Interview with Antonia Muñoz - Mayoress of Manilva

The following is a translation of an interview by the Manilva Press Office, which was published in the July edition of 'Manilva al Dia'.

Antonia Muñoz has been named Mayoress of Manilva for the second time. On the first occasion she was forced out by a motion of censorship by the council “the bad taste in the mouth that left me with is finally gone”. It is with renewed confidence that she faces the new challenges, and expresses the desire to make real her commitments to the community.

Q. What was the situation you encountered at the Town Hall of Manilva?
A. The truth is that it was far worse than I had imagined. Revenue from local taxes collected by the government’s collection agency (Patronato de Recaudación) was insufficient to meet the council’s commitments. The Town Hall is also seriously overstaffed. The situation has been far from good, but with patience and good management we are getting on top of things.

Q. In the distribution of delegations and areas of responsibility across the IU and ASM groups which from the governing body, it is surprising that you have ceded Planning to the ASM. Would you explain this decision?
A. It is very simple; although all the departments have been distributed the intention is to be a government that governs in a joint and coherent form, with no important decisions being made unilaterally with consultation. In addition to take on the Mayorship and Planning at the same time is unfeasible. These are two departments with heavy responsibility and therefore best held separately.

Q. The subject of council personnel is also the subject of much comment, probably due to the large number of staff employed by the Town Hall.
A. We must say that it is important to alleviate the municipal coffers of the high cost of the Town Hall’s excessive staffing. The employees must remain calm, we would like to keep them all, but we cannot allow the use of the ‘Employment Plan’ to provide indefinite employment for staff who are not qualified for the positions they hold.

Q. What are the priority objectives for your government team?
A. Basically the priority is to lay foundations on which a good government can be built. We have already met with the contractors responsible for the various major building projects, to negotiate payment plans, and to ensure they are completed in the shortest possible time. We are rationalising the personnel section. You could say we have just moved into a new house and are putting it in order. After this work we can then get on to the decorating, then people will begin to see the difference. The social policies and housing for young people are just some of the things that have been forgotten in recent times, and we are already taking vigourous steps to restore them.

Q. What message do you have for the people of Manilva?
A. Basically, that I am entirely at their disposal. My aim is to be a Mayoress for each and everyone, and that the will know where to find me because I will be an accessible Mayoress who listens, first hand, to any problems the public may have.