The Cervera del Río Alhama town council has closed a chapter of governance characterised by the tension between delivering long-overdue social infrastructure and the municipality’s economic fragility. The assessment presented by Mayor Álvaro Forcada highlights the opening of a day centre with capacity for twenty users and the expansion of the nursery school to accommodate an additional twenty-two children. These services, identified by the local government as long-standing demands from families, exist alongside a structural crisis in the local economic fabric, exemplified by the closure and subsequent reopening of the Plaza Chica factory—an event the mayor described as a “cold shower”.

Social services: prioritising dependency care and early childhood

The core of the positive governance narrative centres on the materialisation of two essential services which, according to Forcada’s statements, had been a demand “for years”. The first is the day centre, a newly inaugurated facility with capacity for twenty users. For the municipal government, this opening represents “one of the most significant interventions of the legislative term”. The mayor’s justification points to an improved quality of life for families and the generation of local employment. “Facilitating the lives of many families had been a demand for years, alongside the commitment to create jobs that its opening entails,” the mayor stated.

The second pillar of this policy is the expansion of the nursery school. Last academic year, a new classroom was added, increasing the centre’s capacity by twenty-two places. A significant change has been the extension of opening hours: children can now remain at the centre from the morning until four o’clock in the afternoon, including lunch and nap time. This adjustment in hours responds to the work-life balance needs of families working shifts or outside the municipality, a determining factor in retaining population in rural areas.

These infrastructures aim to fill a gap in the provision of local services. In a municipality of this size, the absence of a day centre or a full-day nursery school forces families to travel to neighbouring towns. The long-term sustainability of these services will depend on the effective occupancy of the places and the funding from the competent administrations.

The Plaza Chica industrial crisis

Against the backdrop of social advances, the balance sheet is overshadowed by the state of the industrial sector. The closure of the Plaza Chica factory has been, according to the mayor himself, a “cold shower” for Cervera. This incident reflects the fragility of a local economy that relies heavily on a few sources of employment.

The resumption of activity at these facilities has required, according to Forcada, “an enormous effort”. The process involved finding a new company to take over management and production. This measure does not guarantee the full recovery of lost jobs or the same stability as the previous activity. Dependence on a single significant productive actor exposes the municipality to economic shocks beyond the direct control of the town council. While the local government manages public services, a company’s decision to close is a market variable that the administration can only mitigate by attracting investment.

For the residents of Cervera, uncertainty about the future of activity at Plaza Chica remains a tangible concern, contrasting with the stability of the recently inaugurated social services.

Infrastructure and construction status

The assessment includes a review of the state of road and public infrastructure. Among the completed or near-completion projects is the renovation of the Camino de Canejá section, carried out in September. Access to San Gil park has also been improved, and work has been undertaken in the area surrounding the Hermitage of La Soledad. In the San Gil urban area, works on Calle Mayor are considered complete. In Cervera, Calle San Miguel is nearing completion.

The future construction schedule includes the renovation of the Cervera swimming pool, a project that, according to the balance sheet, will not be executed until 2027. This delay affects the quality of life for residents during the summer months. On the other hand, works on Nisuelas square will commence in 2026.

Regarding housing, the renovation of the secretary’s house for conversion into three rental units is blocked by a technical issue: the lack of an Iberdrola connection. This detail highlights how incidents involving third parties can delay public housing projects. Finally, the widening of the green path surface and the opening of the Albotea spa are mentioned, the latter being relevant to the comarca’s tourism economy.

Local governance and relations with the opposition

The balance sheet also reflects the political dynamics within the town council. The mayor noted that the relationship with the +RO municipal group has changed. “We understand each other better with +RO now, but I believe most matters are common sense and should be approved by everyone,” Forcada stated. This declaration suggests an improvement in political communication, while also emphasising the need for consensus on issues that, according to the mayor, should be kept out of partisan dispute.

In a small municipality, governance depends on the ability of municipal groups to reach agreement. The reference to matters of “common sense” implies, from the perspective of the governing team, that decisions on basic services should not be conditioned by political confrontation. However, public management is often complicated by the differing priorities of the parties represented in the plenary session. Forcada’s ability to achieve consensus or pass his projects by majority will determine the agility of management in the coming months.

Administrative dependency and next steps

Cervera del Río Alhama operates under the constraints of its relationship with other administrations, particularly the Álava Provincial Council, which is competent in matters of social services, roads, and economic development. The opening of the Albotea spa or the management of the day centre requires coordination with provincial policies.

The balance sheet leaves several fronts open. The execution of the swimming pool renovation in 2027 is a pending commitment. The situation of Nisuelas square, where works will begin in 2026, requires monitoring. The stability of activity at Plaza Chica remains an unknown. Reopening with a new company is an advance, but it does not guarantee long-term sustainability. The town council must maintain active vigilance over the factory’s employment situation.

In the political sphere, the relationship with +RO and the ability to achieve consensus will be decisive for the approval of pending projects. The mayor’s declaration on the need for unanimity will be tested in upcoming municipal debates. The legislative term’s balance sheet reflects an administration that has advanced in social services but faces the limits of its capacity for action in the face of the industrial crisis and dependence on other administrations.