{"id":23301,"date":"2025-05-20T13:59:34","date_gmt":"2025-05-20T11:59:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.latribunedeplanas.com\/?p=23301"},"modified":"2025-11-14T08:47:49","modified_gmt":"2025-11-14T07:47:49","slug":"malfeasance-or-simple-refusal-to-act","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.latribunedeplanas.com\/en\/malfeasance-or-simple-refusal-to-act\/","title":{"rendered":"Malfeasance or Simple Refusal to Act?"},"content":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Section-Article” module_class=”section-article” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ custom_margin=”0px|0px|0px|0px” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row use_custom_gutter=”on” gutter_width=”1″ admin_label=”Ligne-Article” module_class=”ligne-article et_pb_row_fullwidth” _builder_version=”4.16″ width=”100%” width_tablet=”100%” width_phone=”” width_last_edited=”on|desktop” max_width=”100%” max_width_tablet=”100%” max_width_phone=”” max_width_last_edited=”on|desktop” custom_margin=”0px||0px” custom_padding=”0px||0px” make_fullwidth=”on” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Texte-Malfeasance or Simple Refusal to Act?” module_class=”txt-article” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ text_font=”|300|||||||” header_font=”||||||||” header_2_line_height=”1.2em” header_3_font=”||||||||” header_3_line_height=”1.3em” header_4_text_align=”center” custom_padding=”||||false|false” text_line_height_tablet=”” text_line_height_phone=”1.3em” text_line_height_last_edited=”on|desktop” header_2_font_size_tablet=”” header_2_font_size_phone=”” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” header_3_font_size_tablet=”” header_3_font_size_phone=”23px” header_3_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

Terminological note:<\/strong> The term prevarication<\/em> (from the Spanish prevaricaci\u00f3n<\/em>) refers, in Spanish criminal law, to a public official knowingly making an arbitrary or unjust decision while exercising administrative duties. This concept does not exist in the criminal law of the United Kingdom, France, Belgium or the Netherlands. We use the term here to reflect the specific language and legal framework of Spanish law.<\/div>\n

When the Pratdip Town Hall Evades Its Duties Toward Planas del Rey<\/h2>\n

For years, successive mayors of Pratdip\u2013 have used the same argument to refuse any intervention in the urbanization of Planas del Rey:<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a private urbanization. I can\u2019t do anything or I\u2019ll go to jail for malfeasance.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

But is this argument actually valid? Does it align with Spanish law? And most importantly, does the status of Planas del Rey really correspond to that of a private urbanization?<\/p>\n

Upon closer inspection, there is no legal or moral justification for the Town Hall\u2019s inaction<\/span>. On the contrary, the facts show that the municipality has, in fact, acknowledged its involvemen<\/span>t in the management and structuring of this area.<\/p>\n

\n

1. What is malfeasance under Spanish law?<\/h2>\n

Administrative malfeasance is defined in Article 404<\/span> of the Spanish Criminal Code:<\/p>\n

\u201cAny public authority or official who, knowingly, issues an arbitrary decision in an administrative matter shall be punished with disqualification from public office for a period of nine to fifteen years<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

This means a public official may not knowingly issue a decision that is unjust or contrary to law<\/span>.<\/p>\n

However, there is no legal barrier preventing a mayor from intervening in an urban zone simply because it is labeled \u201cprivate,\u201d especially when there is clear legal and material evidence to the contrary.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

2. A baseless argument: Planas del Rey is not a private urbanization<\/h2>\n

Several objective factors contradict the claim that Planas del Rey is a private urbanization:<\/p>\n

a) Public property is registered under the Town Hall\u2019s name<\/p>\n

The streets, green spaces, and swimming pool of Planas del Rey are registered under the name of Pratdip Town Hall<\/span> in the official land registry of Falset.
\nA public entity cannot claim to be uninvolved with an urban area where the roads and shared facilities are in its legal possession.
\nThis fact alone invalidates any claim of \u201cprivate\u201d status<\/span>.<\/p>\n

b) No document confirms a \u201cprivate\u201d urbanization status<\/p>\n

Neither in the notarial deeds nor in the municipal archives is there any official document designating Planas del Rey as a private or unreceived urbanization<\/span>.
\nIn legal terms, the absence of such a note in deeds<\/span> (such as home purchase agreements) means the properties are presumed to be part of the public urban network.<\/p>\n

\n

3. Issuance of building permits: implicit recognition of \u201csolar\u201d status<\/h2>\n

Another key point: since the early 2000s, the Pratdip Town Hall has repeatedly issued building permits in Planas del Rey<\/span>.<\/p>\n

According to Article 11.3<\/span> of the Ley del Suelo (Royal Legislative Decree 7\/2015):<\/p>\n

\u201cA plot may be considered a \u2018solar\u2019 if it is suitable for construction by complying with urban planning requirements and having access to basic urban services<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

By issuing building permits, the Town Hall is acknowledging that these plots meet such requirements<\/span>.
\nThis implies that the area conforms to the municipal urban plan (POU) and cannot be considered as outside the public domain<\/span>.<\/p>\n

\n

4. No street lighting since 2017: a violation of Law 7\/1985<\/h2>\n

Since 2017, residents of Planas del Rey have lived without public street lighting<\/span>, despite regularly paying municipal taxes (IBI).<\/p>\n

This violates Law 7\/1985 of April 2, which regulates the obligations of Spanish municipalities<\/span>.<\/p>\n

According to Article 26.1.a<\/span>, municipalities must guarantee at least:<\/p>\n

\u201cPublic lighting, waste collection, drinking water supply, sanitation, road maintenance, and access to communication routes<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Failing to meet these obligations<\/span>, particularly when dealing with recognized residents and properties within the municipal territory, constitutes a serious administrative neglect<\/span>.<\/p>\n

\n

5. A reversal of logic: who is actually breaking the law?<\/h2>\n

Instead of protecting citizens and serving the public interest, the Town Hall uses criminal risk as a pretext for its inertia<\/span>.<\/p>\n

But based on the facts:<\/p>\n