Two Councillors in a troubled Marina Alta town hold crucial votes as allies of the new Partido Popular controlled administration.
In behind the scenes wheeling and dealing, Antonia Avargues and Carole Saunders agreed to form a pact with new Mayor Cesar Sanchez to give the PP a working majority in the corridors of power.

Round Town News | Noticia

They were the leading candidates in the Calp Independientes Los Verdes list, a new party standing in May’s elections, although Antonia has been an opposition councillor for eight years.

Carole, who narrowly failed to win a seat four years ago, said there were many new faces in the team all hoping to bring fresh ideas to Calpe.
“The PP got 10 seats in the election and they needed 11 for a majority, so they need at least one of our votes to put through changes,” she said.
Carole is now in charge of Agenda 21 – the process to allow citizens a voice in the development of the community – and liaising with organisations such as Cartitas and EMAUS as they helped people in the town.

REWARD
Antonia was rewarded with control of the economy, business and employment, as well as Calpe’s fiestas.
And Carole said they had turned down the opportunity to share power with a PSOE controlled alliance because it would mean making a coalition with former PP members facing allegations of corruption: “I would rather boil in oil.”

For many years an active campaigner for the environment, she added: “This is a very different PP we are supporting and yes, we will be putting forward a project for the salt lake, Las Salinas, and hopefully the Roman remains at the Queen’s Baths.

“One big problem is there is no money and the town is very much in debt. However, the mayor has promised he will do his best to get financial support from Valencia.”
Carole said they were promised the government would “start afresh” and give the town hall a “complete overhaul.”

She added: “Antonia felt we can put our trust in that and obviously being in government we do have a say in what happens to the town.”

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