The Plenary of Vélez-Málaga unanimously approves demanding the Government to halt the reform of the Coastal Regulation until an agreement is reached with affected administrations and sectors.
The Vélez-Málaga City Council has taken a step forward in defending its coastline. The municipal Plenary has unanimously approved a motion that demands the Spanish Government to immediately halt the Draft Royal Decree that reforms the General Coastal Regulation. The corporation calls for real dialogue with local administrations and the involved sectors before proceeding with legislation that, they warn, threatens the beach economy of the municipality.
The motion, presented by the Popular Municipal Group as an urgent matter, aligns with the position of the Junta de Andalucía and focuses on the consequences that the reform could have on the Vélez coastline. The text warns of the impact on activities such as beach bars, sunbeds, nautical services, and seasonal services, and defends the need to ensure legal stability for existing businesses and concessions.
Without dialogue or consensus
The spokesperson for the Popular Municipal Group, Lourdes Piña, has harshly criticized the processing of the draft project. "It is being done without real dialogue with autonomous communities, town councils, and affected sectors," she pointed out. Piña has warned of the uncertainty it generates regarding consolidated activities of the local tourism and economic model, and emphasized that behind these services "there are dozens of families and workers" linked to employment, gastronomy, and the identity of the municipality.
The councillor recalled that recent actions, such as the demolition of a beach bar, have been carried out by the General Directorate of Coasts. The motion aims to prevent similar situations through a consensual framework with greater municipal participation. "We cannot allow a sector that generates employment and attracts tourism to be put at risk," she insisted.
Funding for beach cleaning
The plenary agreement also demands specific funding from the Government so that coastal municipalities can tackle the removal, transport, treatment, and disposal of algae and beach debris. The City Council argues that these daily tasks require sufficient economic support from the State to ensure proper management of the beaches.
"Coastal municipalities make a huge effort in cleaning, accessibility, safety, and maintenance, and we do it with our own resources," Piña explained. The motion emphasizes that more than 400 kilometres of rural paths and the network of beaches in Vélez-Málaga require constant planning that the current regulatory framework does not ensure.
Traffic exam backlog
The plenary session also addressed another issue affecting the youth of the municipality: the backlog in driving tests. The Plenary unanimously approved a proposal from the AxSí Municipal Group to promote a line of municipal aid aimed at facilitating the obtaining of driving licenses.
The initiative included amendments from the Popular Party and GIPMTM to urge the central Government to implement measures to expedite practical tests. According to data from the Provincial Association of Driving Schools of Málaga (APAE), nearly 18,000 candidates are waiting to take the practical test in the province. Lourdes Piña pointed out that the province should have at least 34 examiners, compared to the current staff of 25, and warned that this situation directly affects Vélez-Málaga and the local driving school network.
"Our young people face delays of months to obtain their licenses, limiting their job and training opportunities," Piña denounced. The City Council urges the Government to strengthen the examiner staff to unclog a system that is, in practice, overwhelmed.
Road safety and rural paths
The ordinary Plenary also unanimously approved a proposal from Vox, after incorporating contributions from various groups, to analyze the safety needs at various points in the municipality, especially in school and sports environments. The Mobility councillor, Celestino Rivas, noted that the Government team maintains a plan for repainting and improving signage, with an investment exceeding 200,000 euros, and referred to the latest raised crossings executed on the old N-340.
Regarding rural paths, the Agriculture councillor, Jesús María Claros, highlighted the ongoing work of the City Council. Vélez-Málaga has more than 400 kilometres of paths, and during the legislature, over 360 actions have been promoted, nearly 190 interventions in streams, and concreting works exceeding 13,000 square meters, with an investment exceeding 373,000 euros.
Tourist housing and other agreements
Regarding housing, the Plenary unanimously approved, after the withdrawal of the third point of the motion, the socialist proposal on the regulation of tourist-use housing. The Government team defended that Vélez-Málaga presents a different reality from other cities with greater tourist pressure, with a manageable percentage of tourist housing, but advocates for regulation to avoid future problems.
The Agriculture councillor reminded that the municipality maintains a constant line of work in improving the rural environment, with investments exceeding 373,000 euros in this legislature. "Vélez-Málaga has a network of paths that requires constant planning, and we are acting," Claros emphasized.
The plenary session concluded with the approval of agreements on the conditioning of the Almáchar River, under the responsibility of the Junta de Andalucía, and the improvement of road safety at critical points in the municipality. The City Council reaffirms its commitment to defending the coastline and the interests of the people of Vélez, while the central Government maintains its roadmap regarding the reform of the Coasts.
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