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Formentera adopts new economic measures to help islanders weather Covid-19’s economic and social fallout

foto v2020 pleMembers of the Consell de Formentera rendezvoused today for the island’s full-house assembly for the month of May, hewing to an online format to comply with coronavirus safety and distancing protocol. Following the digital hosting of a 15 May one-off plenary session, today’s gathering marked the very first web-based celebration of an ordinary plenary session.

Attendees reviewed the third packet of economic and fiscal measures designed, in the words of economy and tax office chief Bartomeu Escandell, “to reduce the economic and social fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic”. Assembly members formed a united voice in support of the first six measures of the packet, which included rebates and extensions on fee payments.

Assembly members adopted a measure to reimburse 50% of fees paid to the school of music and dance, summer school and nurseries, not to mention fees to use municipal facilities and host sports activities, and islanders who benefit are not excluded from additional assistance covering up to 75% of total costs. “Now is when the public sector must step in to minimise the hardships islanders are facing under the current crisis”, said Escandell. “These benefits are designed to make sure no one is left behind.”

The help is directed at self-employed individuals or “autonomous workers” whose invoices have shrunk by more than half compared to 2019 or who are otherwise affected by the crisis. Unemployed islanders can also apply, together with furloughed individuals and those who receive either the guaranteed social income or similar benefits.

Support for the primary sector
Attendees of the plenary also placed a temporary hold on fees at the abattoir. Escandell described the assistance as “a continuation of Formentera’s long-standing support for the primary sector, and another instance of encouraging islanders to buy and consume local”. The economy conseller also pointed out that the Consell has pledged €130,000 to the local agricultural co-operative, €37,000 to the livestock farmers association and €15,000 to the fishermen’s guild in 2020.

Cross-party support was likewise secured for a move to do away with fees for Balearic visitors to La Mola’s lighthouse in 2020 (last year only formenterers accessed the site for free). “The lighthouse remodel gave us both a cultural venue and an interpretive centre offering islanders the chance to discover the sea”, said Escandell. “In view of exceptional circumstances, we’re extending that chance to our neighbours across the Balearics”.

Rollover surplus
The GxF-PSOE cabinet joined forces with opposition group Sa Unió to support a measure urging Madrid to let city, island and provincial councils use 100% of their 2019 surplus. Escandell pointed out that, as the Consell continues to close out last year’s accounts, a new upward revision in the surplus from an earlier estimated one million euros to €1.5 million today “could, if legislative restrictions are loosened in this time of great need, go toward helping the people of the island”. As of today, the Consell is authorised to spend €300,000, or 20%, of its surplus.

More economic measures
Assembly members gave an additional thumbs-up to a measure, brought by Sa Unió and brokered by the GxF-PSOE cabinet, encouraging local government to study an array of issues, like a line of renters’ assistance for families, freelancers and small businesses; assistance for individuals studying off the island, as well as supplements to national and regional assistance to cover costs for students who stay here; applicability in 2020 of the fee for the permit allowing motorists to bring, operate and park vehicles on the island, and applicability in 2020 of the fee to access Ses Salines nature reserve. The Consell is also encouraged to debate, agree on and define related measures in line with its available budget.

Furloughed workers
A united front of support also came for an urgent proposal concerning furlough agreements (ERTO in Catalan and ERTE in Castilian Spanish). By pushing the central government to extend furloughs beyond 30 June, the measure aims to minimise the pandemic’s toll on the unfolding tourism season, providing relief to productive sector businesses whose staffing needs involve permanent seasonal contracts.

According to the economy and tax office chief, “the request means urging Madrid to maintain full exemption from Social Security payments, at least until some normality has resumed, for non-returning employees even in the event of a partial return of furloughed workers”. Finally, Formentera urges the executive branch to set up a system so businesses with furloughs due to force majeure can opt to maintain that status if a partial furlough is unviable—not based on ministerial orders concerning permitted types of business activity, but because reopening is hampered de facto by an absence of tourism.

Coastal licences
With “yes” votes from the governing cabinet and “no” votes from the opposition, approval came for a proposal to study the legal viability of reducing, commensurate to the duration of emergency orders, the fees collected from license-holders of beach concessions under the use regime of Land and Sea Public Spaces. Environment chief Antonio J Sanz described the move as “creating the legal framework to apply a discount that we consider necessary”. Based on estimates, concessions-holders should benefit from a 32.17% reduction in the fee they pay to the Formentera government.

061
Another measure that passed with “yes” votes from the cabinet and “no” votes from the opposition was a request that the regional health ministry put measures in place to set up a base for 061 emergency phone service at the Formentera Hospital. The authors of the proposal insist the move be coordinated with the reopening of borders and separation needs of patients who display respiratory symptoms. “Our 061 needs extend beyond summertime and beyond temporary reinforcements”, said social welfare conseller Rafael Ramírez, “the service is critical to giving patients proper care. Differentiated 061 service would allow our hospital to differentiate care in possible Covid-19 cases.” The proposal states, “If our hospital sees a return to the level of activity seen in 2016, extra staff are necessary, with or without additional 061 service”.

Plenary attendees also heard about the decision by members of Sa Unió (PP-Compromís) to donate 20% of compensation accrued during the state of emergency to Formenterers Solidaris. Members of the group said the money should go toward “making sure the NGO’s work continues”.

29 May 2020
Department of Communications
Consell de Formentera

“Formentera es queda a casa” says goodbye with video homage to everyone who made it possible

foto comiat formenesquedaacasaThe Consell de Formentera reports that this Sunday will come with the final post from the Facebook account “Formentera es queda a casa”. As the island prepares to enter phase 3 of de-escalation on Monday 1 June, Formentera bids farewell to the profile that for nearly two and a half months kept us entertained and informed.

Since the account went online, it has attracted 1,650 followers and shared some 120 videos, almost all locally produced, and authored roughly 260 posts. Figuring among the wide-ranging content were hometown musicians trying hard to raise the spirits of their fellow islanders, fitness classes, mental-health guidance and recipes with ideas to sweeten the moment.

Home-bound formenterers fought off boredom and stayed abreast of current events with a daily test of their local knowledge, theatrical productions and performances from local actors, kids’ storytimes, a writers’ clinic, tips about caring for the environment, exhibits, film, art and book recommendations, plus content shared by the Escola de Música i Dansa, Casal de Joves, local nurseries and youth health initiative Formentera Marxa. “Formentera es queda a casa” also aired a live-cast of the three final ‘Talks for families and teachers’ series.

Before going dark on Sunday 31 May (for good, we hope), the profile will go out with a thank-you video—for everyone who pitched in to create content, and all the followers who connected and engaged from the start. And nothing’s disappearing: all the same info can still be accessed on the Consell’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts, the Facebook pages of the sports office, nurseries, Agenda Formentera, the cinema and school of music and dance, and over the Instagram handles of the Casal de Joves and Formentera Marxa.


29 May 2020
Department of Communications
Consell de Formentera

Formentera increases 2020 funding for Formenterers Solidaris ten-fold

Following the efforts of a government committee, the Consell de Formentera green-lighted €30,000 for the local association Formenterers Solidaris. Made possible by a collaborative agreement between the two parties and happening in coordination with the Formentera Department of Social Welfare, the assistance will go to food packages for vulnerable families and individuals on the island.

Alejandra Ferrer pointed out the figures marked a ten-fold uptick compared to other years (in 2019 funding for the group totalled €3,000), explaining the increase was about “supporting the group’s efforts to extend a helping hand to some of Formentera’s most at-risk—work that is now, in the midst of the Covid-19 crisis, more important than ever”.

After emergency orders aimed at tackling the coronavirus public health crisis and in light of the significant toll the situation has already taken on the economy, particularly local families, urgent coordinated action to address social needs is crucial.

Formenterers Solidaris is the only locally-based non-profit group devoted to helping Formentera residents facing poverty and other social hardships. Operating chiefly thanks to donations, the group works to connect underprivileged Formentera people and families with food and clothes, namely through the food bank initiative, El Banc d’Aliments. Care packages include essential, non-perishable goods and things like baby formula and nappies.


28 May 2020
Department of Communications
Consell de Formentera

Consell de Formentera and Govern balear create €440K line of support for local freelancers

The Formentera Department of Economy and Taxes has joined forces with the regional government in Palma to open up lines of support for the island’s productive sector, which department chief Bartomeu Escandell described as “uniquely reliant on self-employed workers—a group that has faced, and continues to face, immense hardship in the economic crisis following Covid-19”.

Four-hundred forty thousand—a quarter of a million from the Consell, €190,000 from the Govern—will go to support Formentera’s freelancers. Of the 1,460 local professionals with “autonomous worker” (autònom) status, 1,100 are registered year-round and the remainder only temporarily. “We’re extremely pleased that the two administrations were able to come together at this critical juncture in support of this particular group”, said Escandell. In the Balearics, local and regional authorities have together promised more than €15 million for a group numbering between eight and ten thousand.

The assistance will be calculated as follows:

1. Two thousand euros for applicants without staff on payroll. Seasonal freelancers will receive €2,500.

2. Two thousand five-hundred euros for applicants with fewer than 3 staff on payroll. Seasonal freelancers will receive €3,000.

3. Three thousand euros for applicants with three or more staff on payroll. Seasonal freelancers will receive €3,500.

Professionals must figure in one of the following categories to be eligible:

a) Individuals who, as a result of emergency orders in the wake of Covid-19, were forced to cease professional activity or reduce it by at least 75% (compared to 2019 figures).

b) Individuals furloughed for force majeur or economic and productive reasons.

c) Seasonal freelancers not included in a) or b) but directly or indirectly affected by Royal Decree 463/2020, later modified by Royal Decree 465/2020.

To apply:

The online application can be completed on the “Ajuts per reiniciar o continuar l’activitat dels autònoms afectats directament per la Covid-19” section of the Govern de les Illes Balears website. Details and a link to the application will be available on the website of the regional office of economic promotion, entrepreneurship and social and circular economy (http://dgpe.caib.es).

The Consell will also offer an information service for self-employed Formentera residents. It can be reached by phoning 971 321 087.


28 May 2020
Department of Communications
Consell de Formentera

Consell unlocks €30K in funding for old persons’ group in La Mola

foto 2020 conveni majors la molaAlejandra Ferrer, chief of the local government, and Jaume Escandell, president of the Associació de Majors del Pilar, put their signatures on a pact granting the seniors’ group temporary use of parts of La Mola’s Casa del Poble and funding for upkeep and operations, including efforts to encourage association- and community-based activities on Formentera in 2020. The island’s deputy chief of government and head of the Department of the Elderly, Ana Juan, was also present at the signing.

Under the deal, the Consell de Formentera pledges €30,000 to support the group’s activities and cover costs. The agreement also means the Associació de Majors promises to host pro bono events at least once a week, except in summertime, oversee access to the Casa del Poble computer lab, and generally enliven the social dynamics of El Pilar de la Mola—often referred to simply as La Mola.

The Consell de Formentera can also use the Casa del Poble for local events, and the Associació de Majors agrees to assist in logistical support and oversee the opening and closing of facilities.

28 May 2020
Department of Communications
Consell de Formentera

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