Mayors want compensation

Wednesday, 13 June 2012 11:18

Written by Editor

A number of mayors in Malaga province want the Junta de Andalucia to compensate them for the large number of residents who are not “empadronado” (registered) with their town halls. The provincial government estimates that in 14 municipalities alone there are around 600,000 non-registered residents. And it is not just foreigners who are failing to register. Rincón de la Victoria mayor Francisco Salado told a local paper that while only 7 per cent of his town’s population were foreigners, because of its closeness to Malaga, thousands of people who work in the capital but live in the town are not registered.

Continuous campaigns urging people to register have failed and the mayors think the Junta should compensate them. They said a town’s population can be accurately estimated using tax and other figures.

The amount of money a town receives in aid for public works and infrastructure maintenance from the regional and  local governments is  based on the “padron” figures.

This could make a big difference to the local economy of a town like Torrox with a foreign population of 7,000 – nearly half its total population – many of whom for one reason or another are not registered.