Arona Opposition Demands Audit Over Alleged Duplication in Green Space Maintenance
The Más por Arona party has demanded an audit of municipal green space maintenance, alleging that the City Council is improperly using public staff to perform duties already covered by a private contractor.
Public services in Arona are under political scrutiny once again. The Más por Arona party has raised concerns about how the municipality maintains its green spaces, suggesting that work is being duplicated.
The controversy centers on the use of workers from government employment programs to handle tasks that, according to the contract, should be performed by the private company hired to manage the service. This has sparked concerns about the efficient use of public money, as the City Council continues to pay the contractor in full while also assigning extra staff to cover duties that should already be included in the existing agreement.
The opposition is now calling on the Department of the Environment, led by Clara Pérez (Coalición Canaria), to audit how these tasks are divided. They argue it is essential to determine if there is an overlap in work or if the private contractor is failing to meet its obligations, forcing other staff to pick up the slack.
Beyond the administrative concerns, there is a debate over the actual condition of public spaces. Más por Arona has questioned the effectiveness of current maintenance, pointing to areas where overgrown vegetation suggests a lack of consistent care. The party claims that the Department of the Environment’s promotional photos of cleaning efforts do not match the reality residents see on the ground, describing the current approach as a superficial fix rather than a solution to structural maintenance problems.
In light of this, the party is demanding transparency on two fronts: a clear explanation of how work is assigned to program staff and stricter oversight to ensure the private contractor is fulfilling its contractual duties.