lets call the bar The Blue Parrot, thinks that by organising a charity event, for let's say an animal charity, they will increase their business and that is the main reason for organising such an event. The owner then submits an application to the Town Hall, it will not be looked upon favourably. How ever, if a charity approached the owner of the Blue Parrot and asked to use his premises and he agrees, then the application will have to come from the president,secretary or treasurer of said charity, if it was to receive favourable consideration.
If permission is granted, it is for the event, to go ahead.
If there are no complaints about noise during the event, the local Police will not intervene. ( noise pollution acts ). But, if the Autonomical Police called at that bar and they did not have the appropriate licence, their powers are greater than that of the local Police and the Town Hall, they can impose fines and close bars. This is the law from Valencia.

clearing up a few points.

When a person representing a charity or organisation applies for permission to have a Fete, Fayre or Fundraiser, this goes to the Town Hall. It may be the intention of the Organisation to provide entertainment. If this entertainment is provided by a bar and is deemed to be an attraction to that bar, to enhance the profits/takings of that bar, then a Licencia de Musica en Vivo, Licence for live music, must be held by that bar.  If the bar does not have the appropriate licence, then, if there are complaints, the Police will attend and Denounce the owners of the bar. If a bar or Organisation, wishes to have an event that is in collaboration with the interests of the Town Hall, i.e. Social Services, Cruz Roja or any other organisation that is directly linked with the Town Hall. They will receive permission from the Town Hall to have Live Music as long as it is ancillary to the event.
Any bar owners who do not hold a live music licence, and have live music, outwith special Fiestas etc., run the risk of receiving complaints, being visited by the Police, either Local or Autonomica, and Denuncias issued. In the case of the Autonomical Police, they have the power to impose fines and close bars. Once a bar is closed by Police Order, it is extremely difficult to re-open.

So the bottom line is this:
 If you do not hold the appropriate licence for live music and you attract the attention of neighbours, Policia Local or the Policia Autonomica, by having live music, the neighbours can make a complaint about the noise and if visited by the Police, you may be Denounced.
As I have said many times before, if a bar does not have the appropriate licences, then it is the bar owners who must either take the chance that they will not be reported or they cover their backs by not having any live entertainment. The Choice is yours!

With respect to some of the entries made on a local Forum, stating that a Council delegate is said to have stated several things which could be deemed detrimental to the Offices of the Urbanisation, I have spoken with this Council delegate and he has since read the entries referring to himself and he totally refutes, the accuracy of their content.
I have also had a meeting with the Mayor on these matters and he has confirmed to me that the message about the imminent arrival of the Automical Police, was due to a direct communication  to him, from Valencia. An entry made on the same forum,  stated that a friend of theirs, who worked as a Funcionario at the Town Hall, had stated that, it was the Mayor who had contacted Valencia, as he was fed up with the problems created by the bars on La Marina. The Mayor has totally refuted this, so who is telling lies?

Back from Holiday

Last week while I was away in Poland, visiting relatives and paying my respects at the graves of members of my family, it appears that the problems surrounding the bars, has raised its  head again.
First let me say, that last week, the authorities in Valencia, contacted Carlos and informed him that some members of the Community had gone to them, with complaints about noise from bars. As a result the authorities in Valencia, stated that they were sending in the Autonomical Police, with instructions to fine and close any bars not complying with the Laws on Live Music.
As a show of good faith to the bar owners in La Marina, the Mayor instructed a member of my staff to inform the bar owners of the impending visit of the Autonomical Police. I was made aware of this and endorsed his actions.
As stated at several previous meetings with the bar owners, they were expected to get their own house in order and make arrangements to obtain the proper licences for their bars. They were told, that as far as possible, the local Police would not search out offenders, but only deal with complaints of noise. They were advised on how to limit the noise and offered every assistance to get themselves legal.
We are aware that it costs money to get the Live Music Licence, with the cost of the licence and the cost of ensuring their premises come up to the required standard. It is a Catch 22 situation, as most bars require to attract customers to get the money to pay for the Licences, but without Live Music, there are no customers.
So why have these residents gone to Valencia.
In my opinion it is either because there are, a certain group of residents, who do not want any bars with music to exist on this Urbanisation and have no intention of compromise.
Or, it is because some of the bar owners, completely disregarded the advice from the Town Hall.
There are still a few bars complaining against their competitors.
So what is the solution?
Firstly ,I would suggest that any bar that wishes to apply for a special fiesta licence for music and activities at Christmas and New Year, do so now!
Secondly, All bars wishing to have live music, obtain the necessary Licence.
Thirdly, The Town Hall will continue to support all the bars that are legal and try to get some form of compromise with those that complain the most and loudest.