Minutes of CRA Committee meeting
Saturday 17th February 2018, 11am,
Cultural Centre
The meeting opened at 11am
1. Attendees: Phil Gelling, President (PG)
Silvana Buxton, Vice-president (SB)
Geoffrey Buxton, Secretary (GB)
Maite Gómez, Treasurer (MG)
Allyson Ingamell, Membership secretary (AI)
Simon Mellor, Committee member (SM)
Peter Pont, Committee member (PP)
Paul Drury, invited guest (PD)
2. Apologies for absence: Paul Cassidy, Committee member (PC)
3. Minutes of previous meeting: Approved
4. Points arising from previous meeting:
a) Membership update: PG to remove from the register approx. 500
members who did not respond to AI’s enquiry regarding their
ongoing membership PG
b) Website update: It was agreed that the CRA would discuss with
Laurence of Murcia Today the set-up of a new website at a cost
of approx.. 800€. Awaiting Laurence to contact either PG or SB PG/SB
c) Viability of Camposol Lobby Group – PD advised that it is getting
more and more important to ensure that Camposol has a voice
through a Pressure Group. SB to enquire with MT if they are
registered and if they can advise on how to register. SB
d) Spanish speaking support – ongoing as part of contingency planning.
e) Presentation of rambla project – Alfonso Baños, Spokesman for the
Working Commission, agreed to come to Camposol to address a
meeting on the nearly-certain re-direction route of the rambla.
An open meeting was set up for the 26th January attended by
over 100 residents. Regrettably Alfonso was called to an emergency
meeting and could not attend. He re-scheduled his meeting for
Wednesday 31st January. In his absence, the CRA committee presented
the latest option ear-marked for the re-direction of the rambla and
undertook to inform the residents of any further news of interest,
following the meeting with Alfonso.
At the meeting on the 31st January were in attendance Alfonso,
Salvador Aznar (MT), CRA committee members (PG,SB,MG,SM,GB) and Zoe
Cooper of Murcia Today. An update on the meeting was published
by the Chairman in a newsletter.
f) Payment to John McCraken of 85€ for access to Empresas website.
PG reported that JMcC was continuing his investigations into the dubious activities of certain companies linked with MASA and he sought the
committee’s opinion on ‘what to do next’. The committee unanimously
agreed that a maximum of 85€ could be paid to JMcC, which, MG said
had not been paid yet because JMcC had not replied to her emails
requesting clarifications. The committee also agreed that JMcC should
submit to committee any further costs BEFORE spending any money for
which he requires re-imbursement.
The committee was in agreement that any findings could be passed on
to Transparency International, or possibly to Transparencia España.
PD to supply website address. PD
g) Sale of Sector F at JyM Bankrupcy Auction – SB sent an email to
the Spokesman of the Working Commission, Alfonso Baños, regarding
the possibility of dubious activities having taken place in the Auction
sale of sector F. Alfonso replied that only a specialist lawyer can assist
in such matters and he reiterated this information at the meeting on
the 31st January.
At today’s meeting PD stated that the name of the purchaser of
Sector F will not be known until the Courts have completed the
ownership documents.
h) CRA New Year Lunch – This took place on the 20th January at Los Balcones
Restaurant. The lunch included CRA committee members and members of the Support team.
i) Meeting between MT (CRA) and the Mayoress. An official request for the
Correspondence indicated in the previous minutes was presented to the
Town Hall on the 17th January 2018. To date no reply has been received.
j) Donation to MT – MG reported that a donation of 500€ was sent to MT.
k) Update of documentation held in the Cabin. – PD offered to help with
Documenting an inventory of contents held in the cabin. PG to contact Elaine Roberts to assist. PG/PD
l) List of Committee members and Support team – This was not
discussed, but in view of only a minority replies received, SB will
contact again those who did not reply. SB
5. Facebook page – Following a discussion it was agreed that this would
not be necessary in view of the website being up and running in the
(hopefully) imminent future.
6. Decision on website – covered on b) above
7. Renewal of ‘cargo’ for bank signatories at La Caixa – MG informed the
existing bank signatories of the expiry dates of their appointment, and
stated that all 3 signatories should consolidate the expiry date of their
appointment as signatories. For this an EGM would be necessary, and
a provisional date was set for the 13th October 2018. In the meantime
PG should go to the bank and present his ID documents for update
before the 23rd November. PG agreed PG
8. Conclusion of meeting with the Guardia Civil – MG/PG and a representative
of ‘D sector Security group’ David Hemmings attended a meeting with the G.C. on Tuesday 13th February . MG and PG reported that it had been a very useful meeting and PG reported that the ‘security group’ was holding an open meeting on Monday
19th February to spread the information received.
MG reported that, as there are legally registered and legally operative
‘Security Agency Groups’ in Camposol, but the G.C. Teniente warned that it
is illegal for group of residents patrolling the streets in Camposol to call
themselves ‘Security Groups’. The Teniente further emphasized the
importance of reporting any suspicious activity by completing a Denuncia
at the G.C. office in the Puerto.
SM raised the issue of the language barrier and PG suggested providing a
Template with all the personal details of the person presenting the denuncia
in order to facilitate and expedite the G.C. paperwork, but it must be
made clear that the person presenting the denuncia must go in person to
the G.C. accompanied by an interpreter if necessary.
MG added that the Teniente was agreeable to a meeting with the residents
and a provisional date has been set for the 15th May.
Confirmation to follow nearer the time. MG
9. Possible/probable outcome of the Regional Assembly vote and how the
resulting impact is handled. – PD presented a very comprehensive report
on possible outcomes and contingency measures, if at the Regional
Assembly meeting in early March, the vote is to approve the Working
Commission’s recommendation that the Region takes over the
completion and repair of Camposol, PD suggested that steps should be
taken.
It was agreed that SB should contact the Spokesman for the
Working Commission and make enquiries on the procedure that will
follow the vote, including communication/liason with the relevant
departments within the Regional Authority involved in the planning
and execution of the work and on the re-establishment of the
El Saladillo/Camposol Pedanía. SB
10. A.O.B. –
a) Cabin maintenance – PG reported that the CRA cabin is in need of
maintenance. MG offered to obtain a quote from a Spanish contact. MG
b) Filing inventory – see point k) above PG/PD
c) Keys to the Cultural Centre – SB reported that following a great deal
of pressure on the Town Hall, every Association could go and collect
a new set of keys at the Town Hall, on Monday 19th. SB to go and
collect 2 sets (for PG and SB) SB
d) Correos situation – SB reported that she contacted the Correo’s boss
In Mazarron’s main Post Office, and she has an appointment for
Monday morning, for an update on the ‘correo’s situation. SB
e) Purchase of new printer – SB recently requested permission to purchase
a new printer to replace her old one which she has been using since
2015 for printing a vast number of reports from many Agencies, and
since September 2017 she has been printing a multitude of handouts
for an average of 100 students who joined her Spanish classes (with
an income of between 200€ and 250€ per week, when running, for
the CRA). Following comments from Committee members suggesting
various options, she opted for the purchase of a personal laser printer
which she will continue to use for CRA work and for Spanish classes.
The meeting closed at 1pm.
Date of next Committee meeting: Saturday 17th March 2018