Today an ordinary council meeting was held at Manilva Town Hall, at which several items of interest were discussed, among them the one put forward by the VOX municipal group through its only councillor represented on the council, Mr Antonio Marín, who presented his motion to ask the Junta de Andalucía to provide 24-hour medical emergency services at the Manilva clinic, Sabinillas health centre, as well as a basic life support mobile unit.
Marín reminded the council that as far back as December 2023, through their Andalusian parliamentarians, Purificación Fernández and Antonio Sevilla, they had tabled amendments to the Junta de Andalucía’s 2024 budget for the creation of a 24-hour emergency service, both in Manilva Pueblo and in Sabinillas. The amendments were rejected by the absolute majority of the Partido Popular in Andalusia.
He then set out at today’s council meeting the cost of this service to the municipal coffers, which amounts to €350,000, even though it is a service that should be covered by the SAS, as the Town Hall does not have these powers.
Mario Jimenez, spokesperson for Compromiso, gave his party’s vote in favour, but not before recalling his visits to Seville and his party’s work in the unsuccessful fight to obtain this service for Manilva.
Diego José Jimenez, spokesperson for the PSOE, also voted in favour of this item, in a tone that was not very hopeful, referring in his speech to the collapse of healthcare in Andalusia and the delays suffered across the whole appointments system via «Salud No Responde».
Agustín Vargas, spokesperson for Con Andalucía, stated in his speech that both the PSOE and the Partido Popular had deceived Manilva «many times» and that it was about time this stopped. Vargas also recalled, and expressed his thanks for, the launch of this service by the Town Hall in 1995, even though it was not its responsibility, and which has saved so many lives.
The mayor, Jose Fernández, spokesperson for the Partido Popular, also voted in favour of the proposal, so Marín secured unanimity on the council. He announced that the ultimate aim of the motion is to submit amendments again in parliament for the next budgets, which, backed by the unanimity of the council, will carry much more weight.
