News

Final days of asbestos-removal push

Thursday, 11 January 2018 16:19

Foto presentacio campanya fibrociment The Formentera Council's Office of Environment wishes to remind homeowners that the end of an asbestos-removal campaign on the island is approaching.

Interested parties have until January 15 to register online via the OVAC (Virtual Citizen's Information Office), at conselldeformentera.cat, or in person at the Office of Environment on carrer Mallorca in Sant Ferran.

The Council subsidises the costs associated with the hazardous waste's removal and shipment to the mainland as well as those of special bags used in the process. Homeowners are billed for the service, but the final balance reflects a discount.

Factoring in subsidies on payments, the cost per 100 kilograms of materials removed is as follows: €40 for asbestos plaques; €80 for small pieces; and €150 for reservoirs.

A specialist brigade will be brought in to oversee pick up, which is scheduled for January 15. The asbestos-removal push was unanimously approved by Formentera's plenary assembly in August.

Just desserts for winners of ‘Compra a Casa’

Wednesday, 10 January 2018 15:47

Foto presentacio campanya compra a casa 2017 The Formentera Council's trade office, in partnership with the island's small and medium-sized business association, or PIMEF, report that this Tuesday prizes were awarded to winners of two buy-local initiatives: “Al Nadal Compra a Casa” (This Christmas, Buy Local) and “Anar al Mercat de Nadal té premi” (Shopping at the Christmas Market pays).

The first rewards shoppers for making purchases at participating businesses. The grand prize was a €200, Compra a Casa gift card for Rita Cardona of El Pilar de la Mola. Second prize, a €100 gift card, went to Pilar Juan, another la Mola local. Finally, third-place winner Antonio Villar walked away with a €50 gift card.

The second initiative offered five people who had shopped at this year's Christmas market gift cards worth €100 each. The winners were Beatriz Rica, Manuel Lage, Rudi Della Lunga, Jessica Mayans and Dani Serra.

Details of campaign
PIMEF's manager, Lidia Álvarez, pointed out that in 2017 Formentera residents spent nearly €800,000 across Compra a Casa's thirty participating establishments. By showing their Compra a Casa loyalty cards at checkout, shoppers were eligible for almost €16,327 in discounts.

In December, islanders spent just over €76,369, or €32,500 more than the same period the previous year (Compra a Casa was launched in December 2016). Formentera shoppers spent the most (over €91,055) in November 2017, while, with just a hair over €54,110 in purchases, August 2017 was when they spent the least.

Black Friday
The good November turnout was no doubt due in part to “Black Friday on Formentera” on the 24th of that month. On that day, purchases were tallied at €10,077.

Spending in participating shops during the first week of January reached €8,667. Friday the 5th was when shoppers really came out in force; the arrival of the Three Kings of the East was marked by €3435 in purchases.

Enlivening local businesses
November, December, Black Friday and the Christmas holidays represented two months during which Compra a Casa card-holders cashed in on accumulated discounts. With totals of €1,699 in November and €2,474 in December, the money continued circulating between participating businesses and was spent locally.

Compra a Casa loyalty cards can be requested at any participating business or at PIMEF. Every time a card-holder visits a Compra a Casa business, three percent of the total purchase is added to the amount he or she will receive in discounts (for purchases at supermarkets and the filling station, the figure is 1.5 per cent). Discounts accumulated can be used from the following visit.

Sant Ferran launches town's newest library outlet

Tuesday, 09 January 2018 13:54

Punt de lectura redux 2 The Formentera Council's Office of Culture reports on the opening in Sant Ferran from yesterday of the island's newest punt de lectura, or “reading zone”. Located next to the Office of Environment at 13, carrer Mallorca, the space is open from Monday to Friday, 4.00pm to 8.30pm.

It is divided into three different nooks: an area for adults, with novels in Catalan and Castilian plus a selection of international books and magazines and newspapers; a kids' area, arrayed with books and games; and a technology lab, equipped with two computers with Internet access.

In addition to regular library services, Sant Ferran's reading zone will host activities for children like storytelling, creative workshops and film screenings. Adults, meanwhile, can take part in discussions, presentations and assorted courses. A display case will also include a rotating selection of featured books from the Biblioteca Marià Villangómez collection.

Culture secretary Susana Labrador explained how space limitations were to blame when the former punt de lectura, housed in the actual school, shuttered several months ago. She promised the Council's creation of the new reading zone would mean “a breadth of programming not just for children, but for adolescents and adults as well”. The project to create the space cost roughly €20,000.

Supervised courtyard
The move comes alongside efforts to open and animate the Bob Baldon park, which occupies the Sant Ferran school courtyard under an agreement between the Council. Monday to Saturday, a Council agent opens the school gates at 4.00pm and closes them again at 7.00pm. Activities like Formentera Marxa enliven the space on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturday.

Formentera Council extends congratulations to Neus Mateu

Tuesday, 09 January 2018 16:24

The president of the Formentera Council, Jaume Ferrer, wishes to congratulate Neus Mateu for her recent appointment as the central government's director for the Pityuses. Mateu's assignment fills a void that was left by Roger Sales in January 2017.

By coincidence, Mateu's arrival has overlapped with the winter holidays of the CiF chairman, making him unable to attend a ceremony for the appointment.

Nevertheless, the addition of Mateu is being seen as a boost to efforts of the Council and the administration in Madrid. Take, for example, an initiative to heighten security, agreed at the most recent meeting of a security commission (junta de seguretat) on the island in December.

Local road closes for upgrades

Monday, 08 January 2018 17:01

entrada aparcament dissuassiu sant ferran The Formentera Council's infrastructure and mobility offices wish to announce that due to construction, from this Wednesday, January 10, carrer Guillem de Montgrí will be closed. Carrer Guillem de Montgrí is an arterial that cuts across es Pujols and communicates the main road (avinguda Joan Castelló Guasch) with the town's roundabout.

Changes in vehicle traffic flow
To offset for the closure, a series of changes have been instated to minimise impact on mobility in town. The following are the main changes:

Access to the Sant Ferran school; with access to avinguda Joan Castelló Guasch via two roads —Sant Jaume and Tarragona— still open, access to the school will be unaffected despite the road closure.

Access to carrer Major; motorists can still access the northern stretch of carrer Major from the northern-most roundabout at the town's entrance.

Pedestrian access; carrers Mallorca, Menorca and Havana can still be reached via carrer Alacant, which will accommodate vehicle traffic both ways during construction.

Likewise, drivers must use the ring road in order to travel to the southern parts of Sant Ferran and es Pujols.

It bears remembering that an 70-vehicle overflow car park was opened in early December in a bid to minimise inconveniences caused by the works. The lot is located adjacent to the roundabout.

Work across two sites —at carrers Guillem de Montgrí and València— started this Wednesday and is expected to be complete by May 1.