Inventive ways of municipal fund raising …

[Janet]

Quite a few posts lately have beat around the bush of municipal measures that could result in fines, raising some much needed money for local Ayuntamientos. A couple of recent examples include Adeje's measures on washing lines on street-facing balconies, and San Miguel's speed control campaign. One in the press today, however, takes the biscuit ... at least for the time being!

La Laguna Ayuntamiento has announced that they will issue fines for anyone caught using the municipality's beaches, lidos and rock pools before 10.30 in the morning and after 8 in the evening. Now summer's coming, and people often get to the beach around 10am, and many also leave after 8 because it's still broad daylight. From now on, however, they will be at risk of a fine.

Some councillors, particularly from Por Tenerife (XTF) and Sí Se Puede (SSP) say they are going to oppose the measure, not least because the fines are "economically disproportionate".  Why disproportionate? Because they will be up to €1,500. Just for getting to the beach early or perhaps dozing in the evening sun.

It seems, to these politicians, and to me at least, that this is a clear money-grabbing measure. It will be interesting to see how, and how often, this post is updated ... JA

[Guanche]

I thought the beaches belonged to the central Government? This will go down well with the tourist industry, not to mention the locals! Idiots.

[Myrtle Hogan-Lance]

Fucking bizarre.

[Michael]

I really is fucking bizarre. I've been known to hit the beach for a quick swim at 07.30. 

[Myrtle Hogan-Lance]

Well, we won't be doing it in La Laguna.  Anyway I live on the opposite side of the island so will go to my altogether more reasonable beaches.

[Janet]

As I posted HERE on 27 February, Puerto de la Cruz intended to introduce new municipal regulations to outlaw plastic terrace furniture in restaurants, hotels and bars, and require the leisure sector across the board to provide furniture made from  aluminium, wrought iron, or wood; toldos and umbrellas were also to be matching in either natural colour or burgundy. The rules officially came into force last November, but the Ayuntamiento gave a period of grace for adaptation until February.

Businesses, which have not been too keen to undertake the expenditure, have been resisting, but have now been told that they have three months to make the changes after which fines will be issued. Businesses face being fined up to €3,000, and could also be refused permission to renew their licence. JA

[Janet]

 There is some confusion over the La Laguna fines for "out of hours" bathing. Concejal de Servicios Municipales, Javier Abreu, said that the new bylaw concerning beaches and pools will not ban people from using them outside the hours of 10.30am to 8pm, but that these were the hours in which there was a lifeguard service. Sr Abreu said that anyone bathing at other times must do so at their own risk.

The councillor said he was responding to a "biased" interpretation of the new bylaw, in which Si Se Puede and Por Tenerife claimed that fines of up to €1.500 would be levied. One can't help but wonder how such an interpretation could be arrived at, and with such a specific figure, if it was not actually in the Ayuntamiento's plans. One can't help but wonder, either, why a new bylaw was needed merely to state existing lifeguard hours ... JA

[Guanche]

Ayuntamiento of La Laguna, not fit for purpose. How can any one go from informing people that there is no life guard cover outside certain hour's. To a By Law finning people for using a beach? And why do the need a by law to stick a notice up warning bathers that they bathe at their own risk? Bollocks liars and incompetence springs to mind.

[Janet]

Agreed, and they had lie (incompetently) because the plan was blown by Si Se Puede and PorTenerife 

[Guanche]

We should be thankful that they haven't yet discovered the sacred cash cow of them all. Pay and display, well not in Santa Cruz anyway.