Arona Faces Political Backlash Over Stalled Fines for Cleaning Contractor

Arona’s cleaning contract is under fire after the local Socialist party (PSOE) revealed that the municipal government has stalled a disciplinary process against UTE Limpieza Arona for over four months. The company, which has been responsible for cleaning schools, offices, and sports centers since January 1, 2025, is now at the center of a growing political dispute.

The controversy stems from an April 2026 technical report that recommended two fines of 50,001 euros each, totaling 100,002 euros. These penalties were proposed due to two major contract breaches: the company’s failure to implement a digital attendance system for staff and its failure to provide the fleet of vehicles promised in the original tender.

The issue has become more urgent with the start of the new school year. PSOE leader José Julián Mena claims that beyond these technical failures, the company is struggling with poor staff management, citing instances where sick leave has gone uncovered for over ten days. This follows a previous 12,002-euro fine issued in late 2025, which the opposition argues has done little to fix what municipal officials have labeled as "highly serious" irregularities.

With the contract valued at over ten million euros, the delay in processing these fines has raised serious concerns about the City Council’s ability to oversee such a significant public service. Mr. Mena has now demanded that Mayor Fátima Lemes explain why the sanctions have been shelved and has called for immediate action to ensure that schools and public offices receive the quality of service they are paying for.