Tacoronte Social Services Coordinator Removal Sparks Political Dispute
The Tacoronte City Council faces a political dispute over the potential removal of its Social Services coordinator, with opposition leaders alleging retaliation while the governing coalition cites legal requirements for the position's professional qualifications.
Social Services at the Tacoronte City Council has become the center of a heated political dispute. José Daniel Díaz, spokesperson for Nueva Canarias (NC), has accused the governing coalition—made up of the PSOE, CC, and PP—of trying to remove the department’s coordinator. Díaz claims this move is a retaliatory tactic against staff who have questioned the city’s Job Position List (RPT) and a strategic maneuver ahead of the upcoming elections.
The conflict centers on a restructuring of roles. NC argues that the coordinator earned her position through a public process and that her removal, just months before the election, is an attempt by Councilor José Caro (PP) to take direct control over social aid.
The governing team denies these claims, stating the move is a legal requirement. According to Caro, current regulations mandate that department heads must be A1-group civil servants—a qualification the current coordinator does not hold, despite her 20 years in the role.
The dispute has also entered the legal arena. Díaz Armas argues that the RPT is currently being challenged in court and that the government is violating the employee's rights. However, Caro maintains that the ongoing litigation concerns a labor agreement from the previous administration, not the RPT, which he insists was agreed upon by union representatives.
This situation highlights ongoing tensions in Tacoronte regarding the professionalization of municipal staff. While critics fear that political interference could compromise the neutrality of social aid, the municipal government insists that all benefits are granted based on established ordinances and validated by technical staff, independent of political influence. With Mayor Sandra Izquierdo and the coalition parties standing by the decision, the controversy remains a significant point of institutional conflict in the municipality.