Over the coming months new logos like the one featured will be appearing in Orihuela Costa calling for financial autonomy for us living on the coast.

The message is very clear and very important. For many years money raised in taxes on the coast has been syphoned off to be spent on Orihuela town and surrounding villages.

The result is that we on the coast have been deprived of services – a cultural centre as well as essentials like an ambulance station, police station and local fire services.

And it’s the fault of us expats. Many people who retire to Spain have had their fill of politics and voting and just want a peaceful life. As a result they don’t bother to get on the Padron or vote. And that means the politicians representing Orihuela have an unfair advantage.

They look on us on the coast as home owners ripe to be milked – and milked we have been for years.

But now, a party for the coast, called CLARO is fighting for a better deal. It’s vital that everyone gets on the Padron as quickly as possible and when local elections come we all get off our backsides and go to the polls.

That way the coast can get its own councillors onto the council and can campaign with a stronger voice to get the money raised on the coast spent on the coast.

I have been reluctant to use this website for a political message, but this one is important, because it concerns all of us. We have a marvellous hospital on our doorstep that puts some UK NHS hospitals to shame. We have a very efficient Salud, where we can get an appointment in days rather than weeks. But in a real emergency we can wait ages for an ambulance to get to us and my wife and I have personal experience of this and how distressing it can be. It can be the difference between life and death.

On the coast we have as big a population now as in Orihuela and its fair and reasonable to have the same facilities here as those enjoyed in Orihuela town. A theatre/cultural centre would enable us to enjoy shows and events which we now have to travel to Torrevieja to attend. It has been estimated that such facilities here would put at least €1,000 euros onto the value of each and every home on the coast.

Every week CLARO meets at 5pm on Fridays at the El Nacional restaurant on the N332 near the water tower and you can get advice there on any problems you might have in getting onto the Padron.

In the autumn presidents of all coastal urbanisations will be getting together to meet and filter information through to home owners.

CLARO have designed a “how to guide” on registering for a padron.

CLARO issued an update on 16th June announcing INSUFFICENT FUNDS. Despite a contribution of 60% of the total budget, the town of Orihuela Costa receives less than 20% meant to sustain the area for a year.

In other words, our local taxes contribute 60% of the total budget Orihuela council has to spend yet it chooses to give us back only 20% to provide all our services. The remainder goes to the city and surrounding villages. No wonder we on the coast are deprived of essential services.