Despite her appointment as Councillor for transparency, Irene Celdrán, who also holds the portfolio for health, failed to answer a question in last Wednesday’s Plenary, submitted by AVCRL, on the subject of the Orihuela Costa Health Centre.

The question asked about the specific reasons leading to the council ruling out an extension, the budget for which was in the process of being approved by the Generalitat, whether there was approval by the Generalitat Valenciana for the construction of a second health centre, what progress is being made toward the second centre and when it will be available to the residents.

However, Celdrán, argued that AVCRL had submitted 4 questions instead of one. Her answer then went on to avoid the question completely, responding with, ’as of today, this council has updated budgets which we have not had for 6 years. Thanks to them, much more will be invested in health’.

This was not the question that was asked, and for a councillor who boasts that she holds the responsibility for Government Transparency, the councillor has shown utter contempt for the people of Orihuela Costa that she has been elected to represent.

A post on the AVCRL Facebook page states that the attitude of Councillor Celdrán is totally unacceptable and a blatant breach of article 87bis of the Organic Plenary Rules, which regulates the right of citizens and associations to intervene in the Municipal Plenary.

It adds that this same question has been submitted on many occasions previously by electronic mail to which the Association still awaits a response.

“Transparency in Government leads to reduced corruption.”    Julian Assange.