CalpeNoticias EN

This week, Aguas de Calpe (the water supply company) began work on the rainwater collector in the Borumbot district. This involves renovating the current rainwater collection system to renew and adapt the section of the sewerage collector located between plots 2N and 7N in the Manzanera district.

The current section of the collector will be split into two: on the one hand, the sewerage collector that ends at the Borumbot EBAR, and on the other, the rainwater collector that begins in front of plot 5N in the Manzanera district and ends by connecting to the existing rainwater collector on Avenida Valencia.

These works are intended to prevent flooding problems in the area and excessive rainwater inflow to the Borumbot EBAR. Until now, during periods of heavy rain, rainwater from the Manzanera and Borumbot housing developments has been channelled to the lowest point in the area, the Balcón al Mar building, where a well overflows and contributes to the erosion of the Borumbot cliff.

The works consist of the construction of a 354-metre-long PVC rainwater collector to intercept the surface runoff that reaches the lowest point of the development and convey the water to the existing rainwater network on Avenida Valencia. The layout will run through the centre of the road between Borumbot and Calle Navío. The project will also include the installation of surface water collection elements (transverse grates and drains) distributed evenly throughout the area. In addition, two drains located next to the facades of plots 5N in the Manzanera district and 6I in the Borumbot district will be connected to this collector.

Test pits are currently being dug to determine the exact depth, to confirm that the works will not interfere with any services. The total cost of the project is €428,746.12 (excluding VAT).

The Tourism Department is busy preparing the programme for ‘100 years of tourism in Calpe’, which aims to recognise the municipality's tourist industry. The origin of the date can be traced back to visits to Calpe by a group of intellectuals and artists during the first third of the 20th century, including Oscar Esplá, Gabriel Miró, Germán Bernácer and Emilio Varela.

The Alicante-Calpe railway dates to 1915 and there is evidence of inns in the municipality at that time, although the Paradero de Ifac did not open its doors until 1935. In addition, there is a play by Azorín entitled Ifach, a comedy in three acts set in the municipality, which must have been written by Azorín between 1926 and 1930. All of this has led the Department of Tourism to establish 1926 as the starting date for the centenary.

Among the activities already planned is a talk by Antonio Michavila, associate professor at the University of Alicante, on Azorín's comedy Ifach. The lecture will take place on 17 March at Casa Nova.

Another initiative is to incorporate Calpe into the Virtual Tourism Museum, a museum in the digital world dedicated to exploring and showcasing tourism as a cultural, social and economic phenomenon, accessible from electronic devices and focused on preserving and sharing the memory of tourism through digital collections and archives.

There are also plans to organise an exhibition with photographs and documents that trace the history of tourism promotion in Calpe, the first tourists who arrived in the municipality and the first establishments where they stayed. The celebration will be rounded off with a series of conferences to discuss 100 years of tourism in Calpe, which will include an academic component and the participation of those responsible for tourism policy in recent years.

The celebration of this anniversary aims to pay tribute to the history of tourism in Calpe, to those who have worked in the industry and to the changes that this human activity has undergone over time, but at the same time it aims to open a debate on the challenges facing the municipality as a tourist destination.

The Councillor for Tourism, Marco Bittner, pointed out that "A town that does not know its history is doomed to improvise its destiny. In Calpe, I believe it is time for us all to choose to honour our roots to project a solid, sustainable and vibrant future. This series of events is an initiative of the Department of Tourism that aims to be a reflection on the 21st century, so that after 100 years of tourism, the citizens can see that the course of Calpe has always been marked by the decisions of the residents as a group and that now the decision of what kind of town we want to be will depend on a collective decision and a momentum that we all take together".

With the arrival of the new year, Calpe Town Council has begun work on refurbishing and improving urban signage throughout the municipality, with the aim of modernising it, standardising criteria and making it easier for both residents and visitors to find their way around.

Over the last few weeks, the bus stop shelters have been renovated, including the repair of glass, the replacement of damaged parts and painting work.

Likewise, the mupis (Spanish acronym of Mobiliario Urbano para la Presentación de Información - urban furniture for the presentation of information) have been renovated, both commercial and informational, located at the entrances to residential areas. All the mupis in the municipality have been checked, repaired and painted.

In the coming days, the renovation of the signage on posts, both institutional and directional, will begin. These institutional posts, which provide information on public buildings and tourist resources, will include captions in Spanish and Valencian. In fact, work has already begun with the installation of new posts on Felipe VI Avenue, an area that until now lacked this type of signage.

This project, which is being carried out by the company awarded the contract, aims to update and standardise urban signage, remove damaged supports and incorporate new destinations that facilitate access to emblematic places and local heritage.

Friday, 30:

• • 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Exhibition ‘A Year of Photojournalism 3.0 · INFOTO Journalists’. Exhibition Hall of the Casa de Cultura. Until 28 February 2026.
  • 10:00 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Guided tours to Banys de la Reina. (Tour in English at 11:30 a.m. on Thursdays, in French on Wednesdays). Registration at cabdelareina@esatur.com.

Saturday, 31st:

• • 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Exhibition ‘A Year of Photojournalism 3.0 · INFOTO Journalists.’ Exhibition Hall of the Casa de Cultura. Until 28 February 2026.
  • 10:00 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Guided tours to Banys de la Reina. Registration at cabdelareina@esatur.com.
  • 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Valencian Community Tree Day. Meeting point in the green area next to the Muralla Roja.
  • 11:00 a.m. Third edition of CBBR Kids. Creativity Park.
  • 8:00 p.m. Concert in tribute to Camilo Sexto by the CLAUdeFA Music Group. Auditorium of the Casa de Cultura.

Sunday, 1:

• • 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. Guided tours to Banys de la Reina. (Tour in Valencian at 12:00 p.m.). Registration at cabdelareina@esatur.com.

At the ordinary plenary session of Calpe Town Council, held yesterday, 27 January, the creation of a specific register of minutes for the meetings of the collegiate bodies in which the Town Council participates was announced. This is an internal monitoring and control tool that will enable the documentation of these bodies to be centralised and improve administrative coordination.

The Councillor for Internal Affairs, Ximo Perles, explained during the session that work is already underway on the regulations that will govern this register, with the aim of getting it up and running in the coming weeks. Among the bodies whose minutes will be incorporated into this archive are, among others, the Calpe Water Council, the Governing Board of the Penyal d'Ifac Natural Park, the waste consortium, CREAMA and the Marina Alta Cultural Association (MACMA). The aim is to have a single, orderly repository that facilitates access to information for municipal services and corporate groups.

At the same plenary session, Calpe Town Council's Contracting Plan for 2026 was approved, which organises and schedules the main works, services and supply contracts planned for the coming years. The document includes investments worth €66 million over the coming years, linked to both the maintenance of essential services and improvements to municipal infrastructure and facilities.

The plenary session also took note of the new structure of the municipal government, with the modification of the Local Government Board and the appointment of new deputy mayors and representatives of the City Council in various collegiate bodies. Likewise, the remuneration of the members of the corporation was set, several authorisations and rectifications of an administrative nature were approved, and an urban planning agreement with a reservation of use was ratified.

Finally, a motion was debated and approved to urge the Spanish Government to reduce the bureaucratic burdens affecting the fishing sector.

The plenary session can be viewed in its entirety on the Calpe Town Council's YouTube channel, accessible from the municipal website at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxzEMaQEqgQ

Friday, 23rd:

• 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Guided tours to Banys de la Reina. (Tour in English at 11:30 a.m. on Thursdays, in French on Wednesdays). Registration at cabdelareina@esatur.com.

Saturday, 24th:

• • 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. - Guided tours to Banys de la Reina. Registration at cabdelareina@esatur.com.
  • From 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Swimming Day organised by the Xarxa Esportiva de la Marina at the municipal swimming pool.

• • ‘Misery Class’ with Goyo Jiménez. 7:30 p.m. in the Auditorium. Free admission until full capacity is reached.

Sunday, 25th:

• • 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. - Guided tours to Banys de la Reina. (Tour in Valencian at 12 p.m.). Registration at cabdelareina@esatur.com.
  • Sant Antoni del Porquet Festivity in Calpe at the La Merced Parish Church

10:45 a.m. – Procession from Plaza Mediterrrani to the La Merced Chucrh

11:30 a.m. – Blessing of the animals

12:00 p.m. – Mass

On Friday 6 February, Calpe Town Council will hold the 3rd Conference on ‘Ethics and Integrity in Public Procurement’, which will once again turn the town into a meeting point for public sector professionals committed to transparency, good governance and the improvement of procurement processes.

The conference will take place in the Auditorium of the Jaume Pastor i Fluixà Cultural Centre and will begin at 8:30 am with the collection of accreditations. The official opening will be at 9:15 am. This third edition is mainly aimed at technical staff and public officials involved in contract management, with the aim of offering them practical tools to reinforce integrity, legal certainty and control of public spending.

The programme will combine high-level legal and technical presentations. At 9:30 a.m., Manuel Fueyo Bros, Local Administration Comptroller and Trustee of the Principality of Asturias Audit Office, will address ‘The importance of bid evaluation formulae. After a coffee break at 10:45 a.m., at 11:30 a.m. Javier Martínez Hellín, Deputy Secretary of the Villena City Council and Associate Professor of Administrative Law at the University of Alicante, will give a presentation on the ‘Study of labour costs in service contracts and service concessions´.

At 12:45 p.m., Beatriz María Vigo Martín, Comptroller General of the Madrid City Council, will focus her presentation on ‘Control of Intervention in Framework Agreements and Dynamic Procurement Systems.’ At 2:00 p.m., a working cocktail reception is planned to facilitate the exchange of experiences among attendees.

The afternoon session will resume at 3:15 p.m. with the conference ‘Criminal Law and Public Procurement,’ by María Ángeles Jareño Leal, Professor of Criminal Law at the Universidad de Valencia. At 4:30 p.m. Gabriele Vestri, Professor of Procedural Law at the Universidad de Sevilla President of the Public Sector and Artificial Intelligence Observatory, will present the ‘Strategic Plan for the Implementation and Purchase of AI in Public Administration’, analysing the opportunities and risks of using these technologies in procurement processes. The closing ceremony is scheduled for 5:45 p.m., followed by a closing dinner at 8:30 p.m.

Registration will remain open until 28 January via the form accessible through the QR code included in the conference information material. Participation is free of charge until full capacity is reached.

The conference is organised by Calpe Town Council in collaboration with Alicante Provincial Council, the Valencian Federation of Municipalities and Provinces and the Official Association of Secretaries, Auditors and Treasurers of Local Government. With this third edition, Calpe consolidates its commitment to continuous training and integrity in the management of public resources.

This week, the Calpe Local Police began accompanying the five buses that transport CEIP Oltà students to the new temporary school, located in the Gargasindi district.

With the start of classes after the Christmas holidays, the 402 pupils of CEIP Oltà began attending classes in the modules installed in the Gargasindi district, next to IES Les Salines. However, the transfer of pupils by bus to the new school was not initially authorised, as it was considered that the access road to the centre did not meet the necessary requirements for regular traffic of vehicles of this size, especially at peak times of access to the area.

This meant that the CEIP Oltà buses, after picking up the pupils at the three designated stops (Health Centre and Casa de Cultura / Plaza Mayor), made their final stop on the road in front of the Parc de la Creatividad, and from there, the pupils walked to the school along a designated path of about 400 metres.

Finally, the departments of Education and Safety and Mobility have reached an agreement with the Regional Ministry of Education, so that the buses can reach the school itself, escorted by two Local Police vehicles. Thus, the five school buses of CEIP Oltà gather on Felipe VI Road (before the intersection with Casanova Avenue) and, from there, are accompanied by the Local Police, who can intervene in case of any traffic complications until they arrive at the school.

Once classes are over, the local police escort the school buses again: three buses leave at 2:15 p.m., one at 3:45 p.m. and, finally, the last bus at 5:00 p.m.

To avoid traffic jams and congestion, a 15-minute margin has been established for pick-up and drop-off times at the stops.

This measure prevents CEIP Oltà students, some of whom are very young, from having to walk the 400 metres between the bus stop in front of the Parc de la Creatividad and the school and allows them to enter and leave the school grounds in complete safety.

Calpe Town Council today established the Commemorative Committee for the 50th anniversary of the “Moros y Cristianos” festival, a body responsible for designing and coordinating the programme of special events that will take place throughout 2026 and 2027 to mark this anniversary. The aim of the commemoration is to strengthen and raise the profile of the festival and to advance the recognition of the “Moros y Cristianos” Festival in honour of the Santísimo Cristo del Sudor as a Festival of National Tourist Interest.

The committee, attached to the Mayor's Office, is chaired by Mayoress Ana Sala Fernández and has the Councillor for Festivals, Mariola Mulet Ronda, as vice-chair and commissioner for the 50th anniversary. This body includes representatives from the City Council (tourism, culture and communication experts and one representative from each municipal group), the Association of “Moros y Cristianos”, including its president Rocío Pastor Pastor and long-standing members of different groups, as well as the local parish priest, Vicente Martínez Agulló. In total, more than twenty people linked to the world of festivals and municipal management will work together to design the commemoration.

At the first working meeting, the general outline of the commemorative programme was outlined, which will include photography, poster and festive costume competitions, a festive music contest and a series of talks on different aspects of the festival, its history and its evolution in the municipality. The organisation of a grand commemorative gala and a day of festive conviviality has also been proposed.

The committee has also proposed updating a specific socio-economic study to analyse the impact of the “Moros y Cristianos”, festival on the local economy and on Calpe's tourism profile. Looking ahead to 2027, the year in which the 50th anniversary celebrations will culminate, the festival is expected to have a prominent presence at FITUR, where it will be specifically promoted as one of the municipality's main cultural and festive attractions.

At the same time, the Town Council has begun the process of having this commemoration recognised as a Festival of National Tourist Interest.

With the establishment of this commission, Calpe Town Council is taking the first step towards putting together a comprehensive and participatory programme that will highlight half a century of festive history and reinforce the link between the “Moros y Cristianos”, festival and the identity and social life of the town.

Calpe Town Council will host the 9th edition of the ‘Flors d'Honor’ awards ceremony for the ‘Viles en Flor’ programme, promoted by the Asfplant Foundation (Professional Association of Flowers, Plants and Horticultural Technology of the Valencian Region). The event will be held on 6 November and will bring together municipal representatives, authorities and professionals from the sector to recognise the best projects for the management of green areas and the improvement of the urban landscape in the Valencian Region. So far, 55 municipalities in the Valencian Region have confirmed their participation in this new edition of the programme.

‘Viles en Flor’ aims to highlight the work carried out by municipalities in the creation, conservation and sustainable management of their green spaces, as well as in environmental education and raising public awareness about caring for the environment. The programme also seeks to reinforce the image of the participating municipalities as attractive destinations committed to quality of life and sustainability.

Calpe is participating in ‘Viles en Flor’ for the sixth consecutive year and in the last edition it revalidated the three ‘Flors d'Honor’, consolidating its position as one of the Valencian benchmarks in terms of sustainability and respect for the environment. In recent years, the municipality has developed various initiatives to improve urban tree cover, landscaping and the protection of natural spaces, including the Peñón de Ifach Natural Park and the Calpe Salt Flats, a protected wetland and an enclave of great value for biodiversity.

The Foundation's managing director, José Forcadell, pointed out that ‘the Viles en Flor project demonstrates that urban greenery is a key tool for improving quality of life, strengthening local identity and promoting more balanced development. We encourage Valencian municipalities to join this initiative, which highlights the collective effort to build more sustainable, healthy and attractive spaces for residents and visitors’.

For her part, the Mayor of Calpe, Ana Sala, stressed that participation in this programme ‘is recognition of the work that has been done for years in favour of the environment and sustainability. Being part of Viles en Flor allows us to share experiences with other municipalities, learn new ways of managing public space and continue moving towards a greener, friendlier city model that is committed to its natural environment’.

Calpe Town Council has taken stock of the ‘Calpe 2025 Trade Voucher’ campaign, launched to encourage shopping in local shops and support citizens registered in the municipality. The initiative, aimed at people over the age of 18, has mobilised a total of €477,380.66 in participating establishments.

This campaign has been carried out through the Calpe Business Association (AEMCO) and 91 local businesses with fewer than 50 employees have signed up. The campaign consisted of issuing vouchers worth €20, €50 and €100, 50% of which were subsidised by the Town Council, so that each registered resident could purchase up to €100 in vouchers, paying only half the price, and then redeem them in participating establishments.

Between 26 November and 14 December, 6,252 vouchers were sold for a total of €374,390. Of these, 6,189 vouchers were redeemed, for a total value of €370,920. The municipal contribution in the form of a direct subsidy to retailers amounted to €185,460, representing 92.73% of the maximum amount of €200,000.

The real economic impact on the commercial fabric was greater than the value of the vouchers, as purchases had to be of an amount equal to or greater than the value of the voucher. Thus, in addition to the €370,920 redeemed in vouchers, additional purchases worth €106,460.66 were made, bringing the total injection of money into businesses to €477,380.66, an increase of 28.70% over the amount of the vouchers.

The campaign had a specific platform, www.bonocomerciocalp.es, for managing vouchers and validating receipts, and various communication actions were carried out in coordination with AEMCO and FACPYME, ranging from dissemination on social networks, radio adverts, telephone support, the creation of an email address for resolving queries and problems, and the use of instant messaging for establishments and users.

With these results, Calpe Town Council has consolidated the Bono Comercio campaign as an effective tool for supporting local businesses, building customer loyalty and stimulating purchases in local shops during the end-of-year period.

Calpe Town Council has begun improvement and maintenance work on the asphalt pavement on various roads in the municipality, which will involve the renovation of an area of approximately 40,000 square metres. The aim of the work is to replace the wearing course on those sections where the road surface has deteriorated significantly due to the passage of time, inclement weather and heavy traffic, especially during the summer months.

The scope of the project focuses mainly on the areas of Bassetes, Calalga, Caleta and La Fossa, where a total of 18 sections of different streets will be resurfaced and the pavements repaired, with the aim of improving both road safety and pedestrian conditions in these residential and tourist areas of the municipality.

The work is scheduled to take place between 22 January and 13 February, although this timetable may be adjusted depending on technical conditions or weather factors. The investment amounts to a total of €647,000, mainly for the renewal of the asphalt and various other measures such as the removal of tree roots and the repair of deformations where necessary to ensure the durability of the new pavement.

The project also includes a specific intervention to improve pedestrian accessibility on Avenida Rosa de los Vientos and the adjacent roads, by lowering the existing pedestrian crossings and adapting the driveways to current accessibility regulations. The aim is to facilitate the mobility of people with disabilities, the elderly, pushchairs and pedestrians in general.

During the period of the works, there may be occasional traffic disruptions and parking restrictions on the affected streets. Calpe Town Council recommends that citizens pay attention to the temporary signage and instructions from the municipal services, as well as the official channels of the Town Council, which will provide information on any traffic disruptions that may occur.

Calpe Town Council will present a new tourism campaign at Fitur with the aim of promoting the destination in the low season. This is a pioneering campaign, unlike anything that has been done before, which aims to differentiate the municipality from other destinations with similar characteristics to Calpe and, at the same time, contribute to its de-seasonalisation.

The campaign, which has the slogan ‘Everything that's good is in Calpe’, will focus on promoting active, gastronomic and cultural tourism in the destination during the autumn, winter and spring months. A video has been produced showing all these aspects of Calpe's tourist attraction, which was filmed in winter.

Unlike previous campaigns, the new campaign seeks to target audiences other than families, such as adults travelling alone or with friends, or those who choose destinations for sports or other activities or to enjoy nature. And all this from an inclusive point of view, another new feature of this initiative. In this sense, Calpe aims to promote itself as a destination for people with functional diversity as well as for LGTBIQ+ people.

Among the attractions to be promoted this year, the festivals also stand out as a cultural tourist resource to be promoted. To this end, a specific video has been produced featuring the most notable celebrations on the municipality's festive calendar as an incentive to visit the municipality outside the high season. The video will be screened at the presentation of the 50th anniversary of the Moors and Christians festival, which will also take place at Fitur.

‘This is an unusual campaign, in which we are launching a very different proposal, based on the promotion of the autumn, winter and spring seasons and inclusive, in which we are moving away from the traditional tourism model. In this way, we aim to promote the de-seasonalisation that will lead to greater sustainability for Calpe as a destination,’ said Mireia Ripoll, Councillor for Tourism Planning.

The campaign will be presented at Fitur on 22 January at 3 p.m. This is Calpe's programme of events for this tourism event:

22 January

• 1 p.m. Presentation of LGBTQ+ events on the Costa Blanca, models of success (L'Orxa i Calpe). In Hall 9. Stand Turisme Comunitat Valenciana.
• 3 pm. Presentation of Calpe's new video and tourism campaign. Hall 7. Costa Blanca stand.
• 4.30 pm. Presentation of the Smart Tourist Destination Award by SEGITTUR. Fitur know-how & Sports Auditorium. Hall 12.
• 5.15 p.m. Announcement of the start of the 50th anniversary celebrations of Moros y Cristianos and video of the Calpe festivities. Hall 7. Costa Blanca stand.

Friday, 16:

• 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Guided tours to  Banys de la Reina. (Tour in English at 11:30 a.m. on Thursdays, in French on Wednesdays). Register at cabdelareina@esatur.com.
• 8 p.m. Hypnosis and mentalism show. Toni Pons presents ‘Tu otro yo’ (Your other self). Casa de Cultura Auditorium (Av. Masnou, 1).

Saturday, 17:

• 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. - Guided tours to Banys de la Reina. cabdelareina@esatur.com.

Sunday, 18:

• 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. - Guided tours to Banys de la Reina. (Tour in Valencian at 12:00 p.m.). Registration at cabdelareina@esatur.com.
• 11 a.m. Mass and subsequent blessing of animals for the feast of San Antonio del Porquet at the Nuestra Señora de las Nieves Parish Church

Calpe Town Council has closed the 2025 fiscal year consolidating a growth trend in terms of its cultural offering. According to data collected in the annual report prepared by the Department of Culture, a total of 33,839 people attended its programmed activities in 2025, representing an increase of almost 26% compared to 2024, when 26,924 users were recorded.

This increase has been supported by a significant strengthening of the programme promoted by the Council. Throughout 2025, a total of 264 activities were conducted, a figure that exceeds the 227 proposals of the previous year and is well above the 151 programmed in 2023. In just two years, the cultural offering managed by the Council has increased by around 75%, translating into almost 10,000 more attendees than two years ago.

In terms of analysis by type, last year's programme stood out for its variety and the notable boost in the performing arts, with 49 theatre performances, doubling the 22 performances recorded in the previous year.

The rest of the programme was completed with the organisation of 52 music concerts, 15 film screenings, 10 dance performances and 138 other activities, including exhibitions, conferences, institutional events, and guided tours.

At a press conference today, Calpe Town Council presented the new organisation of its departments and the update of its councillors' responsibilities, with the aim of offering more efficient, specialised management that is closer to the public.

ANA SALA FERNÁNDEZ

TERRITORY, INFRASTRUCTURE AND STRATEGIC PROJECTS

Urban planning, granting of planning permits, environmental and opening licences, business park and strategic projects.

GUILLERMO SENDRA GUARDIOLA

CULTURE, MOBILITY AND PUBLIC SAFETY

Culture, old town, historical and monumental heritage, cultural centre, municipal library, museums, public safety, local police and civil protection, traffic, emergencies, taxis, urban mobility and the 2026-2036 Urban Transport Plan.

XIMO PERLES PÉREZ

SPORTS, HOUSING, ECONOMIC AND TOURISM PROMOTION, INTEGRATED WATER CYCLE AND INTERNAL REGIME

Sports, domestic drinking water supply, sewerage, water treatment and sanitation, procurement, heritage, municipal inventory and internal regime.

PAQUI SOLIVELLES SENDRA

FINANCE, AUDIT AND TREASURY, SUBSIDIES, HUMAN RESOURCES AND OAC

Budgets, tax collection and treasury services, human resources, approving public job offers, hiring Corporation staff, municipal staff discipline, employment plans, Citizen Services and Registry Office, subsidies and Consortium for the Economic Recovery of the Marina Alta (CREAMA).

MARIOLA MULET RONDA

EDUCATION, SEA AND FESTIVALS

Education, nursery and primary schools, Silene Nursery School, IES Ifach, IES Les Salines, University Campus, EPA, Pla Edificant, Festivals: popular heritage and traditions, productive sectors ‘de la mar i de la terra’ (from the sea and the land) and ports.

REBECA MERCHÁN DÍAZ

CITIZEN PARTICIPATION, SENIOR CITIZENS, YOUTH AND INSTITUTIONAL RELATIONS

Citizen participation, transparency and open government, institutional communication, defending citizens in their relations with the City Council, associations, Civic Centre, senior citizens, relations with other public administrations.

ITZIAR DOVAL CÁMARA

SOCIAL INCLUSION, EQUALITY AND FAMILY

Social services, equality, gender violence, family, childhood, adolescence, LGTBI community, non-governmental organisations, Day Centre, Maite Boronat Centre, Health Protection, health centres and second health centre.

PEDRO MOLL LEUCHTER

ENVIRONMENT AND ANIMAL WELFARE

Green areas, beaches, promenades, environment, Agenda 2030, sustainable development goals, climate change, Les Salines Natural Park, solar streetlights, animal welfare, fire prevention and extinction.

MARCO BITTNER

SPECIAL DELEGATE FOR SUBSIDIES, INTERNATIONAL RESIDENTS, EUROPEAN RELATIONS, IT AND USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, INTERNATIONAL TOURISM PROMOTION, TWINNING AND THE PARK OF ETERNAL REST.

IT, modernisation of the administration, information and communication technologies, SmartCity, use of artificial intelligence, international tourism promotion, twinning and the Park of Eternal Rest, and grants. Special delegate for the Wanderlust project, Edusi and Next Generation Funds.

MIREIA RIPOLL

SPECIAL DELEGATE FOR TOURISM PLANNING, HOUSING, CLEANING OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND URBAN SIGNAGE

Tourism planning, housing, urban signage and cleaning of public buildings. Municipal housing plan 2026-2030.

ÁLEX COCA MALAGÓN

SPECIAL DELEGATE FOR YOUTH, ECONOMIC PROMOTION, URBAN QUALITY, COMMERCE AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT.

Economic promotion, employment, commerce, sedentary sales, non-sedentary sales, consumption and Consumer Information Office (OMIC); urban developments; urban quality and image works and services; street cleaning; waste collection and treatment; public lighting, road painting, parks and gardens. Youth, Youth Information Centre, Punt Jove and Youth Information Point.

This week, reconstruction work began on the access road to the Balcón de Bernia residential area. This is the road whose retaining wall collapsed because of the rains in 2022. The road is currently completely undermined in the area where the wall collapsed, although a reinforced concrete wall has been built by the community of owners of the residential complex. However, the services are in a precarious state, with temporary connections and completely exposed to the elements.

The work, which began with clearing tasks, will consist of demolishing the road surface affected by the collapse of the wall, filling in the wall, compacting the fill, aligning the curbstones, and replacing the existing services. Subsequently, the asphalt gravel layer will be laid, the pavements will be rebuilt, and the road will be painted.

The supply network, which is currently laid provisionally, will also be replaced, a new drain grate will be installed at the lowest point of the road to improve drainage in the area, and work will be carried out to channel the low-voltage underground line.

This part of the work was awarded to the company Vives Dalmau for €190,271, with a completion period of three months.

The mayor, Ana Sala, said, ‘We want to restore normality to that area of the Empedrola residential area, which affected the owners and caused considerable concern on the part of everyone due to the rains that caused a lot of damage and forced the residents to evacuate.’

This morning, Calpe Town Hall experienced a fire outbreak caused by an electrical short circuit, forcing the preventive evacuation of municipal staff and citizens who were inside the building.

The incident occurred shortly before 12 noon, when smoke was detected coming from one of the ceiling panels on the third floor, as well as melting plastic on the affected ceiling panel. Following an inspection by the municipal electrical brigade, a small flame was confirmed above the ceiling.

The local police extinguished the fire using two CO₂ extinguishers. Members of the Provincial Fire Brigade went to the Town Hall and confirmed, using thermal cameras, that the fire had been completely extinguished. Civil Guard officers also participated in the operation and an ambulance was dispatched to the scene.

The rapid response of all the security and emergency services and agencies involved meant that Town Hall staff and members of the public were able to re-enter the building at around 12.40 pm.

Álex Coca Malagón has been sworn in as councillor for Calpe Town Council, representing the Somos Calpe municipal group, at the extraordinary plenary session held this afternoon. Coca replaces Juan Manuel del Pino, who resigned as councillor at the plenary session in December when the municipal budget was finally approved, following his decision to leave political life.

The mayoress of Calpe, Ana Sala, presented him with the insignia and institutional medal and welcomed him to the corporation and to the new stage he is beginning in the service of the public interest. In her speech, Sala highlighted Álex Coca's youth, enthusiasm and eagerness to take on challenges.

The delegations that the new councillor will assume are expected to be announced in the coming days.

Friday, 9:

• 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Guided tours to Banys de la Reina. (Tour in English at 11:30 a.m. on Thursdays, in French on Wednesdays). Registration at cabdelareina@esatur.com.
• 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. / 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. - Exhibition of the Nativity Scene at the Nuestra Señora de las Nieves Parish Church. Until 11 January.
• 6pm-7pm - Exhibition of the Nativity Scene at the Nuestra Señora Virgen de la Merced Parish Church. Until 11 January.

Saturday, 10:

• • 10am, 11:30am and 1pm - Guided tours to Banys de la Reina. Registration at cabdelareina@esatur.com.
  • 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. / 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. - Exhibition of the Nativity Scene at the Nuestra Señora de las Nieves Parish Church. Until 11 January.
  • 6pm-7pm - Exhibition of the Nativity Scene at the Nuestra Señora Virgen de la Merced Parish Church. Until 11 January.
  • 7:30 pm - Concert ‘Una visión a dos pianos’ (A vision for two pianos), by pianists Rosa Blanco and Javier Otero Neira. Free admission. Auditorium.

Sunday, 11th:

• • From 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. - Exhibition of the Nativity Scene of the Nuestra Señora de las Nieves Parish Church. Until 11 January.
  • From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. - Exhibition of the Nativity Scene of the Nuestra Señora Virgen de la Merced Parish Church. Until 11 January.
  • 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. - Guided tours to Banys de la Reina. (Tour in Valencian at 12 p.m.). Registration at cabdelareina@esatur.com.