Decision to slash metred parking pay period fuelled by resident requests, officials say

Ple desembre 2015 premsaThe Formentera Council convened officials and party representatives for the administration's final plenary assembly of 2015. The session was marked by the announcement that definitive approval had been secured for the administration's 2016 budget and of a deal reached by the cabinet committee concerning 12 comments on legislation behind a tax on holiday rentals. Tourism secretary Alejandra Ferrer said the administration would support the measure “as a means to an end to benefit a clear cause, namely the environment”.

The assembly approved the early stage of a plan to tweak the regulatory tax code related to vehicle parking in La Savina, plus a revamping of the regulatory by-law defining the town's parking services. The two proposals won backing from every group save for abstaining Partido Popular representatives. Mobility secretary Rafael González outlined the central features of the planned changes and, in response to requests from the La Savina neighbourhood association and representatives of area businesses, highlighted a rollback in the pay-to-park system's summer hours (metred service will be in effect 9.00am—9.00pm instead of until midnight), explaining that “no parking issues arose during that part of the evening”.

The other important change González pointed to was the creation of parking plans for €200 a month in summer and €100/month in winter. For full-time Formentera residents that amount will be fully refundable and for home-owners or renters in La Savina who stay on the island for more than three months yearly, it will be half off. González explained islanders could expect to see a phase-out of free parking decals as “controls will henceforth be conducted directly via parking metres”.

Individuals with reduced mobility will be exempt and not required to obtain a parking pass. The secretary also highlighted efforts currently under way to find an overflow lot where motorists could park a maximum of five days in a row. Representatives of PSOE and Compromís praised the metred parking system's inaugural year. PP representatives, for their part, criticised what they called “changes which were rushed through”.

The session also ended in unanimous support for the proposed creation of a regulation concerning volunteers for sporting events. Two PSOE measures that got cross-party support involved the implementation of renewable energy systems in Council buildings and an appeal to the central government in Madrid to protect the right to housing.