ALL SAINTS DAY DREW BIG CROWDS FOR CELEBRATIONS IN CASARES

This year’s All Saints celebration drew big crowds to various events in Casares. Hundreds of people gathered at the cemetery for the annual chestnut festival. And at the Casares, Secadero and Casares Costa there was a big turn out for the Halloween parties. May outside visitors came to Casares for the All Saints festival and roasted chestnuts, chocolates and sweets were handed out by students from as part of their fund raising activities. The Blas Infante Cultural Centre had 109 visitors, of which eight per cent were foreign tourists. At Casares Costa a hundred children took part in the Halloween party at the Deputy Mayor’s office where they enjoyed the entertainment.

PROPERTY SALES TO FOREIGNERS IN MALAGA PROVINCE HAVE REACHED PRE CRISIS LEVELS

Property sales to foreigners in Malaga province  have reached pre crisis levels with a 30 per cent increase recorded for the second quarter. There were two and a half thousand property transactions by foreigners, almost 40 per cent of the total number.

MALAGA PROVINCE RECORDS A SLIGHT UPSURGE IN PROPERTY SALES

Malaga province has recorded a slight upsurge in property sales, fuelling speculation that the end of the property slump could be in sight. The boost is in contrast to the picture throughout Spain and the rest of Andalucia where property prices continue to be in negative figures. In July Malaga recorded a 15 per cent increase in the number of property sales. The province came fourth behind Madrid, Barcelona and Alicante and recorded a third of all property transactions in July. Promoters say that the existing property stock will soon be exhausted and there will soon be a demand for new developments.

CASARES GETS READY FOR THE ANNUAL FAIR

Preparations are underway for the August fair in Casares. This year the theme of the fair will be the heritage of Casares and its people. the programme for the fair can be viewed on the Town Hall's Facebook site. The fair takes place from August 1st to 4th and the official programme this year incorporates historic photos of the town and its people and photos of previous fairs. The programme features a comprehensive list of all the activities taking place next week. Next Monday a special dinner for the elderly will be held, an event that all Casareños look forward to in advance of the 2013 fair.

OVER 3,000 FAMILIES RECEIVING FINANCIAL AID IN MALAGA PROVINCE

More than  3,000 families in Malaga province are receiving financial aid to support their children. One thousand children are getting three meals a day at twelve summer schools in the province. 3,200 households are getting economic aid to help feed their children and keep them healthy. The Social Exclusion Act passed last year allocated 750,000 Euro to ensure that 6,200 children in the province had their basic needs seen to. That comes on top of 294,000 Euro already allocated to help the needy. The 750,000 Euro will be distributed among 16 municipalities. Malaga city will get over 265,000 Euro, while Estepona will get over 30,000 Euro and Marbella almost 65,000 Euro.

And now some news in brief:

Malaga is the Anadalucian province where new house prices have seen their biggest drop. According to a recent survey there has been a 7.2 per cent drop in house prices. The average price per square metre for a new house in the province is now 1.62 Euro.

And now some news in brief:

Hospitals and public health centres will be providing a minimum service in Malaga province this summer because of cutbacks. Staff who are taking holidays will not be replaced and this will lead to the closure of beds and operating rooms.

UNION CLAIMS THE NEW LOCAL GOVERNMENT REFORM WILL COST 11,000 JOBS IN MALAGA PROVINCE

The CCOO union has claimed that the local government reform plan will cost 11,000 pubic service jobs in Malaga province. The CCOO spokesperson in Malaga Carolina Ortiz said that the central government's reform plan is an attempt to carry out wholesale privatisation of public services. She said that workers rights will disappear, including collective bargaining and compensation rights and many public service workers will be transferred to other workplaces. The union says that the planned reform will lead to the destruction of half of the public service jobs in Malaga province.