Cambiemos Orihuela is demanding a municipality-wide street-washing programme and a technical audit into the rapid deterioration of recently purchased waste containers.
The party will submit a motion at the next council meeting calling on Orihuela’s governing coalition to establish a permanent programme for washing streets and cleaning, disinfecting and maintaining waste containers.
It argues that the council still lacks a reliable schedule for these services, despite the money invested in new equipment and the revenue collected through the municipal waste charge.
Cambiemos highlighted the council’s purchase of a new water tanker in July at a cost of €174,240. The vehicle was intended to strengthen street-washing operations, but the party claims it was rarely, if ever, seen in operation during the summer.
It is calling for a permanent timetable ensuring that street washing is progressively extended throughout the year to neighbourhoods, outlying villages and Orihuela Costa.
The motion also highlights the condition of the municipality’s waste containers. Orihuela’s Local Waste Management Plan had already identified insufficient container maintenance and inadequate cleaning at problem areas. It also acknowledged that containers were washed only when staff were available.
Cambiemos has raised particular concern about the rapid deterioration of many containers installed in Orihuela city centre. The council invested €800,000 in renewing and expanding its stock with 1,643 units, yet damaged lids, pedals, wheels, fastenings and container bodies have reportedly become common.
“Residents are paying more for waste collection, while the council has spent hundreds of thousands of euros on new containers and machinery,” Cambiemos councillor Quique Montero said.
“The least they can expect is for the streets to be washed, the containers to be kept clean and newly purchased equipment not to end up broken within a few months.”
The party is demanding a full technical audit and an inventory of damaged units. It wants investigators to determine whether the new containers are compatible with the vehicles used to empty them, establish the causes of the breakages and identify whether warranties should be invoked or responsibility assigned.
