Following the Municipal elections at the end of May, a new British councillor is currently introducing herself to her local community.
Cllr Natalie Hayes is one of a number of new representatives who will join returning mayor, Jose Manuel Butron, on the Los Montesinos town council, when she formally takes up her new role on 1 July.
Natalie appeared at number 6 on the PSOE municipal list which, on 28M, saw Butron and his party increase it’s majority, capturing 9 of the available 13 council seats.
She told The Leader, “This was a clear reward for the many thousands of hours of tireless effort that the mayor has put into establishing the town of Los Montesinos as a ‘well managed and powerful’ municipality within the Vega Baja elite, a town in which many influential families now reside, and a town that continues to grow in popularity amongst the expat population.”
But this was not the first election fought on behalf of the PSOE by Natalie, a member of the party since she first moved into the town in 2002. “I think it was 2007 when I was unsuccessful at number 11. Four years later I suffered the same fate, listed at number 9. I missed the subsequent two Municipal Elections, as I spent time back in UK, but on returning to Los Montesinos and resuming my involvement with politics, I was elevated to number 6 on the 28M list, which saw my election to the council as part of Mayor Butron’s increasingly successful team.”
Originally from London, Cllr Hayes moved to Spain to join her father’s business in Benidorm over 40 years ago. The family then moved down to Torrevieja but on regular visits to Los Montesinos, Natalie fell in love with the town, finally making the move, along with her daughter, who attended the local school.
“Initially I worked at Greenlands in the bar and restaurant, before finding myself increasingly involved as a translator. That led to me taking on part time employment within the council where I worked closely with the mayor, in his increasingly demanding commitment to the expat population.”
Next week, however, Natalie, will be taking up her part time council role, where a seamless transition will see her taking on the responsibility for Foreign Residents, and with a certain amount of freedom to set her own working hours, she will now be able to give back so much more to her local community.
Although only employed for 20 hours per week, the plans are for Natalie to hold 2 regular surgeries a week, with the rest of her time spent, either helping with her constituents problems or getting out and about in the municipality itself.
“There are so many new projects that I would like to consider and perhaps introduce,” she said, “better integration, social welfare, language skills, matters relating to the padron and to residencia. I particularly want to promote openness and better communication.”
Natalie is also keen to get to know as many of her constituents as possible. She is open and very approachable, and she asks that you introduce yourselves to her if you see her in the street or if you are passing the town hall. She said that she is in her current position because of, and for the expat population, so she will do everything to help where she can.
“‘It has been so rewarding to be involved with the local population, and now, being employed as a councillor, I will have the opportunity to do so much more for the people of Los Montesinos. I look forward to serving the community along with the mayor and his PSOE government, for at least the next four years.’
Natalie has promised to keep The Leader informed of all her future projects and developments.
