“Once again, we are publicly denouncing the state of neglect in our urbanisation,” said José, a long-time resident. “Water supply, street cleaning, green space maintenance… Nothing is being provided by the town hall. They claim the urbanisation is private to avoid taking responsibility. But we do not agree with that interpretation.”
Signs, slogans, and growing anger
During the protest, residents held signs bearing clear messages:
- “428 neighbours abandoned by their town council”
- “Our taxes”
- “Raise taxes and invest nothing”
Many feel discriminated against. José explains: “For three cubic meters of water, I paid €47, while in Pratdip they pay much less. This creates two categories of citizens within the same municipality.”
Additional problems include lack of public lighting, unmaintained trees, and deteriorating roads.
A supportive councillor: “We are tired”
Oscar Serrano, a town councillor and resident of Planas del Rei, elected on the “United for Planes del Rey” list, confirms:
“For years we’ve been asking for our tax money to be invested here. But nothing ever changes. The 428 plots in our urbanisation are simply abandoned.”
He also reminds that a ruling by the High Court of Justice of Catalonia (TSJC) led to the dissolution of the EUCC, the entity that used to manage local services. “Now it’s up to the town hall to take over,” he concludes.
The mayor’s response: “We would be breaking the law”
Contacted by the press, the mayor of Pratdip, Joan Maria Rovira, defended the municipality by stating that “the town council can only intervene in emergencies, as the infrastructure — such as the internal potable water network — has not yet been officially taken over by the municipality.”
According to him, acting otherwise would mean “breaking the law” and would amount to misappropriation of public funds, which the council refuses to do.
>Sílvia Fornós – Diari de Tarragona
