Veïns de Parcent - Newsletter Nº 48 - 18th March 2007

Dear friends,

A few dates for your diaries:

Documentary
There will be a showing of the latest video on Urban Planning in the Valencian Community made by Pau Soler, giving a wider view of what's happening than in his first documentary which we saw last July. To be shown in the Club de Convivencia at 8 p.m. on Friday, 30th March.

Demonstration in Valencia - Saturday 21st April
Compromis pel Territori are arranging demos in Alicante, Valencia and Castellón, to continue their protest against the many abuses being perpetrated in our Community. We will arrange a bus to take us to Valencia - full details nearer the date.

Elections - Display of the Electoral Roll
The Electoral Roll will be on display in the Ayuntamiento from Monday 9th to Monday 16th April and EVERYBODY must check that they are included on it. If you find you are not included, or your details are wrong, this can usually be rectified by filling in a Reclamation form.

There are some European residents who will find they are not on the register, as the Electoral Office have notified the Ayuntamiento that they are not on the Padrón even though they have the Declaration form for them - in all cases that I have checked so far, the people in question ARE on the Padrón, but for some reason the Electoral Office has not received the details. This is easily rectified but will mean you filling in a form.

I, or someone else who speaks Spanish, will try to be in the Ayuntamiento to help anyone with the forms, or any other help regarding the Electoral Roll.

The CDP will also be checking the Electoral Roll very carefully for any anomalies. We will do our best to make sure this election is conducted as honestly as possible.

Postal Votes
You can also start to register for a postal vote at the beginning of April and the Post Office (Correos) will have the necessary forms for you to fill in. You must take identification with you and have an address in Spain where you can pick up your voting forms yourself - again with ID. The last date to apply for this is Thursday, 17th May. Postal voting papers will be sent out from 7th May and must be returned by 23rd May.

If you know you will not be in Parcent on Sunday, 27th May, please apply for a postal vote.

Other Election dates

• 2nd April - Decree convoking the Elections published.
• 1st May - The official declaration of candidates will be published in the BOP and DOGV. The final version of the Electoral Roll will also be made available.
• 11th May - Official start of the Election Campaign, which ends at midnight on Friday, 25th May, with the Saturday as a day of reflection when no campaigning is allowed.

Sewage disposal
You have probably seen the front-page article in the Round Town News this week about the heaps of what appears to be untreated or partially treated sewage waste that have appeared around Jalón. This is also happening around Parcent and at least 7 sites have been pin-pointed where waste matter has been dumped for at least two years now. It stinks - in more ways than one! On Monday I am going to the Ayuntamiento to ask if this has been authorised and by whom, and, if not, why it is allowed to happen. The sites for dumping are quite obvious, so no one can say they didn't know about it. My thanks to my informant for his detailed plan and notes.

I will let you know of developments. The new president of AUN, Enrique Climent, has suggested that we also denounce the practice to the Ministry of Health, the Valencian Health Service and the Valencian Ombudsman. Let's raise a stink in high places then!

Some farmers use allegedly treated sewage waste on their fields as a fertiliser - nothing wrong with that SO LONG AS it is properly treated and not full of toxic matter and/or pathogenic microbes.

As we residents who do not have mains drainage were recently accused of contaminating the ground water, I think this is something we should definitely find out about and get some proper answers to. At least one of the heaps is close to the newly drilled, saviour of the valley, water supply!

Talking of sewage, some of you may have seen the Spanish leaflet - anonymous of course - that was circulating in the village a week or so ago. This is the sort of thing we can expect from now on - illiterate, rude, xenophobic rubbish! Not worth replying to, naturally. Just enjoy a belly laugh at their expense. As Jacqui's son, aged 10, remarked: "If they hate us so much, why do they want to build all those new houses?"

On a happier note, literally, the Casino Bar is starting its Saturday Night Jazz again next Saturday, 24th March, from 21:30 to midnight. Come and bring your friends along for a meal or drink and a happy evening's entertainment.

All best wishes,

Jenny