With concern growing over the scheduled closure of this Johanneswerk-owned residential care home for the elderly, around the end of the year, the Mayor, accompanied by the Provincial Deputy for Social Welfare and Family, José Antonio Robles visited the establishment. Also accompanying the Mayor was María del Carmen Reinoso, who is the Municipal Councillor for Social Welfare, and Carmen García, who is the Head of the provincial Community Social Security; i.e., EU related.

This cluster of impressive-sounding, administrative representatives were met and shown around by the manager of the care home, Andrea Grauel.

With the tour having concluded, the Mayor, Trinidad Herrera, said that the news concerning the closing down of the establishment was received as ‘a problematic and difficult situation,’ both for the residents and for the staff. However, she pointed out that although on a municipal level the Town Hall could not assume the running of the home, she was determined to approach every other administration so that individually or collectively, they could provide a solution that guarantees the home’s continuity.

Editorial Comment: Apart from words of encouragement and a promise to ‘do the rounds’ to find support from area, provincial and regional administrations, not much else has come of this visit. However, realistically, there is little more that the Mayor can do, as it is beyond the financial capacity of the town to contribute through co-ownership, let alone buy the business outright.

There is no doubt that this very professional establishment would be a lucrative asset for the Town Hall in other economical circumstances – right asset; wrong moment, which is probably why the German company is pulling out in the first place.