Six towns can elect more councillors

Six municipalities will be entitled to more councillors in the May 25 elections because of a huge increase in the number of inhabitants. Bunyola, Lloret de Vistalegre and Sencelles will have two councillors each, while Marratxi, Santanyi and Son Servera will have four more councillors, according to official figures from the National Institute of Statistics. The number of councillors in each municipality is based on the latest census, in this case that of January 1, 2002. On that date, according to the official figures of the Institute, Bunyola had 5'114 residents, Lloret had 1'017, Sencelles 2'341, Marratxi 23'953, Santanyi 10'020 and Son Servera 10'643. However, the number of voters in each municipality is about 70 or 80 per cent of the number on the census as minors, non European Union (EU) foreigners and EU residents who have not registered to vote must be discounted. The number of councillors in Bunyola will increase from 11 to 13, while Lloret will have nine instead of seven, and Sencelles will have 11 instead of nine. The number of councillors in Marratxi goes up from 17 to 21 while Santanyi and Son Servera, which now have 13 councillors, will have 17 each. Municipalities with fewer than 250 inhabitants are entitled to five councillors. There are seven councillors for a population between 251 and 1'000; nine for 1'001 to 2'000 inhabitants, 11 for 2'001 to 5'000 and 13 for a population of between 5'001 and 10'000 inhabitants. If a municipality has between 20'001 and 50'000 inhabitants it is entitled to 21 councillors and 25 if it is between 50'001 and 100'000. Municipalities with more than 100'000 inhabitants add one councillor for every 100'000 residents above this.