Behind Closed Doors in Torrevieja

Behind Closed Doors in Torrevieja - Culture of secrecy at Torrevieja town hall, allege Greens

TORREVIEJA has come last in a league table compiled to rate the transparency of the 110 largest town halls in Spain. 

Last year the survey by the NGO Transparency International (TI) España put Torrevieja in 99th place out of 100, followed by Orihuela.

Out of the 110 town halls surveyed, 18 (including Torrevieja) did not return the questionnaires sent out by TI, so all the information from these had to be obtained by external evaluation.

The survey covers five areas: information about the municipal council; relations with the public; financial transparency; contracting of services; and urban planning and public works.

It asked whether information on 80 different subjects within these categories is available from the municipal website.

The average transparency percentage of all the town halls involved was 64%, while that of Torrevieja was just 17.5%.

The poorest indicator in Torrevieja relates to town planning and public works, where the town languishes on just 5.9%.

This section included questions on the availability of information on the Town Plan (PGOU); urban development projects and the correct usage of land; public works contracts; companies that have carried out significant projects; ongoing municipal works; and investments, incomes and costs.

Torrevieja also came last for its relations with the public, achieving just 15%, and for information about the municipal council.

These assess questions such as the quality of information and attention to citizens and whether councillors' outside interests are published.

Local opposition parties have been quick to criticise the results of the survey.

The Izquierda Unida (IU) party blamed the ruling Partido Popular's (PP) lack of collaboration and demanded they work to put Torrevieja amongst the top positions next year.

The Green party (Los Verdes) called it ‘a sad circumstance' due to the ‘dreadful politics of opacity and obstructionism' of the PP.

"Reports like this cannot be dodged any more as information is one of, if not the most important basic pillars of a free society based on rights, equality of access and participation," commented the Greens.

Transparency International explains it is dedicated to fighting corruption at a national and international level and says that information is the best antidote against it.

"For this reason it is hardly surprising the most opaque municipality in Spain has produced frequent urban planning and public works scandals, as well as some of the biggest corruption scandals that have transcended public opinion," added the Greens.

The full report can be accessed on the web at www.transparencia.org.es

awatkins@cbnews.es