Puerto Pollensa sunbeds did not have town hall authorisation

That was a correct understanding. The residents' association in Puerto Pollensa, which has been the concessionaire in recent years, started putting out the sunbeds in Puerto Pollensa and Cala San Vicente without having received formal authorisation from the town hall. In this respect, it was following what had happened on Formentor beach, where the hotel had put out sunbeds some weeks ago, thus risking a penalty from the national government's Costas Authority.

Pollensa's mayor, Miquel Angel March, admits that the town hall had not been in a position to give permission or to allow for charging to use the sun loungers and parasols (the Bulletin understands that people have been paying). However, he considers the action to be "neither good nor bad" in that the season is well advanced. "Given the public interest in the service, we are not going to intervene." He goes on to say that there is now a situation of "normality" in Puerto Pollensa because the beach is getting its services and because the final part of the first phase of the semi-pedestrianisation project - the installation of benches - is completed.

The deadline for bids ended last week. There was just one tender - from the residents' association - in addition to that of Hotel Formentor for the beach in front of the hotel. The legal procedure had, last Friday, yet to be fully gone through in ensuring that the tenders fully complied with requirements.

The main opposition group, Tots per Pollença, has criticised the lack of consensus regarding the beach tender and service, while the Alternativa per Pollença (which often supports the administration) has demanded that responsibilities for the delay to the tender and errors that it contained are recognised.