If your party win the election, will there be English people in the Town Hall that we can talk to?

In the event of us winning the election, and I become Deputy Mayor, I will be at the town Hall at specified times during the week to speak with any English speaking residents who have issues and concerns.  As the Town Hall belongs to the community of Bedar and its hamlets we will be working to make it a friendly and welcoming place for Residents and Visitors, where your concerns and queries can be discussed.

(answered by David Horton)

How can you possibly run town hall affairs when you do not speak Spanish?

I initially came here to retire, to drink good wine and play chess.  However, when I saw my future undermined by town hall apathy and decided to join the opposition list, I also started intense and regular Spanish lessons. 

Whether we like it or not, we are now a multicultural community and sad though it is, most of us Brits do not learn Spanish because we do not really have an incentive to.  We tend to live amongst ourselves, so even if we have good intentions and try to learn some Spanish, we have little opportunity to practise it.  Forming this party has been a great incentive to all concerned. In our team there are some Brits with little Spanish but who are developing their skills;  there are young Spaniards with little English but who are really keen to develop their skills and communicate with the English. There is even a young Spaniard on our list who is currently taking a Masters in English who welcomes the opportunity to perfect her English. We also have some native English speakers who speak excellent Spanish and who are delighted to have the opportunity to improve their written Spanish.

This language challenge can even be seen as a blessing in disguise:  we all have to speak clearly and simply, listen to each other and help each other.  During our working meetings and constant flow of emails, we are all aware of and learning about differences in cultural as well as individual backgrounds. This effort creates a real bond between us and is excellent practice for the post-electoral challenge we will face of having to reach the multicultural residents in Bedar.

(Answered by David Horton)

What role will the European residents play in this new group? What truth is there in the rumour that the British are taking over the town?

Over 40% of Bedar’s registered voters are non-Spanish.  To ignore this statistic or their presence is to ignore reality.  From the beginning, our group has always considered this segment of our population, predominantly British, to be important.  Don’t forget that they need the same services and attention to problems as the Spanish, something which the current administration has not been adequately providing.

Putting in token non-Spanish into the list has happened frequently in the past.  For example, the current PSOE list has two non-Spanish in the final positions where it is unlikely they will be allowed to participate actively nor bring solutions to the town’s problems.  We, on the other hand, take the points of view seriously (of our non-Spanish residents) and believe that both communities should work together for the common good.  We are all in the same boat.  Therefore, the only way to attain complete integration is to put several British names in the upper positions on our list such that everyone will feel represented and know that their opinions will have a voice. 

Furthermore, amongst our non-Spanish residents are individuals who are highly qualified and ready to run a town hall.  Their experience is one of the strongest points of our list and ensures the local Bedarenses that finally there will be someone in the town hall that represents everyone, that listens to everyone, and who is able to manage the town and its resources such that Bedar can grow as a town and a society.  This is particularly important now that income from construction has dried up.  It is vital and urgent that we develop new economic models to give life to the town and ensure its future. 

The experience of the British on our list combines well with the enthusiasm, intelligence and willingness of our younger Spanish list members who make up for what they lack in experience with their commitment to making the town a better place.  This teamwork results in much more value than that offered by a sole person making all the decisions without consulting with anybody – something which we are all accustomed to in the current town hall.  In addition, the team is supported by a group of volunteer advisors offering a wealth of important and necessary skills, such as legal counsel, translating, IT skills and tourism development.

(answered by LSOS councillor Juan Antonio Soler)