PIOC has called on Orihuela Council to allow its alternative plan for the present and future needs of Orihuela Costa to be considered at an extraordinary District Board meeting on September 21.
The meeting, scheduled for 5pm at Orihuela Costa Town Hall, will focus principally on the needs of the coastal area.
PIOC said its president submitted the alternative proposal in writing on September 13, eight days before the meeting. The party maintains that the document was presented correctly, with sufficient notice and in direct relation to an item already included on the agenda.
However, PIOC said the District Board secretary had informed the group that the proposal could no longer be accepted.
The group disputes that decision and has requested details of the specific regulation preventing the document from being circulated and discussed.
PIOC cited several sections of Orihuela Council’s Citizen Participation Regulations in support of its position. Article 36 states that District Boards are responsible for preparing an annual report setting out local needs and priorities, while Article 37 allows proposals to be incorporated into meeting agendas.
Article 37.6 also permits matters not originally listed on the agenda to be discussed if a majority of those present agrees. However, PIOC argues that this provision should not be necessary because its proposal directly concerns the scheduled discussion about Orihuela Costa’s needs.
The group also noted that meeting notices must be issued at least five days in advance, while its document was submitted eight days before the session. It claims there is no deadline within the regulations that would justify excluding the proposal.
PIOC expressed concern that coastal councillor Manuel Mestre might prevent the plan from being considered. It urged him to permit what it described as a democratic debate between the different proposals.
If the document is rejected, PIOC said it would demand written identification of the regulation used to exclude it, together with a full record of the decision and its legal justification in the meeting minutes. It would also request that its protest be recorded and that board members vote on whether to debate the proposal under Article 37.6.
PIOC said Orihuela Costa requires more than a limited programme of minor improvements, calling instead for long-term planning, greater investment and public services appropriate to the area’s population and continuing growth.
The group has encouraged residents to attend the meeting, arguing that public involvement will be important in ensuring that the District Board remains open, transparent and genuinely participatory.
SEE ALSO: PIOC PROPOSALS FOR THE PROPOSED MEETING OF DISTRICT BOARDS 10 AND 11
