I am delighted to be able to inform the community of some good news regarding the villa, number 1763, which has been abandoned for years and has been the subject of many complaints – and of course the subject of large debts to the community.

Considerable work has been carried out on the property, inside and out, in recent months, giving rise to much speculation.

I have on many occasions asked our previous administrator for updates with little success.

Having made enquiries with workmen on site this week I was today visited by the new owner. He has explained that although he has technically owned the villa for months he has been trapped in a legal wrangle with judges in Orihuela who have put a block on the transfer of his and some 3,000 properties in the area. In the new year he hopes that this will finally be settled by the European Court and he will at last be able to have electricity, water and other services connected to the villa and finally make it habitable.

He will then be in a position to clear the debts on the property which will be a useful windfall for us.

May I take this opportunity of wishing you all a very happy Christmas – wherever you are spending it – and a prosperous new year.