Next Friday, 1 May, will represent another step forward in the progressive implementation of regulated parking in La Savina. On that day meter attendants and parking meters will adopt the summer time table, which allows a maximum of 24 consecutive hours in a parking spot (in winter this increases to three days). The summer schedule will continue through the end of October.

Payment of tickets

Another important change on the 1st: anyone who has yet to affix the resident's decal must from that day pay to obtain a meter-printed ticket. Till now, during what has been an adaptive trial period, a parking meter would issue a ticket to a driver regardless of whether or not he was a resident, and this carried no cost. Starting 1 May, to obtain a free parking ticket in La Savina, a driver must possess a residents' card (demonstrating residence in either La Savina or Formentera), a card for business vehicles or one for electric vehicles. More information can be obtained on the aferraliaparca.com website.

Dissuassive car park

Yet another change on 1 May: a partial opening of the new 2,778-sq.-m. car park at the entry to La Savina, across the street from the Illes Pitiüses park. The lot will provide 103 standard size spaces and 10 spaces for large capacity vehicles up to 10 metres. The spaces at that car lot are open to any vehicle, decal or no, for three-day stays max.

The fourth through the fourteenth of May is the period of enrolment for the 2015-2016 school year at the Sa Miranda nursery school, as well as enrolment for one to three year olds at the summer school to be held this year at the Casal de l'Esport, located on the Camí Vell de la Mola, next to the football pitch.

Applications must be submitted to the Citizen Information Office (OAC) of Sant Francesc Xavier. At present the Formentera Council is overseeing transformation of the Casal de l'Esport into a provisional school, which, in summertime, will serve as an early-childhood learning centre – or escoleta – for one to three year olds. Looking ahead to the coming school year, if both educators and families agree, the centre could continue as a provisional nursery until the new Sant Ferran escoleta is finished.

The project of the Formentera Farmers' Cooperative and Formentera Council, Fons de Terres (translatable in English as 'Farmland Reserve'), has taken off with work on the first lots of owner-donated land. The project was started in an attempt to revive agricultural production and yield, landscapes and the farming profession.

The first work to be done was at can Lluquinet, Vénda de sa Punta, where two plots comprise a total of 30,000 square metres. In this initial round of work, property owners have ceded six parcels, stretching from Punta Prima to Porto Salé.

Formentera Council president Jaume Ferrer congratulated “all the parties involved for giving hope to the dream of seeing our farmland in Formentera active and productive once again”.

Jaume Escandell, president of the Farmers' Cooperative, affirmed he was “very happy to be seeing the first fruits of our labour” while hinting “it will be even better when we can sow crops and harvest”.

Formed by representatives of both the Cooperative and Council, the farmland evaluation commission anticipates soon the green light will be given to permit the addition of another four parcels. Carlos Marí, head of the Farmers' Cooperative, lauded “the extremely positive reception that the project has enjoyed so far”.

This morning, Formentera Council president Jaume Ferrer and councilman Santi Juan of the office of agriculture, livestock and fishing, put their signature on a collaborative accord struck with the Associació de Ramaders (Stockbreeders' Association) of the island. As part of the deal, the Associació, whose president Santi Tur was also on hand for the morning's signing, will receive total funding in the amount €32,000, to be dispersed in three parts over the coming year.

The accord will serve to further strengthen the Council's dedication to improving both the productivity and landscapes of Formentera countryside. This commitment has already been demonstrated through other collaborative projects, such as the untilled land use (Fons de Terres) project and the construction of an industrial space for the island's agricultural sector, both with the Formentera Farmers' Cooperative.

According to group president Santi Tur, with some one hundred locals on its member rolls, the Associació de Ramaders tallies 81 heads of pig and 842 goats and sheep among its membership's livestock. Tur affirmed: “We are very grateful to the Formentera Council because without this financial backing it would be much more difficult to do what we do”.

Says Jaume Ferrer, the pact is also a way to support proper hygiene among farm animals. The Council president cited veterinary services included in the present deal, but also spoke of a broader vision: “An important part of the pact is the support it provides for improving agricultural production”.

Councillor of agriculture Santiago Juan reminded those in the crowd that “above and beyond this accord, the Council of Formentera helps with the purchase of medication and – a little over a year ago, during an exceptionally crippling dry spell – provided a special round of assistance in the form of animal feed”.