Today Ana Juan, president of the Consell de Formentera, and Josep Marí, Balearic minister of mobility and housing, were joined by Alejandra Ferrer and Rafael Ramírez (vice-president and housing councillor, respectively) and Olvido Terrassa, director of the Balearic Islands Housing Institute (IBAVI), in laying the first stone of a new public housing development in Sant Ferran.

Among other features, the 17-unit development is characterised by communal spaces, and the dwellings are intended for individuals, generally young people and the elderly, with temporary housing needs. The development configures a model of collective life tailored to inhabitants, with both private and communal spaces. Consequently, a communal space is also incorporated on the first floor and a structure in the inner courtyard allows for clothes to be air-dried. The courtyard will feature soft paving, low native vegetation and deciduous trees that increase comfort in the garden itself and along the entire south façade in summer. The project has a budget of €2,188,848.29 and an execution timeframe of 23 months. All the dwellings –14 one-bedroom units and 3 two-bedroom units– are adapted spaces.

Construction of this new development has been made possible thanks to the cost-free concession of land by the Consell de Formentera. In this sense, Minister Marí highlighted "the importance of collaboration between administrations to meet the challenge of accessible housing".

In President Juan's words, "the laying of this first stone shows our administrations' commitment to continue working together for accessible and affordable housing. It marks yet another step forward, together with the recently opened housing office, the concession of land to IBAVI to build ten new homes and a new round of renters' assistance that we will approve this week".

Currently on Formentera, IBAVI has a pioneering 14-home development in Sant Ferran – the product of a new paradigm of sustainable building developed by IBAVI in the last two legislatures. IBAVI has additionally signed a protocol to build a new ten-home development on the island. This latest development puts the total number of new units added to the local stock of public housing in recent years at 27. Including the 14 dwellings in Sant Ferran, Formentera has a total of 41 public housing units.

The new development will incorporate sustainable architecture techniques promoted by IBAVI, including locally sourced materials and substantially reduced emissions during the construction process and over the useful life of the dwellings. At the core of the project strategy are parallel load-bearing walls made of lime concrete, with recycled aggregate from the excavation and rubbish tip so the new buildings can be integrated into the surrounding area and in step with traditional local architecture. The enclosing walls are made of lime concrete and lightened with recycled cork and dry posidonia.

23 March 2023
Office of Communication
Consell de Formentera

The Consell de Formentera reports that applications will be accepted for ten lifeguard positions on the Consell de Formentera Lifeguard Service on the island's main beaches.

Contracts will last four months (June, July, August and September) and work will include standard lifeguard tasks as well as surveillance and assistance to Formentera beachgoers. Applicants must have the Certificate of Professionalism in Lifeguarding in Natural Aquatic Spaces or Lifeguarding Accreditation (minimum 80 hours).

Complete information on the job offer is available on the Consell de Formentera website.

The Consell de Formentera covers the local lifeguard service with its own resources and staff. The service starts 1 May and ends 31 October. The team has 26 lifeguards in the high season and 12 at the end of summer.

22 March 2023
Office of Communication
Consell de Formentera

Today Ana Juan, president and councillor for the elderly of the Consell de Formentera, signed collaboration agreements with two local seniors' clubs to maintain the centres and fund services and activities in 2023. The president signed an agreement with Julián Galindo, president of the Retirees and Pensioners' Club of Formentera (Sant Francesc) for a value of €12,500, and with Rita Costa, president of the Social Centre for the Elderly of Sant Ferran, for €9,500. In the days ahead, agreements will be signed with the rest of the old people's clubs on the island.

22 March 2023
Office of Communication
Consell de Formentera

Today Ana Juan, president of the Consell de Formentera and commerce councillor, and Alejandra Ferrer, vice president and head of the Data Observatory, sat down with Pep Mayans, president of Small and Medium-Sized Businesses of Formentera (Pimef), Lidia Alvárez, Pimef manager, and Joan Mayans, of the food sector, to review data from a study run by the Formentera Data Observatory on the cost of basic groceries on the island.

According to this study, in October 2022 basic products on Formentera cost 18% more on than Eivissa and 22% more than on the mainland. Further, between January and October 2022, the local cost of these products rose 21%. In this sense, the heads of local government expressed their concern to the business representatives about the cost overrun borne by Formentera residents.

Apart from the cost of groceries, meeting participants discussed other issues like the rising cost of housing, restaurants and raw materials. The Consell has pledged to continue studying the real cost of living on Formentera and, together with businesses, to take forward and request compensatory measures to alleviate a situation which is twice compounded by insularity.

21 March 2023
Office of Communication
Consell de Formentera