For the first time on Formentera, in a regional election, visually impaired individuals have requested to vote, and now it will be possible to vote using this system in the elections to the Parliament of the Balearic Islands.

The Consell de Formentera secretary has received written documentation also printed in Braille that will be forwarded to chairs of the corresponding polling stations, key to ensuring the absolute secrecy of the vote for persons with a visual impairment.

Royal Decree 1612/2007 sets out rules governing accessible voting for the visually impaired, who may exercise their right to vote using this system.

26 May 2023
Office of Communication
Consell de Formentera

Today plenary members of the Consell de Formentera met for the final session of the legislature, where members of the Gent per Formentera (GxF) and Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) cabinet and of the opposition (Sa Unió) endorsed, among other proposals, the Sustainable Water Management Plan and Emergency Plan for droughts in the municipality of Formentera. Representatives had first reviewed a related report prepared by the Studies and Planning Service of the Directorate General of Water Resources of the Balearic Government.

In another vote, cabinet members trumped the opposition's abstention to approve €499,186.45 in grants for efficiency improvements in the urban water cycle. The proposal was part of the Plan for Recovery, Transformation and Resilience, which draws on the annual fee for FCC Aqualia's drinking water distribution service.

Finally, assembly members handed unanimous backing to a proposal to update the Consell de Formentera's inventory of assets and rights. The motion is effective 1 May 2023 and is presented every four years before the end of the legislative term.

23 May 2023
Office of Communication
Consell de Formentera

Yesterday Josep Marí, interior councillor of the Consell de Formentera, and Alex Valeiras, head of the fire department, met with Carmen Prats Ferrer, chief of the Eivissa and Formentera delegation of the Balearic Islands Nature Institute (IBANAT), and Miguel Soriano, manager of the Office of Environment, to coordinate the response to the spiking risk of forest fires.

Meeting attendees discussed coordination between IBANAT and the island's fire brigade in preventing forest fires and intervening in other blazes. Councillor Marí urged the public "extreme caution during these dates of high temperatures" and pointed out that fires on forest land are prohibited from 1 May to 15 October.

Formentera's IBANAT brigade is made up of six people and a van, while the Eivissa brigade is composed of two airplanes, which conduct daily patrols, an amphibious plane, helicopter and fire truck. The Consell de Formentera has a team of sixteen firefighters––fifteen professionals and one collaborator––with two fire engines and two pickup trucks. They also carry out daily prevention rides in forest areas.

16 May 2023
Office of Communication
Consell de Formentera

Yesterday Ana Juan, president and entrepreneurship councillor of the Consell de Formentera, signed an agreement to open the coworking room of the local support office for entrepreneurs, Formentera Impulsa, to its first users. The Espai Empresarial will serve as a temporary space for entrepreneurs and new or recent small businesses.

President Juan said that Formentera Impulsa was making the Espai Empresarial available to local entrepreneurs and described it as "a tool to help them develop their activity, boost capacity building and create a space to share experiences and synergies with others". Juan pointed out that the objective of this initiative is "to support people lacking a space to start administrative work and all those who need training, guidance and advice when creating their own company". To that end, she encouraged the Espai Empresarial's first two users, Marcelo Guisado Saceda and Mariam Ben Hamza Shaim Abja, "to take advantage of all the resources that Formentera Impulsa offers entrepreneurs".

Training room
Formentera Impulsa has two training centres that are managed by the Office of Local Development. English classes at the A1 level are currently being held as part of a push by the Employment Office of the Balearic Islands (SOIB) to support territorial projects for vulnerable communities from 2021 to 2023. The ten students currently enrolled will be eligible to take a test through the British Council to obtain a certificate.

Spaces
Located in the former offices of the social welfare department, in the Casal de Entitats, Formentera Impulsa has a workroom with six workstations, a meeting room, reception and waiting areas, toilets, parking and also a training room for the Office of Local Development, which can be used based on availability and where training for entrepreneurs will be given. Companies housed in the Espai Empresarial will have access to the following services: reception and access control, photocopier, computers, furniture, multipurpose room, fibre optic connection and air conditioning. The monthly cost for a desk at the Espai Empresarial is €60.

Formentera Impulsa also has a website, www.formenteraimpulsa.cat, where the public can consult the complete details and services offered.

11 May 2023
Office of Communication
Consell de Formentera