The PP Withdraws Proposal to Extend Terrace Hours in Alicante to Approve Ordinance with Compromís

The Popular Party in Alicante City Council continues its alliances with the opposition. After inaugurating the new Maternity Office with Vox on Wednesday, they agreed to withdraw their proposal to extend summer hours to approve the Public Space Occupation Ordinance with Compromís.

The Government team dismisses the appeal made by the Restaurant Association to extend the summer validity of the Ordinance until October 15. They do so to ratify their agreement with the Valencianists and thus obtain the final approval of the document with "the greatest possible support."

"We could have passed the regulation on our own," explained the Councillor for Public Space Occupation, Cristina Cutanda, "but we preferred to respect our agreement with Compromís so that the ordinance has the greatest possible support and as a demonstration that this Government team fulfils its commitments."

This point will disappear during the Presidency and Internal Regime Commission to be held next Friday as a preliminary step to the ratification of the Ordinance in the Plenary on November 28. However, the final text maintains the other eight claims made by trade and hospitality associations, which also have the support of Compromís.

It should be remembered that the Popular Party sought the support of the nationalist coalition after Vox withdrew its support to approve this regulation. The populists set as a condition to obtain their votes in favour of the eradication of the Violet Points installed during the city's festivities . The Government team did not yield to this condition and sought new alliances, which it seems intends to maintain in light of Compromís's warning of a retreat over the extension proposal.

"In any negotiation process, all parties must give something to facilitate agreements," added Cutanda. "And that is what we have done so that this regulatory ordinance has the greatest possible support from the corporation to fulfil such an important task as reconciling commercial, recreational, and socio-cultural activities with the right to rest and normal coexistence in our streets and public spaces," she added.

For his part, the spokesperson for Compromís, Rafa Mas, explained that "a City Council is obliged to guarantee citizens' rights, regulate public space for the enjoyment of residents and protect the right to rest. Thanks to the pressure from residents and Compromís," he added, "we are updating a regulation that will be useful, if applied, will regulate the economic sector to ensure neighbourhood coexistence and facilitate the occupation of public space for neighbourhood and cultural expressions."

"We already said it," added Mas. "We remain expectant, we hope that Luis Barcala and Cristina Cutanda will keep their word with the residents and start implementing policies in favour of the general interests, not only updating this ordinance, but also the noise ordinance by already implementing corrective measures in acoustically saturated areas, offering guarantees to the economic sector."

The Councillor for Public Space Occupation also expressed satisfaction with the agreement, understanding that the new ordinance "allows for the expansion of areas where we have been working for terraces, as well as regulating municipal markets which are so important for the city of Alicante."

The initial agreement reached by the Popular and Compromís groups last July also includes the protection of the installation of Violet Points during the city's festivities, as well as the reduction of terrace hours during the summer by half an hour compared to the first proposal, so that terraces will close earlier on Fridays, Saturdays, and the eve of holidays at 1:30 am the following day.

It also excludes the possibility of installing terraces in parking bands in the ORA zone, city centre, Old Town, and Raval Roig. The government team has reaffirmed its commitment to carry out the necessary works and actions to ensure safety space at the entrance and exit of students and staff in educational centres for the start of the school year, without the need to include this aspect in the new regulation.