The Orihuela Council is set to review the charging policy affecting street vendors in its municipality. The council has announced plans to commission an external study aimed at updating the fees applied to markets and street vendors. According to the council, the current structure has become “outdated compared to economic reality,” necessitating changes to better reflect the actual costs of services provided.
In a report issued by Noelia Grao, Councillor for Markets, it was highlighted that budgetary constraints and the technical expertise required for the task have made it essential to engage outside professionals. The report reveals an economic imbalance between the council’s real costs for managing markets and the income generated under the current regime, underscoring the need for revised regulations.
The selected contractor will be responsible for justifying the proposed new rates and categorising markets based on factors such as the number of traders and visitors. Additionally, the study will address rates for special events like festivals and occasional street markets, considering various locations, including neighbourhoods and districts.
Other aspects to be analysed include costs for supplementary services like and administrative tasks such as processing authorisations.
The updated model will also incorporate a proportional charging system and consider the visitor count and the number of stalls in each market. This move builds on the council’s recent renewal of the general ordinance regulating non-sedentary sales, which was published in January 2023.
The contracted study is expected to take eight weeks, during which the successful bidder will conduct visits to Orihuela’s markets, perform necessary assessments, and hold face-to-face meetings with council officials to gather critical information.
Grao noted that the prior update to the ordinance addressed gaps in areas like the enforcement of sanctions and the transfer of stall ownership. These changes were necessary, she explained, as some traders had been evading fees and neglecting post-market cleaning responsibilities.
Orihuela hosts a primary market every Tuesday on Avenida Marqués de Molins. Another market, previously held at El Paseo, has been temporarily relocated to Plaza de la Soledad due to water network works. Additionally, the popular coastal market on Calle Cielo in Aguamarina is managed through an outsourced arrangement.
